Magura is a company who manufacture bicycle and motorcycle brakes. In the world of bike trials, the term Maguras usually refers specifically to Magura HS33 rim brakes.

Maguras (also known as maggies) are hydraulic rim brakes which were never intended to be used for trials, but now that more and more XC riders are using discs, somebody had to use them. When set up well, they offer very good, reliable braking power. They are used by trials riders for their excellent 'bite' - I.e. they are good at completely locking the wheel quickly, which is the type of braking required in trials, especially for a rear brake.

[edit] Models

There are two models of Maguras that we need to know about, and one of them can be dismissed quickly. The HS33 and the HS11. The HS11 is exactly the same as the HS33 apart from the lever blade and the lever body. There is really no need to buy a HS11 over the HS33, the lever can’t be adjusted without the use of tools, they’re not as powerful and they don’t feel anywhere near as good as the HS33’s. Yes, they are cheaper, but with brakes being one of the most important parts of a trials bike, braking components shouldn’t be compromised.

Chances are when you buy a trials bike it’ll come with a pair of Magura HS33, they are used on trials bikes because of their ability to lock a wheel up completely. Once you have set your Magura up, it should be fine left to its own devices. You should never need to bleed your Magura. It may possibly need re-setting up every now and again, especially when you replace parts and such, but this is quite easily done with the right tools and patience.

There is also a wide variety of pads on the market from various companies. Heatsink pads were the first company to successfully produce pads in metal backings, these are replaceable and are much stiffer than standard powerpad backings as found on the standard magura pads

[edit] See also

• Magura HS33
• Magura HS11
• How to fix a broken TPA
• Magura maintenance
• Magura official website