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Magura's MT8 - Sea Otter 2011

by Richard Cunningham
Apr 21, 2011 at 18:40

Magura's MT8 brake is a ground-up redesign including a new rotor, flip-flop lever perches, banjo hose terminals, a double-arch caliper, and a top-loading pad system. Per wheel, the MT8 weighs 278 grams with 6-inch rotors, and costs $399. Pinkbike is presently testing the MT8, and so far, it looks like a winner. Here's the video:

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The MT8 brake lever and master cylinder assemblies come out of the mold ready to use.
The MT8 brake lever and master cylinder assemblies come out of the mold ready to use.
Magura's one-piece aluminum double-arch caliper provides stiffness, and allows for top-loading brake pads.
Magura's one-piece aluminum double-arch caliper provides stiffness, and allows for top-loading brake pads.


Check out this Pinkbike article for more on the MT8 brake, and browse the complete line of Magura disc brakes and suspension components.

Is a full-carbon brake lever over the top? Is Magura pushing the disc brake envelope? You be the judge.
Must Read This Week

36 Comments

  • + 18
flag BBanville (Apr 24, 2011 at 0:13)
 If they require no machining at all after molding why are they 400 per wheel?
  • + 10
flag ljack (Apr 24, 2011 at 0:41)
 Since this is a completely new technology, the costs for developement and new machinery are still a big part of the price.
I'm pretty shure they will get cheaper over time.
Also 400$ ist the price for the superlight highend MT8.
The MT2, which also incorporates a lot of this new technology, is much cheaper.
  • + 1
flag combee (Apr 24, 2011 at 3:37)
 Its not new technology, the molds for these things just cost an awful lot
  • + 1
flag ljack (Apr 24, 2011 at 3:55)
 Magura is able to control the alignement of the carbon fibers, which is completely new.
  • + 1
flag XKolohe1x Plus (Apr 24, 2011 at 5:20)
 yea the alignment of carbon fibers is ridiculous i have never heard of that before, the knowledge of that technology makes so many things possible, def makes things hell of alot lighter without sacrificing strength
  • - 1
flag combee (Apr 24, 2011 at 7:21)
 It is just a lot of marketing talk believe me, the material they use is already as strong as 7075 and half the weight, regardless of fiber alignment.
  • + 10
flag mattbcxc (Apr 24, 2011 at 9:18)
 Are you guys for real?!?!? This guys is talking out his ass. What do you think injection molded carbon fiber is? Its nothing new. Its been around for more than 10yrs. Take a look at any carbon linkage plate on Trek, Santa Cruz, ect...

The purpose of injection molding and mold making is so that when the finished part is spit out of the machine, its done. Complete and not requiring any more machining processes. Its just plain manufacturing.

I'm machinist who has worked in a mold shop. This process being a "greener" process is also crap. If you've ever been around an injection molder you would know that theres nothing "green" about it. Once the machine & shot is set right, they can make a lot of parts labour free. And the crap about that lever layup..... what do you think any other company has been doing since carbon parts have been made.
  • + 2
flag WAKIdesigns (Apr 24, 2011 at 23:27)
 Buahaha sell it to nasa, CarlosMC U killed it, buehehe. Be carefoul zou, zey mightz neg prop you big tzime for making jokez zabaut ze best brake in ze weurld. Zey zon't understand jokez, zon't you knouu. Knock knock - who's zere? - shut up du schwein! Vi ask ze questionz!
  • + 2
flag derekr (Apr 27, 2011 at 9:53)
 mattbcxc you nailed it! They should have just stuck with ``this is a cool new product``­ and I would have went along. Bicycles are not high tech people! Companies borrow all these techniques from other industries that have a lot more money floating around. And to greenwash as well...
[Reply]
  • + 5
flag lescart (Apr 24, 2011 at 0:12)
 A thing of beauty, nuff said.
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  • + 1
flag bryantaber (Apr 24, 2011 at 6:19)
 I still love my Formula Oro K24's after 3 years. I still can't believe how much brake power came from such a small caliper. Got a t pair of sweet twenty6 levers on clearance for 20.00 and I effin love my Oro's . Thinking of switching simplistic perfection makes me nervous. Could maybe upgrade my lines to braided, though. Alot of little nicks. Any thoughts on this, anyone???????
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  • + 1
flag bryantaber (Apr 24, 2011 at 6:35)
 I'm actually pretty pissed still at how much Magura charged me for all this wierd extra mounting hardware for my Gustavs. They ended sucking an extra 200.00 just for those. And finding one of them was NOT easy. I had to to use an insane amount of washers for a couple of months just to ride. that experience kinda soured me on the Magura experience. Im glad to see ,though, that at least these are post mounts like Louise/Julia/ Martas . I hate when companies try to buck the trend to make a little more money.
  • + 1
flag JamesJozef (Apr 24, 2011 at 18:59)
 The Gustav was designed a very long time ago, before a lot of the brake mounting standards we have now. That's why a lot of Gustav hardware (especially a 190mm front post mount) is weird/impractical. Nothing to do with "bucking the trend" because there was no trend.
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  • + 1
flag Dirt-Gash (Apr 24, 2011 at 10:18)
 Don't rally care if the molding process is new or an old technology...all I care about is these brake are awesome...and plan to upgrade my Marta's to some MT-6's. Magura rules!
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  • + 4
flag seraph (Apr 24, 2011 at 2:07)
 $400 a wheel, no thanks. I'll stick with my Formulas.
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  • + 1
flag dunks95 (Apr 24, 2011 at 8:58)
 Pinkbike really is just a massive advertising campaign.. One cant really criticise them though, they have to make money somehow.
  • + 1
flag smike (Apr 24, 2011 at 15:24)
 Reporting on new products at a trade show is not advertising. All publications in the industry do it without endorsement to the companies because this is what readers want to know about. There is a difference between advertising and reporting on new products as they are released.
  • + 2
flag Technocrat (Apr 24, 2011 at 22:11)
 Here's the difference:

