Magura Gustav's

[knollybikes.com]

Originally Posted by ShoreIH

Great post, thanks. 20 sets!! Do you have any you are selling off?

unfortunately not... We use them for demo / prototype frames (along with the Louise FR brakes). They have been so reliable that we just keep using them and replacing pads (and the occasional bent rotor) and since the design hasn't changed over the past two years, there's no real reason to get ride of them. There were some eariler brakes that had the 190 / 160 rotor combination (still, stupid powerful) that we let go, just so that all of our brakes and adapters were set up for 210/190mm rotors, but that's been it.

Yes, they are expensive and there are lots of great brakes around. However, the Gustavs have their following and the riders that "get it" are pretty die hard about these brakes. Cost is definitely a factor though.

Cheers,

Noel Buckley

[Timmigrant]

This is my two cents, but I'm a 200lb guy, that rides a 45lb bike. My XTs or Hayes MAGs seem to stop my collective 250+lbs just perfectly. I can volunterly lock up both wheels when riding, and never get finger fatique. Only time I get arm pump is due to vibration and not braking. My point is that the Mono 6-Tis and Gustavs are probably better brakes that XTs / Hayes but are they nesecarry? If you really need the extra "power" a far cheaper option to the extra hundreds of dollars at the bike shop is $16 at MEC for a fore arm trainer.

[nouseforaname]

its not about whether or not you can lock up your brakes - remember, skids are for kids. Its about the amount of force required (very little IME with Gustavs) to control sketchy sits WITHOUT locking your wheels up. Less force = less fatigue = better ride.

Gustavs have been far and away the best brakes that i have ridden for loose/fall line stuff where locking a brake is a recipe for disaster. I cried a little the day my bike was sold with them on...

[HIBuLlitT]

I'm 190lbs on a Bullit, I have NEVER used two fingers, I can stop as fast as I want/need. No arm pump, unless I had a hard day on the boat steering.
HFX9 and I'm stopping as fast as my friends w/ mags.


Maybe forearm curls are in order hehe...
Mind you, I haven't done A-line yet 20 times a day...

[micro Loopie]

Originally Posted by Rat

hope six pots are the bees knees. a little more power and alot more modulation. My middle finger hasnt seen the brake lever since I switched.

My middle finger hasn't seen the lever either with my hayes. The trick is to move the lever over 2 and a half inches. So your index finger is only in-line of the brake lever.

Originally Posted by corey@nsmb.com

Yeah, you should have them checked out. I have run the same ones since 2001 and they were great. One finger braking and more than enough stopping power.

Same. Mine where 2002 though. Worked like a charm for the almost half year I had them. I now have purples.


Btw, I'm 145-ish LB's..

[Timmigrant]

Originally Posted by nouseforaname

its not about whether or not you can lock up your brakes - remember, skids are for kids. Its about the amount of force required (very little IME with Gustavs) to control sketchy sits WITHOUT locking your wheels up. Less force = less fatigue = better ride.

Agreed, but my point is that a Gustav / Mono 6-Ti is not performance enhancing in any way, as XTs / Hayes provide ample modulation and power. Sure the Maguras and Hopes may make braking easier, but so would a $16 fore arm trainer ... And the difference between these brakes is minimal at best ...

[Rat]

My experiance is contrary to that timmigrant You could use the same argument that you dont need full suspension bikes if you have a strong legs and more skills. Who needs sticky rubber if you ride faster......

[nouseforaname]

Originally Posted by Timmigrant

Agreed, but my point is that a Gustav / Mono 6-Ti is not performance enhancing in any way, as XTs / Hayes provide ample modulation and power. Sure the Maguras and Hopes may make braking easier, but so would a $16 fore arm trainer ... And the difference between these brakes is minimal at best ...

Have you used the gustavs for any length of time? This is not to cut you down, but i am curious. It was after using some on one of Noels bikes that i bought mine, before that i was def in your camp.

[Timmigrant]

I can't say I've ridden anything but XTs and Hayes extensively. I have done the parking lot test on both Gustavs and Mono 6-Ti's, and we all know how useless that is. Agreed that they are great brakes, but Hayes / Shimano work well for 99% of the riding public, myself included. Never for an instant do I feel that my brakes limit my riding.

[HIBuLlitT]

Ok, hydraulic theory (from what I remember from flight school)

Force applied at the rotor is the ratio of the volume of piston of the master cylinder to the volume if the caliper. Assuming that the pads are the same, the rotor material and size is the same (softer of either = better grab = faster wear), then the only way to obtain more power is to

a) increase the volume of the caliper to the master cylinder. If you do that then you need to increase the stroke of the master cylinider to maintain the travel of the pads to squeeze the rotor.

b) increase the length of the lever arm (brake lever) pushing the master cylinder shaft and thus increasing the stroke you need to take to squeeze the pads together.

So, to have good "modulation" you need to ensure that the stroke occurs in a smooth and measured way, or have a longer stroke = more power.

More pistons in the caliper = applied force on the pads are equal so they tend not to squeal as much (in theory).

So, in conclusion, good modulation = more power with more stroke.

Or you could just get bigger rotors and add leverage to the rotational stopping power of the brake.

It's basically up to the individual, do you need more stroke for stoke?