Submitted by
wrx504
a Cross Country Rider
from southern california Date Reviewed: October 25, 2009
Favorite Trail:
private
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
cambria bike
Strengths:
Easy installation, great stopping power, good modulation, looks very clean on my IS mounts running 160 mm rotor with no adapters.
Weaknesses:
Came pre bled but had to re bleed myself. Bleeding was pretty straight forward if you follow the directions properly
Similar Products Used:
Tektro Aquila, Magura Louise FR
Bike Setup:
GT Avalanche 2.0 with Magura brakes F/R
Bottom Line:
These brakes are a 2004 model. Other than I was expecting the pre bled line to actually arrive in workling order like my Louise version everything is great. Had to break in the brakes for about a day before I had full braking power. Looks very clean on my bike. Makes my buddy jealous with his Hayes callipers. I only weigh 135 pounds so these brakes stop me like I am riding a motorcycle. I am running 160 mm rotors and have had no brake fade issues. I do some big down hills with these and they feel so solid and confident all the time. Very happy with these.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
KM_Behrens
a Weekend Warrior
from Lazo, BC Canada Date Reviewed: April 13, 2009
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
weight, ease of system bleed, stopping power
Weaknesses:
levers, know that quality is going to cost some cabbage
Similar Products Used:
hope C2`s, hayes nine
Bike Setup:
Banshee Viento, sram X9, raceface cranks, mavic Xm819 rims, UST 2.1 Nevegals, RS Revelation Air uturn, Magura Marta with 160mm rotors
Bottom Line:
used these badboys on the Seven summits trail and for the first time I don`t recall having super sore arms after a long ride. the end of the trail had a seven kilometer downhill stretch that I one-finger braked most of the way! I do find the brake lever a bit flimsy though and if you crash alot you might be worried about the position of the resevoir(it sticks straight out from the handlebars). other than that these brakes are brilliant and I would consider buying Magura products again.
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Submitted by
t
a Cross Country Rider
from Demotte, IN USA Date Reviewed: March 18, 2009
Favorite Trail:
504?
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
speedgoat
Strengths:
Worked incredibly well for about 10,000 miles
Weaknesses:
Worked poorly after 10,000 miles. I've tried new rotors & pads, multiple bleeds, but still these brakes will not "bite", they just squeal under heavy breaking. Eventually got no help from Magura (wouldn't return emails, and it wasn't like I was constantly bugging them).
Similar Products Used:
None- I shouldn't have too having paid 250 a piece.
The brakes had very impressive performance for a few years, but they definitely appear to have a limited life of less than 5 years. After that, it appears as though they just can't deliver the amount of pressure needed to lock up the wheel under riding weight. This accurs even when fully pressurized with clean rotors and pads. It's too bad, because initially the performance is excellent, and it's a real let down once they go south. These brakes are also overpriced for the limited life/performance they have.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Speedy
a Cross Country Rider
from Roswell, Georgia USA Date Reviewed: August 30, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Raccoon Mountain, Tennessee
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Very nice modulation and lever feel. Good stopping power.
Weaknesses:
Leakage problem, requires frequent bleeding
Similar Products Used:
Hope Mono Minis
Bike Setup:
Originally on Ellsworth Truth, then Ellsworth Epiphany, then Giant XTC Single Speed
Bottom Line:
This brake does an excellent job when it is working. The modulation and lever feel is better than any others I have tried. Requires quite a bit of maintenance because they need to be bled frequently and now it looks like I need a master cylinder. I would give them a 5 when they are working right, and I would give them a 2 for amount of maintenance required.
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Submitted by
mmmm
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada Date Reviewed: July 13, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$189.00
Purchased At:
cambria
Weaknesses:
takes some time to install properly
Bike Setup:
Turner
Bottom Line:
Great brakes. Took a little bit of work to install but now they work great. Also Magura tech support is very helpfull.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Edson
a Weekend Warrior
from Mexico City, Mexico Date Reviewed: March 8, 2008
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Viansi
Strengths:
Light, durable, no-troubleshoting, low mintenance
Weaknesses:
Almost nothing
Similar Products Used:
Magura louise, Avid mechanical
Bottom Line:
After five years using the Marta's I almost never have given maintenance to these brakes and never noticed any problme with them. Modulation is probably not the best but it is pretty good. It is quite recommendable for XC and all-mountain but not for DH or freeride. The best thing is that despite the weight, the braking is absolutely POWERFUL. Bleeding is a little complicated task but I think that it is for every brand. I’m not fanatic for brands but Martas are absolutely reliable, I wouldn’t change them simply because I have no reason.
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Submitted by
Wilhelm
a Cross Country Rider
from Knoxville Date Reviewed: October 11, 2007
Favorite Trail:
I.C. King (I see Queens)
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Hammerhead Bikes
Strengths:
Great feel, great power, super light, cool rotors, plenty of room on bar for shifters
Weaknesses:
Pain to bleed, have to bleed constantly.
