MAGURA RACE PRO BRAKES

September 17, 2026

Magura’s Race Pro brakes hit the market as an all-metal, premium gravity brake offering with the highest performance goals. We’ve managed to get some early trail time on these downhill mountain bike brakes prior to their launch, and will share our initial thoughts below. The press release containing all of the details will follow the review.

My time on the Magura Race Pro brakes so far has consisted of two separate sets: the first mounted to a Propain Shresh SL in Bikepark Samerberg, Germany; and the second to a YT Decoy X in Scotland. While Samerberg’s off-piste steeps gave a solid initial impression of Magura’s new top-of-the-line brakes, it was crucial to get them onto a familiar bike in familiar terrain to really assess their performance. I only managed to get two solid rides on the new brakes at home prior to the production of this First Ride Review, but ensured I rode suitably steep and technical terrain to assess their power and control.

VIDEO LAUNCHES 6am PST // 2pm GMT SEPT 17TH

I have to tip my hat to Magura for listening to the desires of the market and moving away from the Carbotecture material. I didn’t have an issue with this material on previous Magura brakes, but the wishes of many consumers was for a metal brake, and they’ve delivered a serious looker in the Race Pro. The blended Radial and Axial design appears to deliver the best of both worlds, with the Radial master piston performance characteristics combined with the sleeker look of an axial master cylinder, and the silver finish is elegant and communicates high quality notions from first glance.

On the trail, the Race Pro brakes are highly capable gravity stoppers, but don’t do all of the work for you. Their linear power curve demands some finger effort to get the maximum grunt out of them. That’s not to say that they require a huge effort that gets into the fatiguing realm, but there’s not the immediate power delivered that some of the competitors provide, it arrives deeper into the lever’s stroke. For my preferences, that’s a good thing, as I am often riding in slick terrain where traction management is the biggest challenge.

Can you still shut things down as quickly as the best of them when you have hero dirt and sticky tires to play with? Absolutely, the Race Pro brakes still clamp down with ferocity when you tell them to. But rather than being an all or nothing brake, instead you get the choice of how much power you deliver to the caliper. They’re incredibly tactile, giving excellent feedback at the lever to let you know exactly what the tires are doing on the ground. WIth some of the highest fidelity I’ve yet to feel from a powerful downhill brake, the Magura Race Pro brakes offer incredible modulation and control.

The 400m (1,300ft) hills of the Tweed Valley, Scotland, don’t quite challenge the heat stability of a brake like a true alpine descent, so longer term testing is going to be required to get them onto some worthy terrain to assess how well their reduced mass and thinner rotors can hold up compared with the monstrous Gustav Pro brakes we love.

PRESS RELEASE

MAGURA RACE PRO BRAKES

FOR THE JOY OF RACING

THE MT7 IS OUTSTANDING. BUT THIS ONE BLOWS YOUR MIND.

The most powerful and precise brake we’ve ever built.
The aluminum masterpiece our fans and haters have been waiting for.

RACING IS IN OUR DNA.

When we launched our first HS (Hydro Stop) rim brake in 1987, it was nothing less than a revolution for the emerging MTB scene, especially for racers wanting the best material to win.

Nine years later, the iconic GUSTAV M. — the “Swabian Anchor” — set new benchmarks in braking power and control. And with the MT-series, we’ve defined the standard in high-performance braking for years. From World Cup victories in XC and DH to world championship titles in all disciplines. But the sport has evolved: Bikes have become faster, heavier and more capable, while tracks have grown rougher, steeper and more uncompromising. Racing has changed.

And by racing, we don’t just mean the big stage. For us, racing begins wherever you push yourself — with your friends on your home trail, against the clock on Strava or against yourself.

As long as athletes continue to push the limits day by day, we’re motivated to develop products to match. And our new RACE family exactly fits this purpose.

For the joy of racing.

FULL POWER. AGGRESSIVE BITE. AND ALL WITH A GENTLE TOUCH!

Engineered for maximum performance and uncompromising efficiency, our RACE PRO delivers extreme braking power exactly when you need it. Full power for late braking points with low hand force and smooth actuation to fight arm pump.