"Magura extends its lead in disc brake technology"

So is RC actually stating that Magura has a lead in disc brake technology based on his experience with their products and the products of their competitors, or did that come from their press material? If PB is a Journalistic enterprise, and RC creates editorial content, it is certainly his prerogative to state that Magura is leading the industry in "brake technology", whatever that is. However, if he's simply reporting on a new product, this smacks of pasting from the press release.

What is Magura doing here to extend their "lead"? What does it even mean to lead? They lead in adopting new materials to brake applications? They lead in spending on mold tooling? Mushy lever feel? They lead in hyperbole?

PB should endeavor to separate their editorial content from regurgitating press release content. If they made that one small change, it would be hard to complain.
  • + 1
flag smike (Apr 25, 2011 at 6:52)
 I don't disagree. However, unless Magura is actually paying PB for this, it still isn't considered advertising. You can call it poor journalism, but you can't call it advertising.
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag JamesJozef (Apr 24, 2011 at 19:01)
 Has anyone found an actual application chart of some sort for the MT series? I'm thinking the MT6 is the more DH oriented model but I haven't seen anything to confirm that.
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag JamesJozef (Apr 24, 2011 at 19:01)
 Has anyone found an actual application chart of some sort for the MT series? I'm thinking the MT6 is the more DH oriented model but I haven't seen anything to confirm that.
[Reply]
  • + 3
flag browner (Apr 24, 2011 at 5:48)
 Like one pad fits all, and top loading pads.
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  • + 1
flag bongboy (Apr 24, 2011 at 1:18)
 its nice and its light, but a just foresee a carbon lever breaking off with greater ease than an aluminum/metal lever in a crash
  • + 2
flag spew (Apr 24, 2011 at 1:31)
 maybe, maybe. But they warranty that ish since you gave up firstborn for a set of brakes.
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  • + 1
flag Nobble (Apr 25, 2011 at 12:03)
 Magura already tried composite brakes once before and they failed miserably....

unless they've improved drastically I suspect these are gonna fail epicly.
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag mountguitars (Apr 24, 2011 at 2:10)
 awesome! i wish the price was just as awesome too. till then, i'll stick with what i have for the time being. props to magura though.
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  • + 1
flag ButtonPusher (Apr 24, 2011 at 20:33)
 Well they look great and sound like a good brake. But i'll stick with my Louise's, $798 a set is too rich for my blood...
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  • + 1
flag davidstuartkelly (Apr 24, 2011 at 6:47)
 If they work as well as they look then Magura are onto a Winner, future upgrade from Hope??. You never know.....
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  • + 1
flag Art-of-Aragon (Jul 20, 2011 at 14:43)
 I dont think its "greener", Carbon fiber is one of the least biodegradable materials.
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  • + 1
flag turco999 (Apr 24, 2011 at 7:49)
 Love the massive rotor in the background of the video
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag moonchav06 (Apr 24, 2011 at 7:58)
 is that a carbon nomad???
  • + 1
flag smike (Apr 24, 2011 at 18:38)
 Looks like a Blur LTc
[Reply]
  • + 0
flag charliebrown (Apr 24, 2011 at 1:42)
 So these are basically like Formula brakes !
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  • + 1
flag poundsand (Apr 24, 2011 at 12:03)
 not very well explained
[Reply]
  • - 1
flag sentenced2life (Apr 24, 2011 at 6:55)
 mehhhh clarks hydro's shit all these and only £50 for a piar on crc!
  • + 1
flag JamesJozef (Apr 24, 2011 at 18:55)
 Really? Have you ridden both to compare? Magura doesn't make shit.
[Reply]

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