Magura Gustav PRO - The Legend Lives!
Magura Gustav? Rings a bell? Right, it kind of did exist before. After more than a quarter of a century, the legendary downhill anchor is making a comeback
Anyone who can associate the terms Magura and Gustav has either studied mountain bike history or belongs to the older generation, at least in terms of this relatively young sport. The legendary brake Gustav M, modestly named after the founder of the brake manufacturer from Bad Urach, was considered the first truly serious downhill brake in the performance sector in the late 90s and still enjoys a very good reputation, even if its distinctive signal yellow is hardly seen in the wild anymore. After more than 25 years, Magura is reviving the legend and presents the GUSTAV PRO!
We were at the Magura test event in Saalbach to get a feel for the new Gustav PRO.
Left: Gustav M, Right: Gustav PRO
2.5mm thick brake discs for more stability and less vibration
Big Brake for Big Adventures
Right at first glance, it's clear: This brake is big! The pistons have increased in diameter (master piston 12mm, slave piston 19mm) and so, of course, the chassis has grown too. Larger pistons allowed Magura to lower the operating pressure inside the brake. The big advantage: The brake line expands or bulges less under pressure, so you lose less force through deformation. According to the manufacturer, this allows for a very defined pressure point, which benefits modulability and intuitive, consistent handling.
Not only have the pistons grown, but the rotors have too: The new rotors, at 2.5 mm thick, are currently the thickest on the market. Combined with 40% more pad volume compared to the MT7, and more pad surface area on the brake pad, this results in a system that is hardly prone to overheating and thus fading. Moreover, the thick rotors together with the large pads ensure low-vibration, quiet and consistent braking operations, and of course, longer riding time until the next pad change.
Luckily, the Gustav PRO is backward compatible with the existing Magura brake discs at 2.0mm thickness. So, if you're already riding a Magura brake, there's no need for new discs right away.
Optimized for E-Bikes
Magura has particularly focused on the use on powerful E-bikes which, due to their weight, require a lot of braking power and stability. But the Gustav PRO also looks great on non-motorized bikes. When it's time to replace the pads, the now larger air gap between disc and pads makes changing the pads and reinstalling the wheel easier. A larger oil volume in the reservoir means you'll rarely have to bleed it.
For the most modern SUV E-bikes, Magura has prepared the Gustav directly for the Bosch ABS system, allowing you to fully exploit the potential of your bike and brakes.
No Nonsense. This is about braking power and stability.
Magura Gustav M on the Hot Chili Warp - this is what downhill looked like 3 decades ago.
And this is Enduro today: The Magura Gustav PRO on our Specialized Turbo Kenevo.
Easy Link connection at the brake lever
Easy Link hose connection
Easy Link Technology
When it comes to installing the brake, disconnecting and reconnecting the line, Magura shines with user-friendliness: For initial installation, you don't need to separate the brake anymore, dealing with mineral oil spills, then lay it out, reconnect and bleed. With the Gustav PRO, brake lever and caliper are delivered separate, filled and closed. You just have to route the line through the frame and click it into the brake lever using Easy Link. No spills, no stress. What makes the mechanic happy during setup, works out for you too, should you retrofit the brake or build your next bike yourself.
If the brake is moved from one bike to another, you're also ahead with the Gustav PRO: With the Easy Link system, you can simply connect or disconnect the line to the brake lever using a "connector", without having to set a new olive and screwing the line into the lever. According to Magura, no new bleeding is required. Super practical!
Smooth Hose Routing
You can see that Magura didn’t just focus on performance and user-friendliness when you look at the finished cockpit: The lines run directly and parallel to the handlebar. Especially with modern frames that have internal routing through the steerer tube, this is the most beautiful and technically sensible solution. Less cabling, no "cable salad", a tidy cockpit and no noise from the lines during descent – what more could you want? Hmm, maybe a voluntary, 5-year warranty on leak-tightness? Sure thing!
Tidy: Cable exit parallel to the handlebar
Left: Gustav PRO, Right: the old Gustav M.
A Lid for Every Pot
The new PRO lever on the Gustav follows the design and ergonomics of the HC-W lever, developed with multiple downhill world champion Loic Bruni. In case of a crash, a predetermined breaking point on the grip surface ensures the brake lever suffers less damage and isn’t completely destroyed. Then only the lever needs to be replaced, which is significantly cheaper than replacing the entire grip. Besides the PRO lever, according to Magura, there will be other versions available, allowing you to customize your Gustav PRO according to your hand size and preferences. You can't get more flexibility than this.
Of course, the Gustav is still compatible with the Magura Shiftmix system, allowing you to mount shift levers and handlebar remote levers for dropper seatposts using just one clamp on the handlebar.
Kevin from bc tested the new Magura Gustav PRO in Saalbach, where a brake gets a bit more to do than on the local flatland loop.
"In Saalbach, I really noticed the constant braking power. Plus, there was hardly any need for wearing in the pads before the brakes delivered their full performance."
If you're interested in the Magura Gustav PRO, have any questions, or are unsure: Feel free to contact our Service anytime.
We don't just send with DHL.
