First Ride: Magura Gustav Pro 2024

To achieve this, Magura uses larger pistons: 12 mm (10 mm in the MT7) on the master side in the brake lever and 19 mm in the brake caliper (vs. 17 mm in the MT7).
As a result, it was possible to reduce the overall pressure level, which also minimizes performance loss due to a spread of the line. The result should be a defined pressure point with good controllability.

At the same time, the Gustav Pro uses the new 2.5 mm thick MDR-S brake discs and brake pads with 40% more pad surface. This is intended to significantly reduce the heating of the brake pads and discs, allowing them to continuously operate within an advantageous temperature range to eliminate fading.
Available disc diameters are 180 mm (219 g) and 203 mm (266 g). A disc of 220 mm is deliberately omitted, as the braking performance of the Gustav Pro with a 200 mm disc is said to be on par with the MT with a 220 mm disc, according to the manufacturer.
The Gustav Pro is still compatible with 2.0 mm thick brake discs without the need to bleed the system. This is an advantage should one ever need to rely on an alternative Magura replacement part.

The braking-in time should also be radically reduced by the new component design. The higher stiffness of the brake disc and the brake pads improves the alignment of the parts to each other. The higher pressure of the pistons in combination with the larger braking surface enhances this effect. Thanks to the lower heat development, glazing of the brake pads is especially unlikely.

Additionally, the air gap between the brake pad and brake disc has increased, which should ensure a free-running operation.
The four individual brake pads themselves can be simply pulled out from the single-piece forged aluminum brake caliper after opening two Torx screws. Once installed, they are held in place by integrated magnets in the brake pistons, free from any rattling and without any springs or clips.

A 0-degree cable outlet is primarily used in conjunction with cable routing through the headset. The handlebar clamping has been changed in favor of a clamp collar. This offers an integrated Shiftmix option for better compatibility with different shifting or control levers on the right and left side.

The lever bearings are screwed on, allowing for easy replacement of the brake levers. The 180-degree rotation capability remains, enabling easy switching of the front and rear brakes between the right and left sides.
This may not be very significant in private use, but it is appreciated at review events by riders with a Moto setup.
Thanks to Magura's Carbotecture technology, the weight of the brake is kept reasonable: a set consisting of brake lever, brake caliper, and brake line weighs 348 g.

The fragile vent screw on one side of the brake lever remains, which must not be tightened more than 0.5 Nm.
The brake lever is made from one-piece forged aluminum and features a predetermined breaking point to prevent greater damage to the brake grip in case of a fall. The lever distance can be adjusted without tools using an adjustment wheel; there is no adjustment for the pressure point.

The maintenance interval could be doubled, even when used with heavy e-bikes, which were specifically addressed during development.
The reservoir holds twice as much oil volume as the MT series (7 ml), so bleeding should rarely be necessary. If it is, one can appreciate a bleed valve on the brake caliper. With this, it is no longer necessary, as known from the MT, to have to lift the brake caliper above the level of the brake lever when opening or closing to prevent the oil from flowing out.
 

Brilliant: Within the brake caliper, the oil circulates in a circular motion from one side to the other, which should prevent any air bubbles from getting trapped. Accordingly, the bleeding process should be simple and quick to perform.

Magura seems convinced of its system: A five-year leak-proof warranty provides a reassuring feeling.

For the aftermarket initial installation, the brake line, brake caliper, and brake lever are already filled. The cable can be threaded and easily plugged into the brake lever thanks to Easy Link. The first time the brake lever is activated, a membrane is punctured and the system is ready to use.
If the brake line needs to be shortened beforehand, a few more steps are usually added, but there are also new options for attaching the Easy Link to the brake line.

The distinction is primarily between Easy Link crimped and Easy Link screwed. The crimped version has an outer diameter of only 5.4 mm. This allows the cable to be threaded in and out of the frame at any time with the installed Easy Link, even with internally routed cable guides. This version is likely to be found mainly on OEM bikes. For installation, a special tool is required, but both the mechanical and especially the electronic crimping pliers are unfortunately not cheap.
Accordingly, in the aftermarket, the screwed version is more likely to be used: press the pin into the brake hose, place the slotted olive, screw on the end piece, done. The advantage of this version is that all parts can be reused if you need to shorten the cable or thread it through tight frame openings (the screwed version has a larger outer diameter than the crimped version, so it will not fit through every frame opening).

