WE DIG
WE DON’T
ABOUT THE TRICKSTUFF MAXIMA BRAKES
The Maxima is the brake Trickstuff designed to deliver maximum power. Throughout their design, calls were made to produce a high clamping force at the caliper with minimal input force at the lever, reducing hand fatigue on long descents and ensuring every rider can obtain all of the stopping power they desire.
Starting with the machined 7075 aluminum levers, you get a typical lever arrangement with a reach adjustment to dial in the position. It uses a two-bolt clamp design to mount to the bar, which looks very sleek. Custom mounts are offered for your controls to make for a neat cockpit setup.
Trickstuff worked on the “knee lever” design in the Maxima to produce a progressive curve, with an increasing leverage ratio as the lever is pulled further. There’s a high degree of mechanical advantage present in the Maxima lever, giving more braking force for less finger pull.
The lever blade pivots on a dual-sealed bearing arrangement, with a further two bearings used on the connecting rod. The aim was to deliver smooth actuation with no play, and that’s exactly what the result was on the trail. The solid and smooth feeling in the lever is one of the very best on the market, without a doubt. The levers are given an anodized coating to improve durability, with particular attention paid to the piston track to reduce friction.
Inside the system is Bionol brake fluid, which is made from vegetable oil. It’s got a low viscosity and high boiling point, so it flows easily and has good resistance to boiling. Pressurizing the fluid in the lever are pistons made from POM plastic (polyoxymethylene), which have notably low friction and high wear properties.
Carrying the fluid from the lever to the caliper is a choice of brake hoses. Goodridge’s black, raw or carbon effect hoses are recommended, but have a wider outer diameter, which can lead to incompatibility. There’s a standard Kevlar hose also on offer, which should fit through tight internal cable routing systems.
Down at the chunky machined caliper, Trickstuff worked to maximize stiffness. They operate with minimal piston rollback and use tight tolerances to ensure they retract evenly. The aim here was to reduce the likelihood of “pumping up”, which was another standout of the Maxima performance.
With a 9mm lever pump piston mated to two 16mm and two 17mm caliper pistons, there’s a high hydraulic transmission ratio to produce the power. Though this doesn’t quite stand up to the huge 18.5mm and 19.5mm pistons used in the SRAM Maven caliper, power was still more than adequate. The pistons in the Maxima caliper are made from stainless steel and have a hollow design, minimizing heat transfer from the pads into the calipers. As a result, the temperature resilience of Trickstuff’s powerful brakes was stellar.
In the Maxima calipers are a set of widely available Hope V4 shape pads. Trickstuff makes their own Power + compound to deliver the bite and feel they consider best, which are included with the Maxima as standard. There is also a “Standard” pad compound available, which has less bite and longer wear life.
Bleeding the Bionol system is a standard two-syringe affair, with a port on the caliper and lever. Trickstuff recommends removing the brake from the bike, but in reality, you’ll want to just strap the lever in place on the bar or your workstand, with the port facing upwards.
All in all, this €1,300 brake pairing, without rotors, can weigh in as little as 540g for the pair. They’re compatible with up to 2.3mm rotors, and I tested with two of their 203mm Daschle HD rotors, with a 2.05mm thickness.
THE DIRT
Could the super-premium Trickstuff Maxima brakes possibly live up to their price tag when I hit the trails? I was beyond excited to get my Trickstuff experience, but while they proved to be a solid and consistent brake, I didn’t end up loving my time with them.
Power is nothing without control. From eMTB drive units, through to mountain bike brakes, this is a motto that has never run truer than in 2026. We are extremely thankful for the push by mountain bike component manufacturers to improve disk brake stopping power over recent years. As gravity riders who love to ride steep and deep trails, being able to slow down quickly and consistently is essential. So, testing the no-holds-barred Trickstuff Maxima brakes was an exciting proposition.
