Today, the German brake specialists at Magura are introducing what they are calling the most powerful brake they have ever developed: the Race Pro. Designed with massive stopping power and uncompromising control in mind, the new Race Pro is aimed squarely at serious mountain bike riders. Magura also breaks its own mold and aims to quiet “the haters and skeptics” by manufacturing the Race Pro brakes in premium aluminum.
Magura Race Pro Details
Magura makes it very clear that the goal with the Race Pro was to create its most powerful brake to date. With a name like Race Pro, it’s clear that it’s aimed at racers, particularly gravity riders, but is intended for use by all riders seeking peak braking performance. They say the new brakes offer full power and aggressive bite, but with a gentle touch. This means that riders get extreme braking power when they need it most, with smooth actuation and low hand force to keep arm pump at bay.
Magura says that efficiency is the key to this new brake. “Our legendary radial master piston, actuated towards the handlebar, and a low-friction anodized piston chamber convert every bit of finger force into braking power.” That’s paired with a ball-bearing lever pivot to ensure smooth operation. At the caliper, the one-piece forged construction ensures maximum stiffness and no loss of braking force transferred to the pads.
Magura says that another key benefit of the new Race Pro is predictable braking power delivery. The brake lever leverage ratio curve is a perfectly straight line, indicating a constant, linear leverage ratio which “remains precise to modulate and is consistently predictable at all times.” They say this avoids the on/off feel of other brakes and offers the widest modulation range.
More Metal
On previous Magura brakes, the brand has relied on its Carbotecture material for many of the components. With the Race Pro, Magura has chosen to craft the brake master, lever blade, and clamp from aluminum. Those parts join the caliper, which still relies on its proven one-piece forged design, which they say ensures reliability, no leakage, and provides an optimal balance of stiffness and weight.
According to the brand, they’ve meticulously machined the parts to remove all unnecessary grams to achieve best-in-class weight. This includes the lever and caliper, both of which are CNC post-machined after forging, for weight savings and also for a sculpted minimalist aesthetic. They’re continuing to use the radial master cylinder, but have arranged the oil volume axially to save space and achieve the most compact design possible.
Easy Link, Easy Service
The Race Pro relies on Magura’s Easy Link hose coupling, an innovative design that allows you to quickly and easily disconnect the brake hose from the master whenever you want. Magura says they’ve taken this design a step further than on the Gustav brakes with a new threaded Easy Link valve. This ensures that when the connection is open, the master remains sealed.
Magura says that, like the Gustav, the Race Pro caliper features a similar continuous oil circuit flow with no dead ends to trap air. Reportedly, this design means that caliper orientation during bleeding is “virtually irrelevant” and the bleed process is quick and easy.
On top of that, Magura has expanded its spare parts offering to include levers, lever bearing kits, master cylinder piston & seal kits, and reservoir caps for repairs or refurbishing. The race Pro also comes with a 5-year leak-proof guarantee.
Pads and Rotors
The Race Pro is compatible with all of the MDP-13 brake pads, “including the genius MDP-13+ Shim pads.” This includes three pad compound options: Black, Silver, and Yellow, so you can choose what best suits your needs and preferences. The Race Pro comes with Silver pads as the default, and the MDP-13 Yellow provides a 10% boost in braking power for those in need of maximum deceleration.
- Yellow: “For those pushing their equipment to the limit in pursuit of seconds and delivering maximum deceleration during short, powerful braking maneuvers. Organic compound.”
- Silver: “Perfect for performance-oriented riders who need optimum braking power for longer braking. Organic compound.”
- Black: “The all-rounder for sporty riders who prefer balanced braking power, durability, and low noise. Organic compound.”
The new race Pro is also compatible with all of Magura’s 2.0mm brake rotors in all sizes from 180mm to 220mm. These include:
- MDR-P: Two-piece rotor for maximum power with an aluminum spider
- MDR-S: High braking power and good heat resistance at moderate weight.
- MDR-C: Reinforced brake rotor for increased heat resistance and low vibration.
Similar to its Gustav and Louise siblings, the Race Pro features Magura’s ShiftMix-IG interface on the brake master clamp. This allows riders to cleanly mount dropper remotes or shift levers from SRAM, Shimano, or TRP for a clean cockpit, while the ShiftMix-IG’s adjustability should help ensure an ergonomic setup.
Tech Details
- TYPICAL USE: XC, Trail, Enduro, DH, E-MTB
- MASTER: Aluminum, forged & CNC machined
- HOSE CONNECTION: Magura Easy Link
- LEVER: Aluminum CNC, toolless reach, ball bearing
- CLAMP: Aluminum CNC, Shiftmix IG integrated
- CALIPER: Aluminum, forged & CNC machined, 4 pistons
- COLOR: Silver matte, black
- BLEEDING: Bleeding valve
- BRAKE HOSE: MAGURA Disctube 2.2, rotatable
- ROTOR THICKNESS: 2.0 mm
- ROTOR DETAILS: 180-220 mm, 6H or CL
- BRAKE PADS: MDP 13 SILVER
- WEIGHT: 310 g (1 m hose)
- GUARANTEE: 5-year leak-proof guarantee
- PRICE (RRP): 699,80 € / $699.00 (set)
Availability
Magura’s most powerful brakes are available now. Head to the Magura website to learn more about the new Race Pro brakes, or find a dealer near you.