Similar Products Used:
Avid Juicy 5, 7, canti's and vee's.
Bike Setup:
These brakes were on a Racer-X
Bottom Line:
Loved them. They were my first disks. The feel, the consistency, the power, all great. However, getting home from work and wanting to go ride, but instead having to bleed your brakes is not fun. This happened ALL THE TIME. I got very good at bleeding the brakes, and you know, it never became fun, easy or clean. I took it to a good shop. They tried to fix it. The brakes did the same thing. Took it back. They fixed it again. They said it was a master cylinder. It was a little better. Sold the bike. I will say this about the Juicy 5, they have been reliable. I am going to BB7's on my next bike. Changing cables is easy compared to screwing with brake fluid. Buy Marta's if you like bleeding your brakes more than riding your bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
BobL
a
from Silverado Canyon, CA USA Date Reviewed: July 8, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Piss 'n Moan
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Light, well made, uses mineral oil, good feel and braking power
Weaknesses:
Can be finicky if not properly bled OR if calipers are not properly mounted. Aluminum levers seem less sturdy than carbon, but is it worth the price to upgrade??
Similar Products Used:
Avid Juicy, BB7
Bike Setup:
Blur LT lightweight (28LBS) "all mountain" style. I use larger rotor in front.
Bottom Line:
Wanting to build a 5+" travel bike that weighed under 30 pounds, these were my first choice. Also the use of mineral oil instead of DOT brake fluid for safety/convenience.
Brakes have great stopping power and modulation for such light,small packages. But a couple of things I've learned:
Bleeding is key if the system is compromised. Get the bleed kit, read the instructions before starting and follow explicitly. If properly bled, no pumping is required. Be careful with the master cylinder cap screws; tiny and easy to strip but you should never have to remove in field if set up properly at home. And don't try to overfill master cylinder.
Proper mounting of calipers is crucial to good operation. Use the Magura facing tool (dealer should have one) on all ISO tabs, then center caliper to disc without the pads installed. I made a note on a Magura label of how many spacers I used and where, then taped it to my tool box for future reference.
I had some initial issues, but after following the above, brakes have been spot on with nothing but an occasional pad change. I keep the calipers clean inside with a cheap paintbrush and compressed air (no squeals; pads last longer). These are not for the knuckle scraping ham fisted crowd. Care and finesse is neccessary on set up to deliver optimum performance. If you don't have the patience (I didn't at first), have a competent shop dude install or stick to Avid mechanicals. And don't expect these to work for C-dales or DH. Heavy duty requires heavy stuff.
Considering the price and reliability compared to Hope or Formula, value is great. Overall considers the effort required to set-up.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Hey Watch This
a Weekend Warrior
from CA Date Reviewed: June 29, 2007
Favorite Trail:
anywhere
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
lever feel and power and realiability
Weaknesses:
high price , no bling even at these price !
Similar Products Used:
Shimano LX and Avid Juicy
Bike Setup:
Nice.....
Bottom Line:
I weight in at 170 + 30 for bike , 200 lbs total , these brakes preformed faultlessly for 2 years without leakage or any issue at all.
It is a little pricey and perhaps not as fancy as some other set up on the market (.. no fancy knob to turn ..) But these babies stay dry and just keep working without much fuzz !
Trail I go has steep highspeed down runs , but the crossdrilled 160 rotor did the job without any issue.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bill
a Cross Country Rider
from North Bend, WA, USA Date Reviewed: June 28, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Tolt McDonald
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
Singletrack Cycles
Strengths:
Wow!! Stopping power. Feels great and has good modualtion. NO NOISE.
Weaknesses:
The stopping power. You need to be carefull how much front brake you use on technical downhills.
Similar Products Used:
Hayes, Avid Juicy 7's
Bike Setup:
Specialized Epic, Fox RLC fork, XTR..
Bottom Line:
These are great brakes and would highly recommend them to anyone.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Auchenberg
a Cross Country Rider
from Copenhagen, Denmark Date Reviewed: June 2, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Red track in hareskoven
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$320.00
Purchased At:
www.bike-discount.de
Strengths:
Great modulation Weight versus power Good looking 5-year-leak-free-waranty
Weaknesses:
Is fading on fast, steep decents(All Mountain use) I have had a lever and caliber leaking in 2 years. Not many spare parts if they brake, if you are the "do-it-yourself-type"..
Similar Products Used:
Magura Julie, Magura Marta SL
Bike Setup:
SC Blur, Formula Pyro, XO shifters, etc. All-Mountain setup
Bottom Line:
Far better than Magura Julie.. Better stopping power and modulation.
I used the Magura Marta for 2 years and have just recently retired these babies for the Formula Pyro Overall I have been very happy with them and they have served me well.
