Saint/Zee vs. Magura MT7/MT5 : mini review

Just a quick mention that I'm running the Kool Stop pads and am happy with the wear and performance. Also they're half the price of the magura pads.

Who stocks them?

thx

Who stocks them?

thx

Any shop that uses Orange as a supplier should be able to get them within a couple days I would think. Convince the shop to stock a few extra sets while you're there as these brakes seem to be gaining popularity.

Long time lurker, first time poster. Thanks for all the great info. on the MT5/MT7! Like Drew, I am not that thrilled with the on/off performance (aka poor modulation) of my XT brakes, so I took the plunge and purchased MT5s through CRC. Fit up went well, cut lines bled brakes (with Magura bleed kit), no leaks. Performance (power, modulation, lever feel) seem great. After a couple of rides, however, noted small leak in the master cylinder of the front brake. Emailed CRC and am shipping back for warranty replacement - aargh! I am starting to think that perhaps XTR race (i.e. non ServoWave) levers might be a better way to go, as I am not sold on the carbotecture Magura levers. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Has anyone tried Shimano levers? Cheers and Thanks.

Where is the small leak?

I haven't seen/heard of any leak issues and I know a fair number of people on the brakes now.

I have personally seen (various brakes) issues from the olive fitting not being tightened down enough after cutting the hose resulting in a leak at the hose -- probably the most common leaking issue. Magura specifically, I have seen a bleed fitting screw tightened into the master enough to crack it a tiny bit causing a leak (rider didn't read the instructions).

Anyways, based on my experience I'd be very surprised if you experienced any issues with a replacement and would be curious where your leak occurred.

The leak appears to be from a seal inside the master cylinder assembly where the post on the actual lever makes contact with the aluminum plate of the cylinder. As the lever is actuated, the post pushes the plate and you can hear an audible squishing sound and you can see a little oil coming out of the cylinder. The rear brake is dry and there is no audible sound.

At first I thought it was residual oil from the bleeding process, but when riding there was a lot of inconsistency in the contact point and the lever was moving closer to the bar during the ride, particular during extended braking (e.g. down Severed). I checked all other fitting locations where the brake line enters the lever and at the caliper and they are all dry. The only place I can see air getting into the system is through a seal leak in the cylinder. I have read of similar issues on-line, but it doesn't appear to be a prevalent problem.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see what CRC/Magura have to say (I will follow up in a couple of weeks). Unfortunately, from Google searches and MTBR threads, it appears that Magura does not any master cylinder assemblies available after-market, so hopefully they will warranty the entire lever assembly.

Where is the small leak?

I haven't seen/heard of any leak issues and I know a fair number of people on the brakes now.

I have personally seen (various brakes) issues from the olive fitting not being tightened down enough after cutting the hose resulting in a leak at the hose -- probably the most common leaking issue. Magura specifically, I have seen a bleed fitting screw tightened into the master enough to crack it a tiny bit causing a leak (rider didn't read the instructions).

Anyways, based on my experience I'd be very surprised if you experienced any issues with a replacement and would be curious where your leak occurred.

Are you saying that zee German designed products are impervious to faults? I am sure that like any component out there that maguras will experience some level of issues. Nothing is perfect.

Are you saying that zee German designed products are impervious to faults? I am sure that like any component out there that maguras will experience some level of issues. Nothing is perfect.

Ha! Give me a bit of a brake [sic]!

No, no, I deserved that. Absolutely everyone has some % of manufacturing issues.

I'm just hyper-aware (over-aware?) of where a lot of warranties come from… It's like all the folks who killed their Shimano masters by forcing the Pistons back into the calipers (to instal fresh pads) without removing the bleed screw and the wanted Shimano to cover it. That's a "guarantee" not a "warranty against defects in materials or workmanship".

Anyways…

it appears that Magura does not any master cylinder assemblies available after-market, so hopefully they will warranty the entire lever assembly.

Firstly, Murray I'm very sorry that that came across as calling you out. I've had a lot of unspecified squeaks, clicks, leaks, etc in my life this week. I think it's always best to be specific when talking about product issues but I should have said that instead.

Going back at least ten model years, Magura has provided complete master cylinder assemblies (including lever blades) for warranty. Shimano does the same.

It's plug and play with a bleed that way and they know there is no other issue with the assembly.

No worries at all Drew and no offence taken. I appreciate your detailed questions, as I too want to understand the root cause of the problem. I should have mentioned I noticed oil on the MC plate soon after receiving the brake, which suggests a manufacturing problem. Initially I thought it might just be residual oil that bled out during fabrication or factory assembly.

