PERFORMANCE FACTOR
MAGURA has embarked on its MISSION PERFORMANCE campaign to develop the best disc brake in the world. But how do we define the best brake in the world? Isn’t it true that every terrain has its own particular challenges and that every bike has its own specific requirements, even every individual biker? Downhill racers need extreme braking power and stability - a few grammes more make no difference to them. World Cup racers are at the exact opposite end of the spectrum, and there are countless other specifications in-between.
Nevertheless, we have made it our business to find out what really matters, drawing on our decades of experience in brake design and extensive analyses of the best rival products but mainly on feedback from countless mountain bikers of all persuasions. The question is what would a brake need to be like to meet every requirement?
Surprisingly (but then again not surprisingly), it very quickly became apparent that there were four main criteria which a brake would need to satisfy in equal measure to qualify as the best brake in the world:
Weight
Quite clearly a critical factor for good uphill performance in a bike - the lighter the better. But low weight is also an advantage downhill in that it reduces the unsprung weight on the fork and chainstay and improves the ride quality.
Deceleration
It’s not all about pure deceleration, good control of the brake matters too! Aggressive stopping power produces short braking distances with little effort. If the force is too aggressive, however, the wheels will lock, resulting in loss of control, increased stopping distance and the threat of flying over the handlebars if the worst comes to the worst. The proportion of power is therefore just as important for perfect control as the pure braking force.
Stability
Brakes need to absorb enormous amounts of energy in form of heat, especially on long and steep descents. The quality of the performance of a brake in high temperatures and the speed with which it can release heat into the atmosphere are the key factors which determine whether the rider will be able to stop safely at the end of a long downhill stretch or will have to contend with a shifting centre of pressure or even brake failure.
Ergonomics
For effortless and safe braking, the handling of the brake must meet the individual needs of the rider and take account of the rider’s natural anatomy. This is the only way to guard against fatigue and errors in judgment and to ensure safe braking action - even when levels of concentration, coordination and energy are waning.
Can these criteria be "measured"?
MAGURA has in fact succeeded in quantifying all the values in relation to each other. The result is the MAGURA Performance Factor, a rating system which enables us to evaluate every disk brake. At the end of the evaluation process the best brake will be the one which has the highest Performance Factor. We at MAGURA have put ourselves under great pressure by developing the Performance Factor in that our future generation of brakes must be the top product on the brake market to keep pace with our own high-end specifications.
How does the Performance Factor work?
Will the best brake in the world be nothing more than a "mere" compromise?
A brake can achieve a high Performance Factor in one of many ways. One model may be a bit lighter, another a bit more stable, etc. If a brake has a particularly high Performance Factor, however, then this is a totally reliable indication of good ratings in ALL disciplines because the leading brakes on the market can ill afford to have glaring weaknesses in any one discipline. In this respect we are compelled by the Performance Factor to build the absolute überbrake which scores top marks in all disciplines. As such, the outcome of the MISSION PERFORMANCE campaign cannot be either a good downhill brake OR a good racing brake - the best brake in the world must simply convince in all disciplines.
