Magura USA

RT8 TT Brake Caliper System

In a time trial, every second counts. You use speed suits with aerodynamic dimpled fabric, aerodynamic pedals, even aerodynamic shoes to grab a tenth of a second advantage. With the amount of technology being poured into tiny innovations in cycling these days, it's rare to find a real game-changer. As professional auto racing teams know, the quickest, cheapest way to pull better times at the track is to upgrade the brakes. More powerful brakes mean you can brake later. That means you can go faster, longer. Magura RT8 Hydraulic Brake Calipers aren't scrapping for a tenth of a second. They're changing the way you race by letting you go fast longer with much more powerful braking, better aerodynamics, and a weight that's comparable to the lightest mechanical caliper brakes on the market. During the intense, year-and-a-half long development of the RT8, Magura, the hydraulic brake authority for over 25 years, got together with Cervelo, one of the top names in cycling aerodynamics, to produce a braking system unlike any that we have seen before.

At the heart of the RT8's advantage is the elimination of friction. Because the brake is powered with hydraulic fluid instead of a steel cable, no power is lost to friction, even in the sometimes convoluted hose routing on a TT bike. This lack of friction also adds up to superior modulation for the same reason. The amount of braking power dictated by your hand is translated directly to the brake with no loss from friction, so modulation is always precise.

Another advantage of the RT8 is the minimal amount of maintenance required. The fully-sealed system is impervious to dust, dirt, and moisture. Magura's Royal Blood Mineral Oil doesn't need to be changed because it doesn't absorb atmospheric moisture. Magura even provides a five-year warranty covering oil loss from the line. Even so, shortening the lines and bleeding the system is a relatively simple process and shouldn't take any longer than adjusting a cable-actuated system.

When it came to aerodynamics, Magura put the experts at Cervelo in charge. The aluminum and carbon levers are clean, aerodynamic, and lightweight. The hydraulic master cylinder is tucked into the lever body and presents zero wind resistance. Cervelo hid the slave cylinder inside the caliper so that it would be invisible to the wind as well. This adds up to one of the most aerodynamic road brake systems currently on the market.

The Magura RT8 Hydraulic TT Brake Caliper System is compatible with standard road brake mounting holes, and can only used with aero bars.