[DirtMcGirk]

I took the Gustavs off of my 303 when I sold the frame. However, to get them off I had to cut the lines.

In building the new 303 up, I am starting to get parts, do a budget, so on and so forth. What I need most is a good set of stoppers.

So do I rebuild the gustavs, do new braided stainless steel lines, new levers, all of that, spend maybe $150.
Or do I buy a new set of Saints, bolt them on, Bob's your uncle?

 

[demo 9]

Gustavs, they are one of the best brakes i ever had, i regret selling them for saints

 

[DirtMcGirk]

That's kind of what I thought, which is why I didn't want to sell them.

Will order the bits I need tonight.

 

[Carraig042]

I was rather disappointed with my Saint M810's. They were mushy and inconsistent no matter what I would do to them. I just bought some Hope V'2s to replace them, so far (parking lot tests for what its worth) they seem a lot better!

I rarely ever hear of people talking down to Magura products. If you really like your brakes, rebuild them.

I won a set of Magura MT4's from PricePoint (My first brakeset from Magura) and have ridden them a few times and they seem great.

-Brett

 

[Eastern States Cup]

Gustav's 100%

 

[norbar]

I like my saints but that's probably because they remind me of my old gustavs. If you don't mind a little bit of extra weight stay with them.

 

[HardtailHack]

I thought everyone hated Gustav's about a year ago, are they old enough to be retro cool now?

 

[norbar]

I thought everyone hated Gustav's about a year ago

Only people who never owned them

 

[Sandwich]

I owned them and hated them. The least "modular"/worst modulating brake I've owned or tried. Power was incredible, but I had so much less control because my wheels would just lock right up in less than ideal conditions (ie wet weather on rock faces). Plus, the lever was so uncomfortable and long that my hand position suffered. You could only buy aftermarket 2 finger blades to help, and even that was questionable. Plus, add in the incompatibility with disk mounts and rotors, and you've got an archaic system that could leave you stranded should you need mountianside repairs.

My saints were pretty much flawless from day 1, and any issues were solved by a good bleed with good CHF. I even used ****ty rotors with them and I was still happy, got great life out of the pads, great lever feel, etc.

If you had to choose one or the other, it would be a no brainer for me. Being that you can probably get new lines for less than $20, and you already like your gustavs, I'd probably just rock them. You probably won't need stainless lines with them, and pads are generally a consumable, so the choice is yours....

 

[norbar]

I owned them and hated them. The least "modular"/worst modulating brake I've owned or tried. Power was incredible, but I had so much less control because my wheels would just lock right up in less than ideal conditions (ie wet weather on rock faces). Plus, the lever was so uncomfortable and long that my hand position suffered. You could only buy aftermarket 2 finger blades to help, and even that was questionable. Plus, add in the incompatibility with disk mounts and rotors, and you've got an archaic system that could leave you stranded should you need mountianside repairs.

My saints were pretty much flawless from day 1, and any issues were solved by a good bleed with good CHF. I even used ****ty rotors with them and I was still happy, got great life out of the pads, great lever feel, etc.

If you had to choose one or the other, it would be a no brainer for me. Being that you can probably get new lines for less than $20, and you already like your gustavs, I'd probably just rock them. You probably won't need stainless lines with them, and pads are generally a consumable, so the choice is yours....

The 2nd gen levers added a lot of modulation. My father still uses his and they have better modulation than my saints and v2s.

As for the lever it may only be me but I liked it. At least the 2nd gen one.

 

[Udi]

In terms of raw stopping power which do you think has more norbar? Between the saints and gustavs.

 

[jackalope]

Saints all the way. Mine have been utterly flawless, and I have a difficult time imagining needing moar power than what the Saints offer. Hell, I've switched to smaller rotors in an effort to somewhat mitigate their F1 worthy stopping power. Mind you, I'm not the size of a cape buffalo like Dirt is, but I'm still pretty fat (~ 200 lbs) and like to creep down steep-ish stuff at Mach slow (e.g. I bet it would take me an hour to get down Champery, but no crashes!)

