MT7 Pro Disc Brake

While Magura doesn't get quite the OEM spec as the brands that start with S, there is a reason it enjoys a great aftermarket presence. When the mass-market brakes aren't cutting it on those DH or enduro courses border on the literally life-threatening, we take comfort in knowing that the hydraulic experts at Magura haven't limited their tinkering to the XC world. The MT7 Pro Disc Brake takes the dual-piston design of the MT6 and ups the ante with an additional pair per caliper, seriously upping the stopping power. For us, that means we can double-down on speed, confident in the knowledge that our brakes will be there to bail us out if disaster looms around the next bend.

The MT7's materials, rotors, and options are all largely the same as the MT6. What's changed is that extra pair of pistons added to the calipers, and that changes everything. The design borrows heavily from Magura's legendary moto brakes, and the result is plenty of power to satisfy a downhill racer, at a weight that the rest of us will be happy with. Each of the four pistons gets its own brake pad, and they're top-loading, which makes for super-fast pad swaps when the time comes.

The Carbotecture SL brake lever body is common across the Next line and it doesn't skip the MT7. Carbotecture SL construction results in lightweight stiffness that nets more efficiency and responsiveness while squeezing the lever to bring the MT7 system's grand total of eight calipers to bear. Given that DH and enduro applications require the most stopping power of any cycling discipline, Carbotecture is more welcome on the MT7 than any other model in the Next family. The weight loss is, of course, a nice touch, but confident modulation is infinitely more important in disciplines that don't waste much time climbing.

The master cylinder's perpendicular, or radial, orientation to the bar affords the best modulation and sensitivity while braking and the simplified pivot hardware reduces weight while situating the alloy lever 20mm closer to the bar. In the event that not even Magura's century-plus of engineering expertise can keep the rubber-side down, the reinforced bleed plug helps to ensure that the brakes will be more difficult to damage.

• Magura's most powerful brake
• One-piece, forged alloy caliper stops powerfully with modulation
• One brake pad for every piston adds to the stopping madness
• Tool-free reach and bite-point adjustment for easy setup
• Post mount design also works with IS with adapters
• Uses Magura Royal Blood mineral oil for planet-friendly actuation
• Ergonomically-optimized 1-finger HC lever blade adds to the braking control