Getting the two-bolt clamp of the Trickstuff Maximas set up took some figuring out initially, but the result was super clean and solid on the bar. My set came with some off-color anodizing on one lever, which detracted a little from my impressions of QC. But otherwise, the attention to detail and impression of quality with these brakes was truly exceptional.
The lever reach adjustment was easy, though I found there to be a significant drop-off in power if the lever reach was reduced too close to the bar. The ergonomics of the Maxima’s lever are solid, but I had to have the bite point set around 5mm further out than my ideal spot – which is still rather close at around 40mm from the grip surface – or the power curve never quite offered maximum pressure at the caliper. I tried to bleed them by the book and in other ways, but could never shake this feeling. So if you’re a middle phalanx part of the finger braker, who loves a super close bite point, these likely won’t suit you. If you brake with the fingertip, you’ll likely be happier.
Initial riding on the Maxima brakes started last year, where they adorned my Starling Mega Murmur long-term tester. Using the standard pads, and with a bleed at home following Trickstuff’s guide carefully, I was left a little disappointed. I persevered with this setup for some time, and it had its strengths, but they ultimately lacked the control and power I had expected overall. Trickstuff’s Power+ pads notably improved matters.
The main issue I faced with the Trickstuff Maxima brake came from how the lever feels, and how their power is applied. With a soft, slightly “mushy” bite point, no matter how well I bled them, the feedback was purely delivered by finger position rather than lever force input. The smooth action is notable, though, and I would wager that you could blindfold any tuned-in mountain biker in the world, and they’d make an “ooh” upon pulling the Trickstuff Maxima lever for the first time.
Never did I find myself wishing for more power from these brakes, but with a lot of my riding conducted in loose and slippery conditions, I value a good connection between my finger and the traction on each end of the bike. Maybe the ultra-light lever force resulted in this feedback not being delivered in a way that made me feel confident, but it was simply too easy to overdo it on the brakes and lock up the wheel. Especially when the trails were rough and rowdy, where the vibrations stole that little bit of sensitivity from my hands. I just never fully trusted that the Maxima brakes wouldn’t lock the wheels. I experimented with less grabby pads, but it was the sharp ramp in mechanical transmission that I believe to be the cause of these issues.
On the days riding these brakes in hero dirt and hardpack, I couldn’t have been happier. Pounding out aggressive downhill runs, the lack of input force and the high power on tap were an absolute pleasure. There was no change in performance over long, brake-burning alpine descents, and over a summer of regular use, I didn’t need to get the bleed kit out once.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
Vs Magura Gustav Pro
Comparing the Trickstuff Maxima brakes to my favorite brake on the market right now – the Magura Gustav Pro – there is a clear distinction between the two, with pros and cons for both. The elements that matter most to me – control, consistency and value – are all delivered very strongly by the Magura, whereas the control and value for the Trickstuff didn’t rank quite so high. Undeniably, the Trickstuff brakes are of a higher quality finish, and are considerably lighter, but you’ll really have to value these two elements to justify the price difference.
The Wolf’s Last Word
There is no doubt that the Trickstuff Maxima brakes are of exceptionally high quality. But sadly, I just never quite clicked with their feel enough to be a huge fan. If you are a very deep-pocketed rider often riding in high-traction scenarios, and you’re looking for an ultra-light lever action, faultless consistency, and appreciate their stunning engineering, then the Trickstuff Maxima brakes could be for you. But personally, I would save my money and go elsewhere. 
Price: €1,300 (pair, without rotors)
Website: Trickstuff.com
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ABOUT THE WOLF
Robert’s habitat is the Tweed Valley, Scotland, which is renowned for its root-littered enduro mountain bike trails. Robert has been developing his bike handling skills for the last 16 years. Since he was a pup, he’s been riding everything from BMX through to enduro and downhill bikes. Combining a playful style with occasional speed-focused aggression, he favors supportive bikes, and does his best to push them hard.
Rank: European Tech Editor
Size: 6’2” / 189cm | 220lbs / 100kg
Social: @robert_johnston
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