TAILOR-MADE FOR THE WORLD CHAMP...
MAGURA has officially sponsored the Specialized XC and Gravity Team with brakes for 2018. After the first test camp with team riders, it soon became clear that, in particular, World Champion Loic Bruni, had his own very precise ideas about braking performance – especially about the ergonomics and the operation of the brake.
In one of his first concepts, Loic drew the shape of his desired lever on paper. To better understand his needs and to enable practical testing, MAGURA’s development department created a unique prototype for testing. The “Loic-O-Mat”, as it was called, with a wink, was a combination of a permanently-mounted aluminum base lever which could mount any of 13 variations of 3D-printed lever shapes, quickly and easily. Loic tested all the different shapes and lever ratios under real-life conditions and ultimately found his own perfect lever form. MAGURA then produced a perfectly tuned lever for Loic which was used for the first time at the World Cup race in Fort William. The final prototype of Loic's lever is made of 3D printed titanium. Through the use of rapid prototyping, the development team was able to realize very short production times without compromising the strength or weight of the lever.
Reiner Künstle, development engineer at MAGURA said “Loic’s requirements for the levers were quite extreme. He wanted the bite point far away from the handlebars but with an extreme leverage-ratio for full on/off braking power–all or nothing. The short shape of the lever is more flat and straight. At the bite point, the lever is almost parallel to the handlebars, so his finger won’t slip in this position. Loic can move his finger on the wide grip area and take the pressure off it”.
DANNY MACASKILL: PERFECT ERGONOMICS FOR ULTIMATE PRECISION
The collaboration with Danny MacAskill produced a completely different lever from Loic Bruni’s choice. “Danny wanted a completely different feel in his brakes than Loic. As well as having the lever close, he wanted a clear position for his finger. To achieve this, the HC3 lever has almost a recessed grip with a high tip. It’s nothing like Loic’s flat lever“, explains Reiner Künstle. Danny shorter brake lever with a minimum reach keeps a firm grip on the handlebars when he jumps from rooftops and during hard landings. The edges of his lever are rounded and flat to prevent his fingers from being cut. Thanks to the adjustable transmission ratio of this lever he can change the brake power and modulation which enables him to stay in control, even in wet conditions. There’s no room for compromise if you have to land on an area the size of a coin from a height of 2 meters.
Heiko Böhle, Head of Product Management at MAGURA says “The requirements of our athletes differ enormously. We offer them and our customers' different lever options to provide the best individual ergonomics and control".
WHAT IF I'M NOT A PRO!? #CUSTOMIZEYOURBRAKE
No one person's hands are the same – so why should all brakes have the same lever? With MAGURA's new program, #customizeyourbrake MAGURA offers end customers the possibility to customize lever ergonomics to their own preferences.
MAGURA's work with athletes has been of immense value. Professional riders like Danny MacAskill and Loic Bruni give valuable insights into the specific needs of accomplished athletes. The resulting ideas have often lead to production-ready products. One good example for this is the HC3 1-finger brake lever for the MAGURA MT7 – developed with Danny MacAskill and now one of the most sought-after retrofit parts for riders.
As a result, MAGURA can now offer a wide range of levers for model year 2019. Four different levers made of aluminum and carbon and with varied ergonomics are now available as retrofit parts for end customers. The new range includes Danny MacAskill’s HC3 lever and a new 1-finger lever produced using the carbon-textile embroidery process. The Loic Bruni prototype lever is still in its trial phase and is not yet available
6/22/2018 7:37pm
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