• Brembo is introducing high-performance brakes for… high-performance mountain bikes.
Brembo brakes are considered among the best in the automotive business. It's no coincidence the company’s products serve cars in Formula 1, the WRC (World Rally Championship) and the NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) series, just to name those.
Now, professional mountain bikers will get to benefit from them as well. The company has announced that it has put its technology at the service of mountain bikes used in competition.
The system developed by Brembo for mountain bikes will be used by the Specialized Gravity team, eleven-time champions in downhill competition. Brembo brakes made their debut last weekend during a mountain bike event on the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup calendar, held in Val di Sole, Italy.
The system includes a 9-mm master cylinder, 4-piston front caliper, stainless steel flexible hoses, rotors and an adjustable lever for ratio, reach and free stroke. The latter refers to the distance the lever can be pulled before the calipers clamp the wheel (often adjusted according to the cyclist's preferences).
For Andrea Paganessi, GM of Brembo's Motorcycle Division, “Officially entering the highest level of professional downhill racing is an exciting new challenge for Brembo.”
The brake manufacturer is celebrating its 50th anniversary in motorsport this year and has made improving braking systems for manufacturers its main focus, while maintaining a significant presence in motorsports worldwide.
The question now is how long it will take before the average practitioner can get this kind of system for their own mountain bike. Bet it will happen.