Magura ~ Timeline and history...?

[joglo]

It happens one of my German colleagues had a lot to do with these brakes back in the day. Asked him if he could recall how things went. Back then he was working for the marketing division and wrenching for top teams equipped with the then all black Magura Hydrostop brakes. They worked like hell but where extremely expensive to produce and spectators did not recognise aftersales when it came available.
His idea was to paint these sponsored brakes in fluorescent colours yellow and bright red to get more attraction. This worked very well and soon the original aftersales components where introduced in both colours too. Sales exploded despite the difficult setup of the first callipers and flimsy clamp around the bar. Improvements came over the years and different colours where introduced. Branding was in those days not automated, decals have been added by hand by housewives in Baden Württemberg for years until it was machine stamped. Different models like HS11, 22 and 33 but basic was always the same calliper. When the disc brake became more popular the HS lost its momentum but is still one of Magura’s bestsellers.
If anyone needs specific info I can ask.

Interesting to get this insights!

In general I have heard same storry too, also the article from german Bike Magazin is confirming this, although it's mainly about the later HS33.

Magura HS 33

Sie bremst und bremst und bremst. 1987 stellte Magura das Ur-Modell der „HS 33“ vor. Bis heute ist die hydraulische Felgenbremse ein zuverlässiger Stopper mit vielen Fans.

www-bike--magazin-de.translate.goog

(I hope Google translate does the job, if not please pull down the language dropbar menu to select the language of choice)

Painting it in neon, the addition of the "raceline" name and Mike Kluge and a few others like Lutz Schäfer using Maguras at their race bike from 1992 onwards was helping for a break-through after a few years.



I do have meanwhile quite a lot of material from Magura. If interesting we can get a detailed timeline for the early MTB years together.
Should we do this here or move this thread than rather to the "Kit" section?

 

[mrhyde]

Having never tried Magura rim brakes I am now more than a bit curious about them, particularly as I have a set waiting to find the right bike.

Anyway all I know about them is a few names; HS11, HS33 and Hydrostop etc but have no idea as to which came about first, next, last and what the differences between them are.
I'm guessing the original 'Hydrostops' came out in the very early 90's followed by the HS11 then HS33, but I'd really like to have some dates and pictures too so that I can go from there.

So if anyone would like to furnish me with some much needed information then I would of course be most appreciative.

Thanks in advance...

The modulation is excellent and I think better than other types of rim brakes.

 

[Craigmount]

A really interesting thread, I’m a fan of these hydraulic rim brakes. The Magura HS33 were fitted to my Cannondale Furio, which I bought new back in 2005, as standard equipment. i’ve attached the original Magura instructions which came with the bike. Mine are the slightly later design with the red adjuster built into the lever, rather than external to the lever.
My only experience of rim brakes up to that point had been the calliper and cantilever types, and the Magura were better than either:
- braking was better, requiring less force on the lever
- modulation felt better due to the fluid equalising/balancing the pressure either side of the wheel rim.