The Easy Tube Technology for flexible manufacturing of Easy Link connections is intended to particularly please specialty retailers.
Until now, Magura has offered in the aftermarket only brake lines with a length of 2.5 meters. However, only about 0.8 meters were needed for use on the front wheel. With the new ETT connections, retailers can now cut exactly the length they need from a roll of material by the meter.

Thanks to a longstanding partnership with Bosch and the ABS expertise gained in the motor division from Maguras, the Swabians have famously pushed into this segment in recent years also in mountain biking.
The Gustav Pro was specifically optimized for use with ABS applications. With a particularly large oil delivery volume, the brake levers of the Gustav Pro provide the technical basis for a reliable ABS control function.

Magura is targeting mid-October as the date from which the new Magura Gustav Pro will be available to the public in Europe and North America. The brake is expected to be seen or ridden a bit earlier on bikes in original equipment.

The recommended retail price for a set consisting of a brake lever, a brake caliper, and a two-meter-long brake hose is €299.90. The MDR-S 2.5 rotor is priced at €55, and the 13.S pads are €24.90.

Plans include not just a single model, but the future expansion to an entire Gustav family.

A day is never enough to meaningfully engage with a product, brakes anyway seem to only prove their durability over a period of several weeks or months. With reservations, still, here are the first impressions, gained during a muddy-mucky press review opportunity in Saalbach. For more extensive test rides, a set of Gustav Pro has already been ordered, with the corresponding review to follow later in the year.

I immediately believe the statement about the significantly shortened bedding-in time. Two or three times decelerating from rolling, and the brake continuously engages. The pressure point is clearly defined and harder than on the MT7, the lever travel short, the modulation excellent.
A reassuring feeling, which goes so far that during the ride you hardly spare a thought for the braking effort. Even in wet weather conditions like on the review day, it is easy to find the correct dosage in various situations without ever unintentionally locking the wheels or feeling that even the heavy e-bike is getting out of control.

The braking power is good to very good, but there are now stronger alternatives on the market. As already mentioned, maximum power was not Magura's declared goal anyway. The collection of features still creates the feeling that the Gustav Pro is superior to the MT.
Only a few riders on selected trails will probably call for even more braking power. In fact, during the (short) review period, the Gustav Pro never gave the impression of being overwhelmed. However, in particularly technical and steep sections, I could not shake the thought that it would be nice if one could exert less hand force during braking. Moreover, the lever distance to the handlebar could not be ideally adjusted for personal preferences.

Even though it is naturally premature for a final judgment on this matter after just one day: In the latter point lies the biggest weakness of the new Gustav Pro.
In order for the system to be compatible with the Bosch E-Bike ABS system, a compromise had to be made regarding the minimal possible distance between the handlebar and the brake lever. For some, probably no problem, but for others - people with smaller hands or all those who (like me and numerous journalist colleagues, who seem to have perceived the first impression similarly) prefer their brake levers closer to the handlebar - this presents a significant drawback.
Faster fatigue and even cramped handlebar holding can result. In this context, the results of our planned, more detailed review in the second half of the year become doubly interesting.

The official statement from Magura on this topic is as follows: "At the launch of the Gustav Pro, Magura decided on lever ergonomics that provide an optimal sweet spot for applications with and without Bosch eBike ABS. To enable unrestricted compatibility with the eBike ABS, a limitation of the minimal grip width adjustment is necessary. The Bosch eBike ABS consumes oil volume during a control function, which must be provided by the brake master over the entire control cycles. For the near future, Magura is already planning to offer additional brake levers for the Gustav Pro that enable optimized grip width adjustment."

Prototype brake pads with about 15% higher braking power on the test stand, which will likely be offered for sale in a similar form at a later date, I was able to review during a descent as part of the presentation.
I would use these without any hesitation. Control and modulability were in no way negatively affected by this extra power, and I never turn down an increase in braking power.