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Magura MCi: next level cockpit integration, with master cylinder INSIDE the bar!

Magura MCi internal brakes, Magura Cockpit Integration sleek tidy internal brake hydraulics, inside of aMTB handlebar
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Magura’s new MCi brake & handlebar setup is the sleekest hydraulic disc brake mountain bike cockpit you will find, hiding the brake master cylinder inside of the handlebar itself. With all of the hydraulics & brake hoses tucked into the bar’s end via a self-contained unit, all that is left to see on the outside is a low-profile lever & clamp for a super sleek cockpit setup.

Magura cockpit integration (MCi) brakes INSIDE your bar

Magura calls their Cockpit Integration (MCi) the “world’s first hydraulic brake… fully integrated into the handlebar”. Putting the brake master cylinder & brake lines inside results in a clean & tidy look, promising improved protection and also better aerodynamics.

However, they also point out that the design is about more than just looks – because the design allows them to use a ‘pull cylinder’ instead of a ‘push cylinder’, we’re told that the levers should offer improved functionality while protecting the master cylinder in the event of a crash.

Tech details

Magura MCi internal brakes, Magura Cockpit Integration sleek tidy internal brake hydraulics, inside of aMTB handlebar
courtesy Magura

The entire system is actually relatively simple, and shouldn’t be that difficult to set up or maintain. The hydraulics themselves are in a contained unit that slides into the end of a standard handlebar, just like a bar plug. Then, through a small hole in a compatible mountain bike bar, the external brake lever pulls an internal sliding rod to activate the internal master cylinder.

Magura MCi internal brakes, Magura Cockpit Integration sleek tidy internal brake hydraulics, inside of aMTB handlebar

The trick there of course is that it will only work with a compatible bar with the correct hole in it. The trail bike they show here is built with a carbon bar from Bike-Ahead Composites. And that means the position of the brake lever body itself will be somewhat limited by the location of the pre-cut hole/port.

Magura MCi internal brakes, Magura Cockpit Integration sleek tidy internal brake hydraulics, inside of aMTB handlebar

There is a good amount of adjustability from what we’re told – but it may not be ideal for anyone who likes their brakes far away from the grip, or tilted up or down at a more extreme angle.

Magura MCi internal brakes, Magura Cockpit Integration sleek tidy internal brake hydraulics, inside of aMTB handlebar

Of course you will also need an internal routing friendly bar-to-stem, and opening in the frame to make it all work internally. But if you can tick all of those boxes, it will lead to a tidy setup. The bike that we saw had an opening in the downtube where the rear brake hose and Di2 wires entered from the bottom of the steerer tube. The front brake hose then just traveled down to the front brake.

Magura MCi internal brakes, Magura Cockpit Integration sleek tidy internal brake hydraulics, inside of aMTB handlebar

Magura says the system uses a new Easy Link coupler on the end of the hydraulic brake lines where they go through the headset, which should just snap into place. It says that the system can be plugged & unplugged for setup & servicing without losing oil.

Magura MCi internal brakes, Magura Cockpit Integration sleek tidy internal brake hydraulics, inside of aMTB handlebar

Directly accessible from the end of the bar, it should be easy to bleed the brakes – although it appears that you will need to alternately lay the bike on its side to do so.

Magura MCi internal brakes, Magura Cockpit Integration sleek tidy internal brake hydraulics, inside of aMTB handlebar

The new MCi brake lever uses the same dimensions for the expansion reservoir and piston diameter as the MT series brakes. That means it will give the same braking performance as their top MT8 brakes, and also makes a straightforward upgrade option for their most common 2-piston or 4-piston brake caliper family, now with next-level cockpit integration.

MCi integrated brake availability?

Magura MCi internal brakes, Magura Cockpit Integration sleek tidy internal brake hydraulics, inside of aMTB handlebar

The new MCi brake levers will be first available only as original equipment on complete bikes spec’d together with Magura. No aftermarket version is expected in the near future. No word yet on what will be the first bikes to feature MCi with 2019 consumer availability. But Magura teased that we will get to test ride the first production bike with the new kit when we head to Tirol in just over one week, so we’ll let you know then.

