The Lab: Trickstuff MAXIMA in review
In the “The Lab” we present the latest products and put them through their paces for you. Some undergo long-term tests, while we check others out only briefly. This time we reveal how the Trickstuff MAXIMA brake fared.
What should brakes do? The clue’s in the name. They should brake! Ideally, they should be powerful and offer consistent performance while providing great modulation. And if they look great, even better! But Trickstuff’s DIRETTISSIMA brakes already ticked all these boxes! So, in which way are the new MAXIMA better? Following the motto “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, the people at Trickstuff only gave the DIRETTISIMA a few updates. The most important upgrade is in the new lever, which is now longer and designed to allow for a more progressive fluid displacement inside the hose. Talking of hoses, the brake line of the DIRETTISSIMA has been replaced with a Goodridge braided stainless-steel hose, which comes as standard on all MAXIMA brakes — and also looks incredibly good!
On the first pulls, we were quite disappointed with the performance of the Trickstuff MAXIMA. Aren’t these meant to be the most powerful brakes on the market? But wait… oh… now, boom! Oh shit! That’s exactly what happened. Compared to other brakes from the competition, the Trickstuff MAXIMA need a lot more time to bed in – only after a long, steep descent did they unleash their full power. However, once the Trickstuff MAXIMA are bedded in properly, they provide an insane amount of power. No matter how fast you’re blazing down the trail, if you jam on the lever, the front wheel locks up without hesitation. As the famous Pirelli advert once said: “power is nothing without control” – and the Trickstuff MAXIMA strike a superb balance in this respect.
With every touch of the lever, you can feel the calliper reacting: you can sense the point when the pad touches the disc, then the menacing scraping sound of the brake biting the disc lets you know the raw force of their mind-boggling braking-power is coming. But is this power consistent? In one word, yes! Where other brakes start burning-up, the MAXIMA just start biting harder. And after four months of constant use we didn’t notice any contact-point fluctuations. Only in wet conditions does the Trickstuff MAXIMA tend to squeak a little, but the noise disappears after a few hard brakes.
Are you looking for the perfect brake? Your search is over, here it is! The Trickstuff MAXIMA offers everything you’re looking for in a brake and sets a new, undisputed benchmark in power. Unfortunately, this much performance comes at a price. At € 1,000, they’re no bargain. But then, who doesn’t dream of a brake beautifully machined, with braided stainless-steel hoses that deliver a frightening braking performance? We say, shut up and take my money!
Tops
- Workmanship
- Brake-performance
- Consistency
- Modulation
Flops
- The portholes on some frames might be too small for the chunky braided stainless-steel hoses
- For most of us, they are just too expensive
Tester Valentin
Duration 4 Months
Price 1.150 € (with rotors and pads)
Weight 1.050 g (Set incl. rotors)
More Info trickstuff.de
This article is from E-MOUNTAINBIKE issue #017
E-MOUNTAINBIKE Magazine is published in a digital app format in both English and German. Download the app for iOS or Android to read all articles on your tablet or smartphone. 100% free!
Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of E-MOUNTAINBIKE, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality cycling journalism. Click here to learn more.
Words & Photos:
