Magura MT7 Raceline Disc Brake and Lever [Rider Review]

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There's a lot of brakes on the market, and one that stands out from the others in terms of colors is the Magura Mt7 Raceline brakes. They're really known for their lever feel and power. One of our customers has been running them. See what they think!

Overview

When I bought the Magura MT7 Racelines, I already knew I was getting into some good brakes because all my friends where raving about them. I bought the Racelines specifically because the yellow matches my Santa Cruz Nomad pretty nicely. With this review I will mention the good and the bad in these brakes.

I would like to mention that the Magura MT7s are my favorite brakes so far. The lever feel is unique and although a good bleed is crucial, once all the air is out the bite point is crazy firm and the wheels can lock up whenever I choose, while still retaining the modulation for fine braking. Up in the lever the customization options are plenty, with different lever shapes and sizes being available aftermarket by Magura. I run the HC1 levers and love the wide and chunky feel of them (as opposed to SRAM's thin lever blades) as it gives me better comfort and lever feel.

Magura's racing pedigree shows best in the calipers. They are made from one piece for heat management and structural rigidity with an architecture very similar to those in motorbikes and cars, which I personally love since it makes them look like tiny powersport brakes. Each caliper has 2 small plastic color rings that can be removed or replaced with other colors to customize the look to match your steed.

When using these, I could clearly tell that when designing the brakes, heat management was a big factor. From the thicker 2.0mm rotors, the divided pads, to the oversized caliper, there was a good effort to minimize heat and improve performance. All of these aspects you can feel after 15 minute downhills and no brake fade.

I know I have only mentioned good things so far, but there exists nothing without downsides, so what. My first issue was setup. Although hose shortening and installation was really easy, bleeding the full system is pretty tricky and possibly messy. The lever bleed screw is super fragile and is easy to break if you are not careful, so following Magura's torque specs is a must. The lever stops break as soon as you flick the lever, and this seems to happen on all carbon and HC1 levers regardless of bike and user. Although it is an inconvenience, it does not affect brake function or aesthetics, however. It's so miniscule that most people don't even realize but I think it's worth mentioning still. Calipers are a bit tricky to align with rotors since the rotor-pad clearance is super small (this is what allows the lever to feel so responsive) but a good alignment goes a long way and worth the extra effort in my opinion. My last complaint is that the pads are somewhat noisy. They are not contaminated or anything, but race and performance compound pads seem to vibrate at just the right frequency to make an almost whistle-like sound from time to time.

The brakes are far from perfect, but they still have the #1 spot in my list. The pros far outweigh the cons and it is impossible to ignore the superior performance they offer.

Final Thoughts

After around a month of use I can clarify that these little train stoppers really do pack a punch! Modulation is similar to that of SRAM brakes and the bite point is solid, responsive and consistent. Setup was a breeze and hassle free all thanks to Magura's instructional videos which can be easily found on YouTube.