Magura MCi internal brakes, Magura Cockpit Integration sleek tidy internal brake hydraulics, inside of aMTB handlebar

Magura.com

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45 Comments
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Celest Greene
Celest Greene
4 years ago

THIS IS THE ANSWER!
(Question TBD)

Duncan
Duncan
4 years ago
Reply to  Celest Greene

Why begin with standard parts here.?..This is a pretty fundamental shift so let an industrial designer re-think the fork-stem-bar interface and this could probably be done in an elegant yet stll accessible way.

dave
dave
4 years ago

looks like a total nightmare to work on.

Justin
Justin
4 years ago
Reply to  dave

I’ve owned a pair of mt7s for years and never had to bleed them. Total dream as far as breaks.

Cheese
Cheese
4 years ago
Reply to  Justin

Okay, but did they work as brakes?

aaron
aaron
4 years ago
Reply to  dave

That what your LBS is for. Drop it off, pick it up a few days later…done! It is good to keep your LBS busy!

roadstain
4 years ago

My only real question, what was the problem they are trying to solve with this system?

LemondRider
LemondRider
4 years ago
Reply to  roadstain

Bar removal for easier boxing? In our Pro Bike Mechanics world of internal everything…..why not? Quick dis-connects are interesting. Someone should make a system for external routing with quick dis-connects at the levers and the caliper allowing for easy hose changing for adapting brakes to different sized frames without the need to bleed. This tech could be game changing.

O. Tan
4 years ago
Reply to  LemondRider

I do hope road bikes adapt the whole quick disconnect as well since everything is becoming wayyyyyy integrated making bike travel an annoyance.

Will
Will
4 years ago
Reply to  LemondRider

Formula Cura brakes use a quick disconnect

Sev
Sev
4 years ago

Because cables are a problem? I kind of feel like we are reaching a point if over doing it here….. Seems like some small tweaks to the brake cylinder would allow the lines to run closer to the bars and frame without all the internal stuff. Also future choice becomes limited.

Anonymous Coward
Anonymous Coward
4 years ago

Speechless! I thought I hated internal routing in general but this cranks it up to 11.

DeeKeezy
DeeKeezy
4 years ago

This is really beautiful, but I think I’d worry about being able to adjust the lever angle to my preferred position, and about having the brake fixed in position such that it couldn’t rotate in a crash (I was taught to keep brakes firm, but not so firm that they couldn’t rotate a bit in case of a hard crash).

Maus Haus
Maus Haus
4 years ago
Reply to  DeeKeezy

Your comment on bar clamp should rotate in a crash hit the nail on the head. This system is potentially less crash resistant for this reason. Good call.

Tim
Tim
4 years ago

Isn’t external routing much easier to work on?

Tim
Tim
4 years ago

It looks like you can’t adjust the brake levers’ positions much. It also looks like the master cylinders can fit only in certain bars. It looks to me more like an aesthetic move than a functional one, and one that reduces your choice of handlebars down to just one.

Tom
Tom
4 years ago

what problem does this solve? Because it definitely creates problems such as adjustability, serviceability. This looks like the definition of long haul, short slide.

Dinger
Dinger
4 years ago

“Of course you will also nee an internal routing friendly bar-to-stem, steerer-to-fork leg, and stem-to-headset-to-frame interface to make it all work internally. ”

Are there any fork companies making steerer tubes with open slots in them (entry + exit)? That seems like as big a challenge as fitting the MC’s in the bar.

Aaron
Aaron
4 years ago
Reply to  Dinger

Drill a big hole and die grind it out. Boom, Steerer tube is now compatible.

O. Tan
4 years ago

With the next generation of hydro road bikes all going internal routing for the cables, I do hope they’ll do something like this which allows the hydraulic cable to be disconnected for situations where you need to remove the handlebar and stem, (likely for those bike bags that requires handlebar and or stem removal).

PW
PW
4 years ago

The files are INSIDE the computer!

Greg
Greg
4 years ago
Reply to  PW

I dig it. Not quite fully sorted I think, but still a solid attempt.
Connectamajigs are a thing already. SRAM road hydro have them built in.

aaron
aaron
4 years ago

I really like this. I think it is great how it hides the brake lines and just looks so damn clean. Functionally, it is not doing anything special, but just the aesthetics of it are awesome. Hat is off to Magura.
Combine with a wireless electric shift system and you can have a cable free cockpit!

Collin
Collin
4 years ago

What are you suppose to grab onto when you’re doing the “phantom” aerobar position?

