MTS?
The MTS are a recent addition to the MT range of Magura disk brakes. They are probably some sort of OEM version. The pair that I have we're taken new off a Specialized bike. The gold colour highlights and accents suit the speci colour schemes. Having said that, they are available from online outlets like starbike and online on Amazon
The Magura website seems to suggest the MTS fits between the MT4 and the MT6. I'm not sure how accurate that is. The MTS has the one piece caliper of the MT4 and the same master cylinder as the MT4 but lacks its bite point adjuster. It also comes with cheaper pads. It seems more likely that the MTS is like a cheaper version of the MT4. The Magura website also claims the MTS has the SL master cylinder like the MT6 but it certainly doesn't look like it.
Quick facts
- weight: 226g (front, 700mm long hose, Type 7.3 pads), 238g (rear, 1300mm long hose, Type 7.3 pads);
- lever body: carbotecture (injection molded carbon fibre and thermoplastic);
- lever: pressed aluminium, no bite point adjustment;
How do they ride?
These brakes compare favourably to the Hygia SLP brakes. They have good modulation and after bedding in are perhaps a little more powerful. Indeed in the super dry hardback conditions we are now experiencing I find the rear is a little too grabby. I am going to give a 140mm rear rotor a go.
Ergonomics
There is only one type of adjustment on the lever - you can wind the adjuster in or out which will change the engagement point.
The lever is large and long, certainly suited to two finger braking. The lever is quite broad and flat and consequently does not feel as nice as the shimano or hygia levers I'm used to which are narrower and have a much more curved surface for the tip of your finger to wrap around.
Pads
The MTS brakes come with Magura Type 7.3 brake pads. I am not sure what these are exactly. Magura only list Type 7.1 (Performance) and Type 7.2 (Endurance) pads. From the look of the pad material the Type 7.3 seem to be semi-metallic / sintered.
A discussion on the suggests that the Type 7.3 pads are an OEM only designation for a pad similar to the Type 7.1 Performance pads but not made my Magura in Germany.
Tuning
There's very little tuning potential with the Magura MTS other than the usual approach of lighter rotors and Ti mounting bolts. If money were no object, it is possible to buy the following carbolay MT8 components that will work with the MTS and drop some weight (how much I'm not sure):
- Carbolay handlebar clamp (0724709);
- Carbolay brake lever blade (0724685).
However, once you buy those components you may as well just go and buy the MT8 brakes which I have seen online for as low as $225 an end.
For colour tuning you can get off eBay a range of coloured replacement bolts. The lever mounting "bolts" are really alu nuts and some users have reported they are easily stripped. For this reason it is probably worth keeping some spare. You can get off eBay coloured versions.
The pad mounting bolt is made of steel so it could be replaced with an alu version. Again, eBay is your friend for finding those bolts.
Bleed process
Great video from Magura here www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbb8G3TCNug.