I used these brakes for XC the first 1,5 years in areas with not so many steep hills - and this is where these brakes belong. They dont belong on steep hills ridden in a fast pace. These where made for XC not AM - Remember this. if you dont, and drive them in AM conditions they will fade and then require a new bleeding - take this into consideration when buying them.. Though this has to be said - Magura offers a year leak-free-waranty.. this is VERY handy.. I've had a leakage in my right lever and one in my rear caliber.. both where replaced without charge from Magura..
My marta's drove flawlessly the first 1,5year and when i started driving more agressive and in steeper terrran they started to fade and started leaking.
If you need low weight and good stoppingpower for races these may be the ones you want, but i would actualy recommend you looking at the Formula k18, K24 or Pyro instead.. they got much more power, modulation and they weight less..
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Patrick
a Cross Country Rider
from Whitecourt Date Reviewed: May 28, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Roller Coaster
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Revoultion Cycle
Strengths:
power, modulation, weight, break-in time, levers and rotors look very cool.
Weaknesses:
none yet
Similar Products Used:
avid cable disc brakes
Bike Setup:
Stock 2007 Specialized Stumpjumper Pro
Bottom Line:
These brakes took about 4-5 rides on the wet muddy trails ( about 80km ) to break in. They have about 15 % more power, they might even get to 20 % more. Less force on the levers to recieve stout stopping power. They modulate a bit smoother once pumped a few times on the trail. Must be the cycling of the fluid. These brakes are a home run.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick
a Weekend Warrior
from Tacoma WA Date Reviewed: May 14, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Corral Pass/Noble Knob
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$320.00
Purchased At:
Bike shop in Portland
Strengths:
Light weight Modulation Good power Great ergonomics Uses mineral oil Tough Magura customer service Pads last a long time
Weaknesses:
Bleeding is a pain in the butt
Similar Products Used:
Magura HS-33's (hydro rim brakes)
Bike Setup:
Custom '03 C'dale Jekyll
Bottom Line:
After using Magura HS-33's for a couple years (pre-disc brake era) and being very impressed with them, I decided to buy the Martas for my frame build up. I've used them for almost 4 years and have been very impressed with their performance. They're very light and offer great modulation. While not a downhill brake, they offer great power(I weigh 215 lbs and ride steep, wet terrain in the Pacific NW). I have had to bleed them a couple times, and it's a bit of a pain without Magura's bleed kit. Hanging the bike upside down for extended periods in not recommended. As to their toughness and longevity, they've taken a few nasty crashes into rock gardens and even survived my wife driving into the garage with my bike on the roof rack (both levers/reserviors hit above the garage door and pushed the bike rack mounts back about 18", putting a dent in the rear hatch of my wife's Subaru). The original pads lasted about 800 miles. If you're looking a light, relatively strong cross-country/trail bike brake and don't want to mess with DOT brake fluid, I highly recommend the Martas.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
andy reslewic
a Weekend Warrior
from ny Date Reviewed: April 18, 2007
Favorite Trail:
MTA
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At:
Bryan's Bikes
Strengths:
Stopping power that is unrivaled. My friends don't even use the front break because of the incredible stopping power. It is very touck which means it can be pulled with only one finger.One of the lightest brakes on the market.Look great too.
Weaknesses:
After a while brakes need to be blead. Other than that it has no weakness
Similar Products Used:
Shimano lx deore
Bike Setup:
05' Cannondale prophet 1000, SRam XO shfter/derailure
Bottom Line:
If you are looking for huge stopping power in a small package this is the brake for you. Do not buy if you plan to put on a DH bike as they may be too fragile.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
guy geva
a Cross Country Rider
from israel Date Reviewed: March 30, 2007
veery light! beter control than the hayes 9 (I use the hayes for 3 years). when squeez hard it will stop the bike!!! and when squeez gentle it slow the bike in a delicate way. quiet more than the hayes.the disc handel good in alot of hard mud!!! the best for me!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Will
a Racer
from Houghton, MI Date Reviewed: December 2, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Copper Harbor
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
friend
Strengths:
Light, work quite well, no rubbing, good modulation feel.
Weaknesses:
Price of parts, serviceability, a bit spongey.
Similar Products Used:
Avid BB7, Juicy 7.
Bike Setup:
All mountain, XC racing.
Bottom Line:
Magura doesn't supply parts for the lever assembly, such as seals. In other words, a bad o-ring will cost you a new master cylinder.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
drae jones
a Weekend Warrior
from tustin ca usa Date Reviewed: November 11, 2006
Favorite Trail:
whiting ranch
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
They have great stopping power, they're light and they look cool too.
Weaknesses:
none
Bike Setup:
Cannondale gemini 1000 mostly stock
Bottom Line:
If you need some good super light brakes brakes then get these they get the job done for me, but i am a light guy 140lb. The martas are good for cross country, all mountain, or free ride. I'd suggest something else for downhill.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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