Four Pistons, Four PadsThese days, Magura is known for offering some of the lightest two piston brakes on the market, with designs that feature master cylinders manufactured out of carbon fiber and come in at well under 300 grams for a single brake. Riders who have been around the block will know that hasn't always been the case, though, as the German company was once lionized for their no-holds-barred downhill brake named Gustav that employed four separate pistons. The neon yellow Gustavs had enough power to slow down a runaway train but they were portly and not exactly sleek by anyone's standards, and it's fair to say that while they were the ticket at the time, they would be considered quite unrefined by today's standards. Enter this new and yet to be named four piston offering from Magura that looks to channel and even improve on the Gustav's incredible power, but offer it in a much lighter and polished package.
While the old Gustav depended on one long brake pad that spanned both pistons on each side, this new brake uses four separate pads and asymmetrical clamping forces that Magura says offers more opportunity for heat to escape by allowing the rotor to actually cool down slightly better than if the forces were more even and only two pads were employed. The pistons themselves are the same size throughout - 17mm across - and Magura is sticking to their guns when it comes to using organic brake pads from the factory. Want to go sintered? You'll likely have to look to the aftermarket to do so.
Magura also pointed out how the new brake mimics their high-end motorbike offering (
pictured below) in design, and it's fair to say that the mountain bike version looks like a downsized model of the massive blue caliper they had on display for comparison. The important similarity between the two, they told Pinkbike, is the bar of material that runs over the top of the caliper between the leading and trailing brake pads. While this bit of aluminum would usually be machined away, and it is on most other four piston designs, Magura says that it helps to increase the rigidity of their caliper. Claimed weight sits at 350 grams for a front brake with a 160mm rotor and all of its hardware, and Magura says that consumers can expect to see it in their local shops by July. Pricing is still being decided upon.
www.magura.com
Actually Gustav was a 2 piston brake. The two pistons where at the one side of the calliper which was floating giving the filling of a four piston. Heavy as hell but there was a reason they where called "the anchor".
If it's got power like the Gustav did then a 160mm is all you going to need in the rear, I never ran anything larger than that with them on the back.
www.hopetech.com/product-documents/brakes/#!enduro-4-brake
It makes sense to have four separate pads. Most 4 piston designs have different diameter pistons to give good modulation, so the pistons are not applying applying equal pressure and having split pads allows the pistons to work individually to their full potential.
I guess the downside is though if the front pair of pads wears down first, you won't be able to just change them out because then the rear pads will have worn and will be too thin. It would seem logical for them to make 4 smaller pads a similar cost so traditional 4 pot brake pad pairs but who knows.
I owned the old Gustavs back in the day, the power was awesome, I really loved mine but they were old tech and were limited by design, the floating caliper with 2 large pistons as apposed to all the newer competitors with opposing pistons.
(o)(o)