[biggins]

magura gustav man right here. i have had hopes, avids, shimano and hayes. the best breaks i ever owned were 5 year old magura gustavs. change the pads every once in a while and well......uhhhhh that was all i ever did to them. i bought them used and used them through the life of 2 dh frames before one finally crapped out on me after a nasty spill housed em onto a big rock. it was an impact no break would have survived.

 

[biggins]

anyone have more info on the maguras? i'm considering accepting their sponsorship deal but know next to nothing except they made great trialsy hydro rims i don't know anyone around here who rides em.

i rode the crap out of em for several years. had two sets one set of gustavs (the old bright yellow ones) and a set of julies they noth worked well.

 

[dhpimp]

I love my Saints. I have also a set of XTR's, but the Saint brakes have much more power. I really like the pad combo - 1 resin and 1 metal. Gives you the best of both the stopping and modulation world. Absolutely awesome brake system.

 

[Bicyclist]

Maguras just sound too grabby for me. Saints sound great, as do the Formula brakes. I'm still considering Hopes too. The Avid lever click just feels weird too me. My list in order of preference is now:
-Saint
-Formula
-Hope

 

[kidwoo]

I rode XTR's, but they're pretty much the same thing. The only place the power wasn't quite good enough was screaming down Kamikaze in Mammoth after a few runs, but that's not a fair judgement.

Actually that's a totally fair judgement. They should work. I've got xts on a bike I rode all day at mammoth including the top part of kamikaze getting to other trails and while it is fair to expect brakes to work................you're absolutely wrong and I kick you in the nuts.

Shimano brakes lay to waste every other brake system, leaving the hulking masses of weak, inefficient hose, caliper assemblies in flames, the sound of their tears, rising up in steam the only auditory intermission between screams of pain while they wallow in their inadequacy.

I'm just kidding.

No I'm not

Am I??

 

[kidwoo]

IMO, buy avids.

The modulation is incredible.

Okay........you're one of the smart ones and you're making this claim so I have to probe. I've ridden about 5 bikes now with avids and they've been the most stabby, on/off brakes I've ever ridden.......what I would essentially call zero modulation....although I agree they would stop a ford excursion with the power they've got.

Modulation to me means amount of lever throw between engagement and lockup where varying degrees of pressure/pad drag can be applied to the brakes without much change in actual force applied at the lever. The avids I've ridden have pretty much zero change in lever position between engagement and lock up.

Where is this modulation, where can I find it on avid hydros and does it come with free soda?

 

[Bicyclist]

... and while it is fair to expect brakes to work................you're absolutely wrong and I kick you in the nuts.

Umm. OK.

 

[kidwoo]

Umm. OK.

I mean no harm. Just foolin.

But seriously what changed riding the kamikaze? There's no reason a good hydro brake should be any different on that road than haulin arse down a dh trail. Hayes or shimanos, my problem was tire traction, not the brakes. Curious as to why yours felt funny.

 

[stgil888]

I'm surprised there hasn't been more mention of Hayes Mags. I haven't ridden Hopes or Maguras, but I've ridden more than a few bikes with Hayes Mags. In my opinion they are a lot better than the HFX-9's. Almost everyone runs them where I ride. Parts are available almost everywhere, they're super tough, and most shops can have them set up quickly. They aren't flashy, but they sure work.

http://www.hayesdiscbrake.com/product_hyd_hfxmaghd.shtml

 

[Uncle Jimmi]

Maguras just sound too grabby for me. Saints sound great, as do the Formula brakes. I'm still considering Hopes too. The Avid lever click just feels weird too me. My list in order of preference is now:
-Saint
-Formula
-Hope

They are not grabby unless you are, they are very smooth and controllable.

 

[bballe336]

Maguras just sound too grabby for me.

Well the Louise FR's are less powerful than the Gustav's but just as good. Definitely try a set out.

 

[OGRipper]

Magura Gustav's are in my experience without question the most powerful brakes out there, I have ridden a few different sets on other people's bike and do not find them to be very grabby, it's just that you need less force at the lever so if you pull as hard as with say hayes, they will lock right up. But if you are only 130 lbs you don't need that much power and I would go with something lighter.