Gillis
Gillis
4 years ago

On a road bike where aerodynamics is a legit consideration, it makes sense. This, not so much. Like others, it’s an answer in search of a question. Unless aesthetics are a big deal for you.

Sludgechugger
Sludgechugger
4 years ago

The only thing i like about this is the quick disconnects. They work great in hydraulic systems though I feel like they’d introduce air in closed systems like this. Other than that I’d hate to service these things. Not to mention adjustability, compatibility, etc.

VazzedUp
VazzedUp
4 years ago

Perfect for that SS bike.

mem
mem
4 years ago
Reply to  VazzedUp

di2

Craig
Craig
4 years ago

This is so cool. It had to happen at some point, no surprises that it’s come from Magura.

TimE
TimE
4 years ago

What a monumentally stupid idea! Crash protection for the master cylinder?!! I’ve never damaged a MC in 20years of riding disc brakes. I have bent the lever because it too tight on the bar and didn’t shift in an accident. With this thing the bar or MC will break.
It looks like an absolute nightmare to work on. Hey Magura, how about focusing on making brakes great again rather than trying to catch our attention with dumb ideas. How about that wireless dropper you were working on?

Slamman
4 years ago

1. crash bike, drop bike, hit bar on ground, reck master cylinder!
2. restricted to their bar and brake location.
3. pain in the ass to fix, work on.
4. whats wrong with what we have now?

KIS people, Keep It Simple.

Jason Etter
Jason Etter
4 years ago

That is D-U-M-B stupid! I’m all about trick stuff for pretty much no reason. This is way beyond that. It creates way more problems than it solves.

Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot
4 years ago

Why? You still have a ton of cable housing and hose coming out of the steerer tube and down the for etc. All you’ve added is a slight modicum of cleanliness to the bars but that could be resolved by some slick industrial design on the master cylinder. And for that you have a trade off of proprietary bars, grips, limited serviceability, limited adjustment and for what? Aerodynamics? On a MTB? I don’t get what problem this product is trying to solve.

TXD
TXD
4 years ago

Bike mechanics do not get paid enough to work on this type of stuff

Stop being creative
Stop being creative
4 years ago

Why would manufactures be creative? I don’t understand why anyone tries anything new ? There are plenty of old ways of doing things. I say we should all stop using our brains to think of possible new ways to do things. It will just create new problems. I don’t want new problems. I like my old problems. I only
want to see innovations that come with no new problems. I only accept perfection, otherwise I’ll call you stupid for even trying.

VeloFreak
VeloFreak
4 years ago

I think, trickstuff Picola brakes approach is much better, lighter, simpler, and slicker. And it’s been in the market for years now. This is gonna be discountinued in 2 seasons max.

MBR
MBR
4 years ago

I wonder where the [severely weakened] bar will break in a crash?

Hamjam
Hamjam
4 years ago

Don’t some people keep marijuana in their bar ends? Would this interfere?

matt
4 years ago

(deleted)

Shafty
Shafty
4 years ago

I already hate dealing with Magura brakes and now this. Their stupid plastic lever bodies and hit-from-the-bong ergonomics piss me off enough.

Ed Llorca
Ed Llorca
4 years ago

Totally ridicuous from a practical point of view. Never buy for me.

Kacey Carter
Kacey Carter
4 years ago

I think the idea is great and it is a platform to build upon! Yes, it has a ways to go to be refined and no it is not for everyone or every bike. I can’t see this being practical on trail/enduro bikes but in the next five years someone will be racing on an aero XC bike with this concept but fully integrated in the frame like the road bikes. Think back only 5 years ago at the things “bike experts” thought was stupid but is a standard now. Haters gonna hate but the bike industry wouldn’t be where it is now without “stupid” ideas like this.
Keep moving forward, I’m excited for any innovation in the bike industry, stupid or not.

Patrick Ross
Patrick Ross
4 years ago

I leave my brakes only just nipped up enough so in a crash they will rotate on the bar and not snap, that would be fatal to the lever and MC and a carbon bar with these

Robert Buss
3 years ago

The advantage of this setup is a bigger master cylinder, than one is inclined to hang off a brake lever.

Erik
Erik
3 years ago

Absolutely a great idea. No need for that stupid spaghetti in front of my bike any longer, all well protected and tucked away, Clean bike. Sign me up.

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