Efficiency is key — that’s why we’ve minimized friction across multiple components. Our legendary radial master piston, actuated towards the handlebar, and a low-friction anodized piston chamber convert every bit of finger force into braking power. In addition, a ball-bearing lever pivot ensures exceptionally smooth operation.

Despite its low weight, the caliper is built with a clear focus on stiffness and maximum performance. Our unique one-piece forged construction ensures that braking force is transferred directly to the pads.

The most powerful brake we’ve ever built and truly a new benchmark to beat! Furthermore, you will feel no difference between front and rear brake.

LINEAR POWER DELIVERY.

Building a strong brake is not complicated. But ultimate power is useless, if you cannot control and predict it.

When you pull the lever of our RACE PRO, the braking force builds up in a smooth, linear way: The more you pull, the more you brake. Period. Thanks to a unique constant leverage ratio across the entire lever throw, the system remains precise to modulate and is consistently predictable at all times.

Instead of a binary on/off feeling, the RACE PRO offers the widest of modulation range. Thus, the narrow line between grip and loss of control becomes noticeably broader, giving you more control exactly where it matters most.

SURGICAL PRECISION.

Instead of just further increasing the hydraulic leverage ratio, we chose a 1x Ø12mm and 4x Ø19mm pistons setup for the RACE PRO, combined with improved efficiency and a sharper mechanical leverage ratio, as well as an optimized kinematic design by tilting the axle of the radial master.

The result is an optimal pressure level for improved efficiency, less hose pump, better pad retraction and a harder bite point. Furthermore, you will feel no difference between front and rear brake.

OUR HATERS WILL LOVE IT!

Although we still believe in our Carbotecture Material – for the new RACE PRO we’ve chosen Aluminum in its most uncompromising form. Brake master, lever blade and clamp are fully engineered and built from metal.

The caliper still relies on proven MAGURA technologies: Our unique one-piece forged design. We don’t do things by halves! This ensures maximum reliability in long-term use, without any risk for leakage and an optimal balance of stiffness to weight.

MINIMALIST DESIGN.

Uncompromising as its appearance: deliberately reduced, focused on what matters. Anodized aluminum in silver matte, black accents, lasered lettering, and distinctive machined edges – nothing more is needed.

And when things get rough, its strength becomes clear: the surface is highly scratch-resistant and stays composed even under pressure

CNC SKELETONIZED.

As much material as necessary, as little as possible. Large pistons and a high oil volume are critical for performance – there is no room for compromise. To still achieve a best-in-class weight, both lever and caliper are extensively CNC post-machined after forging giving the RACE PRO caliper an even sculptural design appearance.

From targeted cut-outs in the caliper body to precise machining in the master cylinder, every unnecessary gram is removed. The reality shows on the scale giving uncompromising Downhill power at a cross-country weight.

COMPACT GEOMETRY.

For optimal performance, a radial master cylinder layout is a given for us. But why not arrange the oil volume axially to save space?

The new RACE combines both geometries from the braking world in a highly compact design – for an especially clean cockpit. Thanks to the EASY LINK hose coupling, you still get full flip-flop functionality despite dedicated right/left masters, allowing you to swap sides in seconds.

EASY TO LINK.

Of course, our flagship also relies on the innovative EASY LINK hose coupling. This allows you to simply click the brake hose into the master and disconnect it whenever needed.

Our answer to all the frustrating internal hose routings through the frame or headset. Compared to the GUSTAV, our new RACE PRO goes even one step further: The master uses a threaded EASY LINK valve. When the connection is opened, the master remains securely sealed. As always, EASY LINK hose connectors can be mounted quickly, safely and without any special tools.

EASY TO BLEED.

As with the GUSTAV, the RACE caliper features a continuous oil circuit flow with no dead ends.

This ensures that every air bubble is pulled out within seconds, making the caliper orientation during bleeding virtually irrelevant. When disconnecting the syringe, our bleed valve ensures a clean and controlled decoupling process.

EASY TO SERVICE.

Sometimes the inevitable happens: After a crash or through excessive use, components can wear out. With the RACE PRO, we have deliberately expanded our spare parts offering.

In addition to individual levers, we now also offer lever bearing kits, master cylinder piston & seal kits and reservoir caps – enabling fast repairs and optimal performance, just like on day one.

On top of that, and as with all MAGURA brakes, we provide our 5-year leak-proof guarantee.