Boast about your latest purchases here...

[shaper]

Only if your 500 is damaged?

 

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk

That is my understanding ... better to call navworld and speak to them to confirm.

 

If so, drive over your 500 

[Kalahari Vegmot]

some 203mm rotors .. now to only find the matching adapters to fit the frame ... oh, they were only R50 a rotor on the CWC site.

How are they? Also saw them, but the quality?

[Eugene Brown]

How are they? Also saw them, but the quality?

I have the 180mm version on my Merida 650B, and they work with my fat arse strapped in. Done about 1200km and wear seems normal, together with no noticeable decrease in braking performance vs OEM Shimano 180mm non-IceTecs. No complaints.

[Kalahari Vegmot]

I have the 180mm version on my Merida 650B, and they work with my fat arse strapped in. Done about 1200km and wear seems normal, together with no noticeable decrease in braking performance vs OEM Shimano 180mm non-IceTecs. No complaints.

Bargain of note in that case!

[Pieter1]

some 203mm rotors .. now to only find the matching adapters to fit the frame ... oh, they were only R50 a rotor on the CWC site.

Jis man I hav e a 203 on the front now, looks like a pizza plate!

[Omumborombonga]

some 203mm rotors .. now to only find the matching adapters to fit the frame ... oh, they were only R50 a rotor on the CWC site.

Got myself some too just can't find adaptors. Let me know if you find some

[Eddy Gordo]

I should have a brand new rear adapter for 200mm rotars somewhere.

[T-Bob]

Still laugh about the last time I took my bike to a local Mowbray LBS and got quizzed by the ex-pro why I needed a 200+ rotor and it was 180 only in their store as it was too hard to adjust the brakes to fit.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Still laugh about the last time I took my bike to a local Mowbray LBS and got quizzed by the ex-pro why I needed a 200+ rotor and it was 180 only in their store as it was too hard to adjust the brakes to fit.

Loool. And this is the same ex pro whose team had a brake failure on one of the descents at a local bike race cos they chose small lightweight rotors....

[Eugene Brown]

Loool. And this is the same ex pro whose team had a brake failure on one of the descents at a local bike race cos they chose small lightweight rotors....

Probably part of the reason why he's an ex-pro!!!!

[Hairy]

How are they? Also saw them, but the quality?

Quality looks decent, but will only know once I have given them a good spin!

 

Just looking for the adapters still.

 

Still laugh about the last time I took my bike to a local Mowbray LBS and got quizzed by the ex-pro why I needed a 200+ rotor and it was 180 only in their store as it was too hard to adjust the brakes to fit.

oh the looks I get a the LBS's asking for a 203mm adapter in post and IS mounts.

[T-Bob]

Quality looks decent, but will only know once I have given them a good spin!

 

Just looking for the adapters still.

 

oh the looks I get a the LBS's asking for a 203mm adapter in post and IS mounts.

 

I've got a 200 knocking about if you want it. Not sure it'll fit but get a hammer and bend it a bit!

[Hairy]

I've got a 200 knocking about if you want it. Not sure it'll fit but get a hammer and bend it a bit!

shotto.....you crazy man .. .bend it a bit .... if I do not come right I will give you a shout .. might "persuade" it a bit, but not bend

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

shotto.....you crazy man .. .bend it a bit .... if I do not come right I will give you a shout .. might "persuade" it a bit, but not bend

2x1.5mm washers or a set of those brake adapter washers and you're golden.

[Sepia]

Arrived on the flossy last night.

 

SLX 7000 brakes

Dura ace 9sp bar end shifters

and these...........

 

all for less than 50% of the SA prices!

[capediver]

Sure thing...only had one ride @ Tokai to set, adjust and bed pads...so far feel very plush, no dead spot at the start of lever travel (bite point adjustment), plenty of power, fine control from feathering to full on grabbing discs....and quiet! Time will tell on this last though....

Will send further reports at the end of the week from slightly different testing conditions....Morzine, Chatel and Lets Get....

 So here be my review:

 

Disclaimer: This is my opinion, it is the opinion of me and the only opinion that I have and it belongs to me....

All tests NOT conducted under controlled laboratory conditions.

Objective: Do they work as advertised? ie hard-core, powerful, serious, good modulation, no overheating

Test Material: Magura MT7 (http://www.magura.com/en/components/bike/gravityseries/productdetailpage/?p=1522) with tool-less bite point and lever adjustment mounted on Magura 203 (F) and 180 ® disc pads.

All of this on a 2017 Giant Reign.

Science: NONE....no base-case, no methodology, and definitely no placebos...just like in real life...make it to the bottom!

Previous experience/Benchmark: SRAM Trail in same configuration in same test grounds under similar conditions

Test ground: Portes Du Soleil, France based in Morzine for 8 days solid riding.

