Submitted by
Andrew G
a Weekend Warrior
from europe
Date Reviewed: August 15, 2010
Strengths: -Sick, sick, sick and endless braking power which doesnt ever fade.
-Don't think it is possible to destroy they.
Weaknesses: - Weight but who cares?
- For 99% trails they are just too strong. It's hard to get used to the fact that you can easily lock the front wheel with one finger no matter what.
Bottom Line:
If you want to have a brakes that you just mount and they stop you whenever you want and you just forget about the rest they are for you. Moreover they still have this oldschool design, and not those crappy marzocchi skulls that can make you look ridiculous.
Similar Products Used: there is none. they are in their own league
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Submitted by
tommy__dh
a Downhiller
from Fort William, UK
Date Reviewed: June 22, 2010
Strengths: most powerful on the planet earth, great modulation, superb quality, design
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
best brakes I ever have, no problems at all with maintenance, very, very strong and powerful, excellent modulation, some say weight, but they are just 80g heavier than others which absolutely nothing.
Submitted by
Mahesh
a Downhiller
from Livingston, NJ, USA
Date Reviewed: February 2, 2010
Strengths: Fantastic power, excellent modulation. I found they were easy to bleed and change pads. Floating caliper is a great design.
Weaknesses: Finding replacement parts for repairs and maintenance is not only a hassle, but can be VERY expensive. I had a very tough time finding a hose replacement kit that didn't cost an arm and a leg and was actually compatible with the shape of the caliper.
Bottom Line:
If you don't mind spending the money and doing a bit of homework to get the necessary parts to do maintenance and repairs, these are an AMAZING set of brakes. Granted, they're the first set of DH brakes that I've used, but I've never had to think about them while riding. I'm almost worried about what'll happen when I eventually switch to another brand/model, which I've been considering given how hard/expensive it is to repair these. They don't get a 5 for value because of the post-purchase expense factor, but performance wise, I'd give them a 10 out of 5 if I could.
Favorite Trail: Anything at Diablo, Plattekill, Whiteface
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Similar Products Used: Hayes 9
Bike Setup: Sinister R9, 888 RC2X, Gustavs, DHX 5.0
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Submitted by
hurtn4certn
a Racer
from Wiesbaden, Germany
Date Reviewed: January 26, 2010
Strengths: Amazing stopping power! Did I mention they can stop a tandem (400 LBS with bike and riders) in a heartbeat?!?
Weaknesses: None. Well weight maybe, but these are on a tandem with Brooks saddles and a Rohloff hub. So these are the least of my weight concerns.
Bottom Line:
I've always been a Magura HS-33 hydraulic rim brake guy. I have them on every MTB and our Cannondale tandem. So when it came time to buy our new baby, Alex at MTBTandems recommended these brakes. Being my first set of discs, I was simply blown away (isn't it amazing how we sometimes refuse to embrace new technologies? That was me with disc brakes. "Why do I need those, my HS-33's are just fine") Let me tell you, these Gustav's were like going from cantelevers to the HS-33's! Our tandem with riders is over 400 LBS, now add panniers, water, lights and you've got a potential MAC truck on your hands. 210mm rotors stop on a dime! If I ride the tandem around without a stoker and lock the front brake, then entire tandem will start a front wheel stand! AMAZING! Are they the lightest, definately not. Do they stop? Oh yes! And if you ever need a temporary disc brake set up for your motorcycle, you could probably steal these off your bicycle for awhile.
Bike Setup: Ventana El Conquistador S&S, Rohloff hub, King front hub, White Brothers Magic 100 20mmTA fork
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Submitted by
ryan2100
a Weekend Warrior
from Santa Rosa
Date Reviewed: December 23, 2009
Strengths: sheer stopping power, modulation
Weaknesses: weight
Bottom Line:
These are the best brakes avaliable. They are heavy, but are well worth the extra weight. Unless you are racing, these are the brakes for you. I never realized how important good brakes are, this has been the single best upgrade for my bike, and will trully make you faster going downhill. I have been using these brakes for 3 years now and have never had to bleed them once, all Ive done is change the pads and they are still as good as new. IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT GETTING THIS BRAKES GET THEM, THEY ARE AMAZING
Strengths: These are a beast of a brake! They do not fail, nothing phases them. They are bombproof and will not seize without the assistance of a welding torch. I weigh 230 pounds and they stop me like a wall.
