Anyone who knows the long history of Magura should not be surprised with this announcment. They are going to be the first company to go mainstream with hydraulic rim brakes for tri and road bikes.
Magura carved a name for themselves back in the late 80’s and early 90’s by providing the first hydraulic rim brakes for mountain bikes. With 3 different colors that went with 3 different riding applications, Magura paved the way for modern disc brakes with their hydraulic systems. They were a favorite amongst racers and trials riders.
Now…they are bring that technology full swing into the road community by releasing the RT8 TT.
In 1987, MAGURA invented the first hydraulic braking system for mountain bikes. 25 years later, the world technology leader takes its experience in hydraulic rim brakes to the road. Working together with aerodynamics expert Cervélo, MAGURA has now introduced the world’s lightest and fastest hydraulic road rim brake system, the MAGURA RT8 TT (TT for Time Trial). The motto is: “Aerodynamics by Cervélo, Hydraulics by MAGURA”. Their braking power and modulation set new standards for triathlon and road bikes. This allows effective speed management both on the descent and in the corners. With hydraulic brakes, road cyclists are able to gain crucial seconds.
The complete system (front and rear) weighs in at 495 grams which is pretty damn impressive for the system considering the components and volume that has to be added to make a system like this work. They are also one of the few that have actually made it look good at the same time. The preliminary leaked pictures of the Shimano system shows a HUGE reservoir at the top of the hoods which looks terrible in our opinion.
It will be interesting to see what people think as these brakes actually start getting out on the road.
Check out more about the brakes at Magura.com.