Anyway, my intent here is not to single out Magura. They make excellent products with very high build qualities. In this case, I just wanted to share my experience in case others observe something similar. FWIW, the rear brake has been performing very well, so I do think (hope) that this is an isolated/rare case.

Happy trails…

Thanks Murray!

I hope they get you looked after ASAP.

Just thought I'd throw my $.02 in here on these stoppers. I'm a XC/Trail rider with point to point in mind mostly, the latter point always has beer. Current bike is a trail-ish RM Altitude Rally and was purchased a few months used from a Shimano rep so outfitted with full XTR kit including their Trail version brakes.

I had no reason to change them out. Sure they have the normal Shimano "pump up" needed after not being used a couple of hours but not nearly as noticeable as my XT's or older SLX's. I attended a fundraiser for our local trail club and won a raffle which included a set of the MT-5 brakes. Again-I didn't need them but I was curious. This past 4 day riding weekend in Pisgah National Forest had my rear tire consistently cleaning out the crack to my shorts with some steep descents. I'm well versed with bike maintenance/tech and shortened the lines and bled the brakes in a matter of minutes. The pad break-in was basically me screaming down the first drop knowing I forgot something…

One finger finesse operation. My hands were relaxed at the end of each day compared to any other day of this much vert and did I mention modulation? The front brake if I pulled to the bar would catapult you into the next valley and the rear was completely under control if I wanted to break loose to slide(Maxxis Aggressors) or find that sweet spot right before release and rail it. I'm sold. So sold I gave my buddy my XTR's for dinner and drinks. Now to stock up on some Royal Blood and pads. Cheers

BTW - kudos to Magura for not only a great product but very easy to install and adjust. Whomever said "AK-47" of brakes was right. At first I felt like my bike was a bit less attractive.. then I stopped.

Bumping this thread for anymore updates.

Currently running Sram Guide Ultimates on my Hightower (200/180)…not happy with them. Just not enough power, my fingers get tired, they get that harsh warbly sound happening on steep descents. Otherwise on mellow terrain they feel good. I weigh 190ish btw.

I was totally happy with the XTR Trails (9xx, 180/180) I had before on my Nomad3 including racing Crankworx Enduro TOTW to the village with my fingers still feeling good (relative to Formulas which I raced before and went numb 1/3 of the way down).

So now contemplating for my HT:
- XTR Trails (9020)
- Magura MT5/7
- Saints (but too heavy)

My question however is with the Hightower being my first 29er, how much of that feel of the Ultimates is due to the larger wheel size? Should the XTR Trails with the same 200/180 setup work as well as they did on my 275 Nomad?

Anymore feedback on the Magura MT7 or 5s? If I try Maguras, does the new 1-finger lever need to be purchased separately on top of the brake set? There's some good prices on the German sites. The one thing I don't like is you lose the weight advantage of these with their heavy Storm HC rotors. Are there better/lighter 2.0mm rotor alternatives?

I actually bumped into Murray yesterday on the trail and he is still loving his MT5 setup. Warranty was quick and easy for the leak and flawless since then.

My MT5 brakes have done duty on a bunch of different bikes from my Honzo to a Nomad and a few applications in between. They're still awesome after a few sets of pads and multiple bleeds.

The MT5 has a huge range of lever blade adjustment so whether you have tiny or titan hands they work fine.

With the MT7 or MT Trail brakes if you always wear a large glove the stock blades are good. I'm a M/L depending on the brand and I run
The blades as close in as they come.

The HC lever blades have an awesome shape and hook and I'm nowhere near running them to the bar, so I'd highly recommend them if you have small hands and prefer to run the higher end MT7 or MT Trail.

After testing the MT Trail I'd love to see a more budget trail system based off the MT5. The 4-piston front / 2-piston rear is a great mix of power and simplicity. I do think the MT5 offers one of (the?) the best braking values on the market in terms of power, price, quality, and ease of service.

For a 29er, I prefer a larger brake. The MT5s are a good choice due to the power they have on tap and their low weight for a 4 piston brake. The HC rotors are quieter, or more accurately less "warbly", due to the smaller cutouts. I don't have any issues with the light weight rotors though and prefer the power they offer.

There's no reason XTR trails wouldn't work as well as your previous set, but the MT5/7 offer more power and modulation in my opinion with little weight penalty.

I love my MT5s on my 29er. I weigh 230 pounds right now and they just work. No pumpup, no fading, consistent lever feel. I almost hate talking up these brakes because I feel like I have an advantage and don't want anyone else running them lol.