Like a lot of other people I would say get the Saints. I am 200 lbs and run older xt 755 on my vpfree, I find that they have great consistency, reliability, modulation, and power, plus they are easy to work on and they use mineral oil instead of DOT. The Saints offer all that AND a slightly stiffer caliper so they are even more precise. And before anyone asks, yes you can use regular hubs and rotors, you don't have to use centerlock.

I have some juicy 7's on another bike and although they are good I agree with Kidwoo, I am not crazy about the modulation/sensitivity. Plus I seem to get some heat pump on longer descents that I don't get with shimanos. Shimano is the company I love to hate but they make some fine brakes.

 

[Bicyclist]

I mean no harm. Just foolin.

But seriously what changed riding the kamikaze? There's no reason a good hydro brake should be any different on that road than haulin arse down a dh trail. Hayes or shimanos, my problem was tire traction, not the brakes. Curious as to why yours felt funny.

The brakes started to fade on the corner where Upper Shock Treatment breaks off and I could barely stop after a few runs. I'm gonna go for Saints, they're pretty light, there's different lever options and rotor options, they're easy to work on, great lever feel, and awesome modulation and power.

 

[1soulrider]

The brakes started to fade on the corner where Upper Shock Treatment breaks off and I could barely stop after a few runs. I'm gonna go for Saints, they're pretty light, there's different lever options and rotor options, they're easy to work on, great lever feel, and awesome modulation and power.

Good choice. I have tried most all the options (Hope, Hayes, Magura, Shimano and Avid) and find the Saint (or XT, same caliper different paint) to be the top performer. I prefer the metallic pads, resins are fine when dry but weak when wet and wear very fast. Some like the mixed pad deal, but I don't. Light, powerful and the best modulation out of any brake (not break, people!) I have used. Easy to bleed (the fluid doesn't strip paint) and parts can be found anywhere.

 

[Bicyclist]

That basically sums up why I'm buying them!

 

[1soulrider]

You calling me stupid?!

 

[Bicyclist]

No, as in I agree. I guess I use this: the opposite as how I should.

 

[1soulrider]

No worries, just givin ya a hard time.

 

[Bicyclist]

OK cool. It was ironic 'cause someone was just saying to me how I prolly shouldn't use that smiley like that because I'll probably piss them off. So I thought they were right.

 

[Ciaran]

or you could find an old set of shimano xt m755 brakes and have the same thing as the maguras and it wouldnt cost you as much. i think i payed 175 for a set of brakes

Awsome underrated brakes. 4 piston brakes, coupled with some Goodridge hoses = Easy to bleed too.

I love mine.

 

[Bicyclist]

Yeah, the only problem is finding some. I think I'd rather go Saint anyways cause the lever shape is so awesome.

 

[zmtber]

good choice stick with saint they are awsome man

 

[SXtrailrider]

What does goodridge lines d othat make brakes that much better?

 

[SXtrailrider]

the reason for the question is because they are so damb expensive

 

[DH biker]

Are the Formula's easy to get part for and easy to service (ie bleed, new pads, etc.) yourself?

 

[Bicyclist]

Goodridge lines make it so fluid won't expand and gives the brakes a firmer feel at the lever and more power. Plus they don't tear.

 

[Boxxer]

Goodridge lines make it so fluid won't expand and gives the brakes a firmer feel at the lever and more power. Plus they don't tear.

Thats kinda close. Anything in the system that could flex(two piece calipers, stretchy junk hoses, poorly made housings or levers) leads to poor spongy feel at your fingers. Replacing the lines with good stuff like goodridge helps fight the stretch that could happen under high loads. An easy test is grab a pair of brakes that are fully bedded in and see if you can pull the lever in once the pads are bottomed on the rotor. If you can pull them a bunch you can bet something is flexing/expanding. Goodridge are worth the money if youre a DH racer or ride on the edge of traction alot. If youre just tooling around.. they probably arnt worth the money.

Ive got them. PS, they also can make much tighter bends so I run mine down the steer tube to make for easier barspins.

 

[SXtrailrider]

nice, but they are so damb expensive. Are thier other companies that make hoses as good as goodridge but cheaper?

 

[jasonw111]

hayes mags