The only thing I'm not completely stoked on is the lever design, but it's not really an issue if you don't have b!tch hands. Easy to bleed, available replacement parts, and significantly lighter than Gustavs.

 

[jonKranked]

ian, just get a drag 'chute and a boat anchor. that's the only thing capable of stopping you.

 

[norbar]

In terms of raw stopping power which do you think has more norbar? Between the saints and gustavs.

I don't really think it's easy to compare while riding unless you have some insanely grippy tires. Both have enough to stop you and enough to skidd all over the place if you plan on deathgripping them. I'd say gustavs since they required a lot less effort when I was a lot weaker.

Also the 2nd gen is heavy but lighter than the 1st gen. Around the weight of v2s with ventidiscs according to sicklines.

If Magura decided to make a new version around the weight of saint I'd preorder them now.

 

[-BB-]

I vote Gustav's.
I have had a set on my DH bike and have loved them. I even have a back-up pair sitting in my garage in case I need any parts or if one goes to sheet on me.

Second favorite are the old-school 4 piston XT's and then the new 4-pot saints I have on my trail bike.

 

[-BB-]

I don't really think it's easy to compare while riding unless you have some insanely grippy tires. Both have enough to stop you and enough to skidd all over the place if you plan on deathgripping them. I'd say gustavs since they required a lot less effort when I was a lot weaker.

]\

+1

To me, the thing I love about the Gustav is that at the end of a long day of lift assisted DH (Northstar, Mammoth etc) when my hands are exhausted I can still stop "on demand". Or even more so, when I go up for a weekend of DH and on the second day my hands are nothing more than cramped up "claws", I can still manage to brake well. Holding onto the bars through some nasty rocks on the other hand is quite a challenge.

 

[DirtMcGirk]

ian, just get a drag 'chute and a boat anchor. that's the only thing capable of stopping you.

So a windbag and a boat anchor? Gotcha, but my ex-wife and I don't speak.

 

[daisycutter]

I love Gustav's on my back up DH bike. Love my 810 Saints on my Glory. For a back up, back up DH bike I put togeather Gustav capliers combined with Saint levers and found that system amazing. THe best of both worlds

 

[StabprimoMonkee]

I love Gustav's on my back up DH bike. Love my 810 Saints on my Glory. For a back up, back up DH bike I put togeather Gustav capliers combined with Saint levers and found that system amazing. THe best of both worlds

Been using the G's for the last six seasons. Was thinking of switching over to saint. But a Saint Gustav frankenbrake! **** yeah.

 

[Huck Banzai]

I thought everyone hated Gustav's about a year ago, are they old enough to be retro cool now?

Zingo - and toss on some thumb shifters and a BioPace chain ring.

 

[dustyyoungblood]

If you are over 200 pounds you need Gustav's. They rule on all others. If you are light than anything may do.

 

[Huck Banzai]

If you are over 200 pounds you need Gustav's. They rule on all others. If you are light than anything may do.

240, keep the binary boat anchors. Those who've had issues with Saints - maybe u can have an inch; otherwise WTH - Gustav is outclassed by miles.

Sheesh. Get some drum brakes why dontcha. Maybe you can pair the Gustavs with the much loved boat anchor noodle shiver, and put Gazzi's on that list too...


But of course - if you have them, and you can fix em up cheaply - why not?! Even a good deal on new brakes is going to be a bucket more $.

 

[DirtMcGirk]

I ordered the parts I needed, even bought some new rotors just to class things up. Its going to be a bitch rebleeding them, as they do have a mind of their own when it comes to this. But, I think my boat anchors would keep me from making sweet love to a tree sometime this season at high speed.

 

[StabprimoMonkee]

I ordered the parts I needed, even bought some new rotors just to class things up. Its going to be a bitch rebleeding them, as they do have a mind of their own when it comes to this. But, I think my boat anchors would keep me from making sweet love to a tree sometime this season at high speed.

Not a problem if you do it by the book. There was a video online somewhere, but I cant see to find it right now.

Check this video:

You need to do the same procedure and watch the reservoir oil level, suck the oil out to prevent overflow and add it to prevent air getting to the MC as you cycle the lower syringe.