Weather: 1st 4 days perfect, boiling hot to cloudy, last 3 days rain overnight/on and off during the day with mud in the forest sections.

Trails: 

France:

Morzine (Zore and Avoriaz), 

Chatel (Vink line, Le Vorachatax, Le Serpentine, People's Panorama, Ride Humble, Fluid, Rick Rack and more)

Les Gets (Main line and Jump Park with a return to Morzine via Retour Morzine enduro)

Linderets Blue and Red

Un-named off-piste trails (Locations protected under threat and fear of of death or struck by pestilence from the heavens.)

 

Switzerland: (Swiss National, Le Croset)....Morgins lift was closed sniff sniff

 

Performance:

Worked as advertised, and more...

 

 

PRO's:

• Great feel, excellent modulation, no initial dead space when pulling lever. 
• BIG HUGE, ENORMOUS stopping power. 
• Power comes on immediately.
• Quiet, except for a few seconds after washing the bike. Such a relief after embarrassingly announcing my descent using the SRAM's even in dry conditions.
• Easy to bleed.
• 4 pads means even contact and wear of pads. You can get a joined twin set that also fits and I have them in front.
• Light...not that it matters for me anyway
• Pad replacement - so easy, no fiddly springy thingy to keep therm apart, un-screw the mounting pin and slide them in, they are magnetic and click straight into place!]
• Look great on my bike...this is a subjective PRO!

 

CON's

• $...at the top end of DH type brakes but I did get them special!
• $....replacement pads...was paying between €20 - 25 per set (up to R350) of originals...may be cheaper in SA?
• Pad (organic) use is high, higher than the Trails I used before. After 2 days of solid, steep, long downhills, the back set needed replacing (dry conditions)

Not really a CON/More an inconvenience

• OEM unit comes with 2 finger lever...these tend to be too far away from the grips at their closest setting...a biggie if you spend up to 10 minutes trying to slow yourself down! I swopped these out for the HC single finger model which are easy to retro fit and had tons more leverage and sat closer to the grips.
• Brake fluid - need to use Royal Blood - not so easy to get in SA. Can use other mineral oil but you will have issues with claims.
• Pads - not a common stock item in SA
• When ordering pads...they can be confused with the type 7 pads which are for series 2, 4, 6 and 8. Weird I know but MT7's use Type 8 pads....!
• Should be used with Magura brake disc rotors...this is because they actually require a thicker disc...Magura Storm discs are 2.0mm thick, most others are 1.8mm. They will work with other rotors but you lose a little of the bite point adjustment as the rotors and pads wear
• The bite point adjustment is only 5% of full travel of the pistons...so a little hard to really feel. The SRAM Trail adjustment was always immediately obvious and took up a lot of pad wear adjustment
• The new HC levers, although having far more adjustment distance bringing them closer to the handle bars, are not tool-less and the tool-less set-up on the 2 finger levers cannot be transferred across...so some fiddling on the trail to get them exactly right.

Failures:

TBH: The only hiccup I had was loss of power at the end of Swiss National...go Google it! or check out the video here: 

 

This only lasted for a few minutes and some lever pumping brought it back...

Cause: I took my bike in to the mobile workshop at the bottom of Chatel lift for a quick bleed....at the first pump, two bubbles of air popped out. 

Lesson learnt: After initial installation especially when fitting to internal cable routing (which entails disassembly of the hoses) and a short period of running hard, it's suggested to re-bleed the brakes. Also, if old fluid is used that may have been exposed to air for too long, the fluid (mineral oil) can absorb water vapour which can create air bubbles when braking for long periods and fluid heats up...conditions that were very definitely present going down Swiss National. After the bleed, no issues at all.

 

Overview/Conclusions:

GET SOME, don't ask...just DO IT, borrow money, take out a loan, beg the Finance Director...(all very irresponsible actions to finance our toys, I know).

Get spare pads when you can.

RIDER: The problem of fade after Swiss National I consider a once off and could not be repeated after the re-bleed despite my best efforts coming down the Avoriaz road from Zore at full tilt.

 

BONUS non-test results:

We ran into the Magura head rep in Les Gets during the PDS on day 1 of the test period where they had a stand in the main road...this guy...he personally accompanied me to one of his local outlets, got replacement pads and the shorter HC levers at 50% then took me back to the stand and had the mech there fit the new pads and levers and after seeing I had a Shimano 203 up front, swapped it out for a new Magura 203 from his bling box at the princely sum of two beers (procured from the nearest cafe/pizza joint and aptly brewed locally with water from Mont Blanc!)

BIG up to Magura France!!

 

 

Here endth the review.......