Magura USA

MT8 Next

The bucks stop here. If you've got them, that is. No, we won't pretend the Magura MT8 Next Brakes aren't pricey. They are expensive. But they are also German-engineered mountain bike braking perfection: superb control and consistency, bombproof reliability, spot-on ergonomics, and no-brainer installation and maintenance ease. Das ist gut, ja.

First, what's "Next"? To make the Next generation better, Magura's original MT brake platform was scrutinized top to bottom. Magura's engineers kept materials consistent, including the proprietary, injection-molded CarboTecture master cylinder, because CarboTecture is insanely light, strong, and reliable, and it finds perfect application here — and the CarboTecture SL used in the MT6 and MT8 models is even more-so across the board. For Next, the housing and the piston itself were refined to be even lighter, stiffer, and more efficient in movement for greater control and consistency. The master cylinder also retains its radial (perpendicular to the handlebar) configuration, because that affords the best modulation and sensitivity for the lever. The hardware of the lever pivot, however, has been simplified to improve reliability, reduce weight, and it's been moved 20mm closer to the handlebar, increasing leverage for even greater feel and control.

The MT8s take it all to the next level, however, with the use of Magura's other proprietary carbon fiber, Carbolay, used wherever possible for maximum strength, weight savings, and heat management: lever blade, bar clamp, and just about everywhere else. You say carbon's not tough enough for such applications? There are stories and pictures of handlebars that have broken as a result of accident impacts taken directly to the MT8s —with the brakes sustaining no damage at all, and then being re-installed on the replacement bars without needing a single adjustment. If that's not tough hardware, we don't know what is.

Both the MT6 and MT8s' forged two-piston caliper is refined into an even lighter, stronger shape than the less expensive brakes in the family, saving a bit of weight and making the system more reliable. The brake pads are still top-loaded, too, for easy swapping, and any previous MT brake pads will work with the new calipers. But for the Next series, Magura engineered a new compound that increases friction, reduces noise, and prolongs pad life. As opposed to the MT2's fixed system, the MT4, 6, and 8s' caliper hose banjo is adjustable, to make it easier to route the brake's hosing, no matter where on the frame the caliper is installed. Finally, the MT's bleed plug has been reinforced to be more difficult to damage in the event of a crash, further ensuring that the Next generation of Magura disc brakes, like all before them, last years beyond the competition.

The Magura MT8 Next Brakes come in a Black/red color scheme only, and one caliper/lever set weighs approximately 299 grams. They come individually, in left- and right-hand variants, so please order one of each if you'd like a complete set. The calipers are post-mount style, and the brakes do not include rotors.