MAGURA MT TRAIL SL, 1-finger HC-Carbon lever blade

Unlike brake fluid mineral oil does not age with time and therefore offers consistent performance over many years. Furthermore brake fluid absorbs water over time, which leads to a loss of heat resistance and a reduction of the boiling point. This notably affects the performance of the brake. DOT brake fluid is also poisonous and corrosive. A small drop is enough to erode the finish on a bike or damage the skin. Mineral oil is in comparison much easier to handle and offers consistent performance over a long period of time.

The difference between the MT5 and the MT7 lies in the detail. As well as a different brake transmission ratio, the details of the brake calipers differ. 

Upon close inspection the MT5 has a noticably larger airspace between the rotor and the brake pads. The reason for this is a greater piston retraction space as a result of different contruction on the inside of the caliper. Overall this means that the MT5 is easier to set up without grinding and has a bitepoint that feels less direct than the MT7.

With a higher transmission ratio, the MT7 offers overall more braking power und a more direct braking sensation. The bite point however feels slightly softer that the MT5.

Note: The described differences also apply to the MT Trail Sport (using the MT5 brake caliper on the front wheel and MT5 brake lever) and the MT Trail SL (using the MT7 brake caliper on the front wheel and the MT7 break lever).

Important: We recommend not to switch parts of the MT5 and MT7 because they have been individually adapted to each other. Due to the individual differences of both models we do not recommend nor approve combinations of the two.

Yes, both of these can be replaced separately without having to change the full brake system.

Yes - we have fitted Magura MT5 Brake systems to Ebox 2.0 and Revvi 18 bikes.

As stated in the description above, Magura are in an interesting situation where their brakes are cheaper and better than a lot of standard OEM brakes.

We stock Original Magura Brake pads and also Galfer replacement pads which fit magura brake systems.

Standard Galfer pads offer less stopping power but last longer, whilst the purple E-Bike rated ones are the opposite in that they won't last as long but offer better stopping power.

The general opinion is that sintered (metallic) and organic pads differ significantly in normal use. Despite these differences, the compounds can nevertheless be very similar. 

During the production process of organic brake pads, various components and fillers (including metals) and a base compound of synthetic resin are combined in a mixing and pressing process based on hydrocarbon compounds (organic chemistry). Since this process can sometimes contain up to 60% metal as a filler, they are often also referred to as semi-organic. Accordingly, organic coatings also contain metallic components and vice-versa, so the differences between the two pad types are often less than expected, and both can achieve similar properties. 

Another fact to consider is that organic pads can only be compared with one another to a limited extent. They’re composed of many different organic and metallic components. A wide range of properties can be achieved depending on how these components are combined. There’s no standardized definition for the use of the terms organic, semi-organic and metallic, and this makes comparison between manufacturers difficult. MAGURA classifies the different types of pads as follows:  

• Organic: <30% metal content   
• Semi-sintered: 30-60% metal content 
• Sintered: >60% metal content