Weaknesses: They are a little on the heavy side, but so am I. All the more reason to have all that heavy-duty stopping power.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is that these will help you stop before you cross the line that would send you to the bottom. Sometimes I put my life in the hands of my brakes, and by being alive I'd say the brakes have a pretty good record.
Similar Products Used: Magura Julie, Louise, Clara, Shimano.
Bike Setup: Cove G-Spot FR, Banshee Scream, Rocky Mountain XC
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Submitted by
greg w
a Cross Country Rider
from frederick, md , us
Date Reviewed: October 27, 2008
Strengths: They stop, modulate, and never fade. Always there when you need them.
Weaknesses: They are not light, and if you dont know what you are doing they could be a pain to set up.
Bottom Line:
Really nice brakes, despite the weight factor. I wouldnt swap them for the world. I only weigh 150 but still think they are not overkill, because they do modulate so well..The Wotan fork is made for them so the usual adapter gripes dont apply here. When you want something made well, ask the Germans to do it. Like thier forks, the fit , finish and execution are top notch. Oh, and as with all magura brakes, you dont need to re-bleed them when you cut the lines to fit your bike. Im a bike mechanic and would rather work on Maguras than any other brake system. You get what you pay for, perferction
Similar Products Used: marta's, juicy 5, 7, code et al.
Bike Setup: Morewood Mbuzi, all mountain. Gustav's. Magura Wotan fork, SramXO/9 drive train , Chris king hubs, easton bits.
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Submitted by
Downhill Dave
a Downhiller
from Oceano, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2008
Strengths: The best stopping brakes, period.
Weaknesses: None. Other people probably say weight
Bottom Line:
I have used different Hayes brakes, Magura Louise FR, and Avid Codes. These are by far the best. I bought a front and rear set, used off Ebay. The only problem I had was getting the adaptor for the front shock. The company had under calculated the popularity. I was at the 08 Sea Otter Classic, and went to the Magura Booth. They shortened the brake line and bled the brakes for free. Great brakes, just takes a little time to set up properly. Like I had read, they are alomost too much brake. You have to get used to their power. You will have no trouble stopping. They are also very quiet. My Codes drove my crazy with their noise and vibration. They are pricey but worth it.
Strengths: in french : freinage puissant en toutes conditions, parfaitement maîtrisable, leviers bien dessinés, purge trés facile (liquide hydraulique Citroën), plaquettes peu onéreuses ... SAV servaible et compétent.
Weaknesses: .... ? Adaptateurs trés chers : 99€ pièce !
Bottom Line:
De trés trés loin les meilleurs freins qu'il m'est été donné d'utiliser, on en trouve facilement d'occasion et les pièces sont bon marché. A recommander pour des pilotes d'un certain poids (70 et +) qui souhaitent du mordant et un contrôle parfait, même après des heures de montagnes, ou au contraire à froid et dans la boue. Les leviers offrent un bon contact, j'ai changé les 4 doigts d'origine (trop puissants !) pour des 2 doigts offrant moins de couple. Certes un peu lourd, et adaptateurs trés chers, ils planent trés au dessus du lot (après avoir essayé des 4 et 6 pistons anglais par exemple ...). Les yeux fermés, et à donf' !!!
Similar Products Used: .... ? les autres ?? des ralentisseurs !
Bike Setup: Démo 8 Pro + Spinergy
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Submitted by
Jan Lauritzen
a Weekend Warrior
from Ballerup, Denmark
Date Reviewed: December 29, 2007
Strengths: Great stopping power, excellent modulation, and an attractive design
Weaknesses: heavier than most other downhill brakes
Bottom Line:
These brakes are probably the best I have ever tried out on my MTB. The only problem is that they are so much heavier than other downhill brakes on the market. With that said, this is the only problem. Excellent stopping power and modulation, and a nice design as well. If you want a brake that you can rely on for the next 5 years, choose this brake. If you are concerned about your brake being too heavy, don't choose this brake. I give this brake 5 Chilis for value rating, but only 4 Chilis for overall rating, since the brake is somewhat heavy.
Similar Products Used: Shimano XT 4 piston disc brake system
Bike Setup: Centurion(Danish brand) frame, Rock Shox Judy front fork.
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Submitted by
trail_snail
a Weekend Warrior
from Berlin GER
Date Reviewed: June 21, 2007
Strengths: - stop you anytime, anywhere, in every condition in a milisec. - never alter/loose their power, no fading, no matter how long you go - bombproof - easy to bleed compared to Hayes or Avids
Weaknesses: heavy (but who cares)
Bottom Line:
Here in Germany people refer to them as kedge anchors, which is only half the tuth as they completely lack any on/off-switch feeling. Using one finger only, even after you did 1500m altitude difference, they respond so smooth! Only your ability to cling to your handlebars and stay on your bike limit their power ;-)
Strengths: - unbelievable power - great modulation - very consistent lever feel - great lever design - easy one finger braking - absolutely no brake fade - very durable - Looks killer
Weaknesses: - a little heavy (who cares) - expensive (you get what you pay for though) - performance pads don't last long - pads are difficult to change
Bottom Line:
These brakes amaze me. Since I started downhilling I had NEVER been happy with my brakes. I've always had problems with not enough power to stop me, and brake fade on long steep downhills. I went to Hope Mono 6Ti's thinking that they would solve all my problems, however, to me they felt horrible. They didn't have nearly the power I was expecting (less power than my Hayes Mags even), and the brake fade was rediculous. At the end of a long downhill it was all I could do to squeeze hard enough just to get me stopped. So, then I opted for the Gustavs, and I've never looked back. The power is absolutely scary, and the modulation is as good as any brake I've felt before too. But the most impressive thing about them is that they never ever fade out on long downhills. The feel at the lever has remained consistent from the top of the first run I used them to the bottom of the last. Haven't had to rebleed or touch anything, other than change the pads. I have the performance pads in the front, and the endurance pads in the rear. The performance pads give you even more power, however they have to be changed often. I think I went through 4 sets this season, and I'm still on my original set of endurance pads on the back. The only complaint I have is that the pads are more difficult to change than Hayes, but for the amount of times that they have to be taken out, who cares.
Similar Products Used: - Hope Mono 6Ti - Hayes Mags - Hayes HFX-9 - Shimano XT
Bike Setup: '06 Devinci Wilson, Fox 40RC2, DHX5 coil, King/Hadley/MTX wheels, Gustav M with Goodridge lines, e13 SRS, Diabolus cranks
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Submitted by
JOsh Oosterveld
a Downhiller
from whistler , BC , canada
Date Reviewed: December 21, 2006
Strengths: everything - they alwais feel the same , even after 8+ hard hours riding whistler, it take no time at all to break in,pads last a good amount of time, It's one of the lighter breaks out there . prety much no maintenence and EXTREMELY durable.
Weaknesses: nothing ... this break dominates ALL
Bottom Line:
BUY THESE BREAKS. Iv riden alot of other breaks ( hays , hope , avid , shimmano )but none of those compare to the Gustav m ... when I am riding with friends they are all complaining because there fingers hurt from there breaks but mine where fine riding the Gustav m . check out my web page to see the abuse my breaks take every day : www.sponsorhouse.com/members/oosterveld
Similar Products Used: the only things that this break have in common with other brands is that all of them have levers and calipers
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Submitted by
Pdot Dubcity
a Downhiller
from Toronto, Ont, Canada
Date Reviewed: December 18, 2006
Strengths: Great system. I'm a big guy and squeeze the lever hard, I've always come to a stop fast and with little commotion. The floating caliper mech. is really cool and the 7 inch rear roter is more than capable. Massive pads ensure a strong stopping power and great modulation. Five year leak warrenty.
Weaknesses: Only thing so far is weight. They haven't broken and seem pretty bomb proof so I don't know how available parts are. Adapters are really, really expensive because of the floating caliper slides
Bottom Line:
Great brake set. Comes at an expense, but being differant normally is. Great for a heavier rider with the pad size but for smaller riders the Magura Louise BATS look much better. You will not be disappointed by these brakes.
