Braking is one of the basic skills of cycling. Nevertheless, it is by no means trivial. Depending on speed, surface, weather and bike type, there is a lot to pay attention to and to learn for a lifetime. Anyone who has ever braked an empty long-john cargo bike from a fast ride knows what we are talking about. To make such a manoeuvre easier in the future, for example, Magura, together with cargo expert Ca Go, presented a system at Eurobike 2024 that makes braking more controllable, especially on e-cargo bikes, and increases the safety of all involved.
Ca Go FS Life featuring Magura IBS
Already at Eurobike 2023, Magura presented a first study of the Integral Braking System (IBS). At that time, it was still called the Combined Braking System. Now it is ready for series production. A good opportunity to introduce you to the IBS in more detail.
1. Why do we need such a brake support
2. How does the Magura IBS work?
3. What are the advantages for cyclists?
4. What components are part of the system?
5. On which ebikes can it be used?
6. Will the innovation become an accessory?
7. What has been the response from the cycling industry so far?
1. Why do we need such a brake support?
Do you usually brake with the front and rear brakes in everyday life? Or do you prefer one of them – consciously or unconsciously? If you want to decelerate as controlled as possible, ideally you use both equally. But that is easier said than done. When some cyclists use the front brake, they sometimes feel a little anxious. Many of you will have had to pull the front brake hard in a situation and noticed how the rear wheel may have lost contact with the ground. And as soon as rain or snow makes the road slippery, some people also let go of the front brake.
Data from Magura confirms these assumptions. The company has specifically looked at how worn the brake pads of both brakes are before they are replaced. Often the rear brake shows significantly more signs of wear. However, it is precisely in tricky situations where quick reactions and deceleration over the shortest possible distance are crucial that both brakes should be used evenly.
This is how the Magura IBS was installed on the Ca Go FS Life at Eurobike 2024.
2. How does the Magura IBS work?
On motorcycles, brake force distributors ensure that this is the case. These IBS units regulate the even distribution of braking force between the front and rear wheels. Magura has been manufacturing these units for motorcycles for years, so it is ideally placed to transfer this technology to bicycles.
The Integral Braking System for ebikes on display at Eurobike features a mechanical-hydraulic design. It allows the rear wheel brake to be activated while also proportionally decelerating the front wheel. Both brakes act in combination during every braking manoeuvre. Test rides conducted by Magura are said to have demonstrated the advantages of this system. According to the manufacturer, the braking distance was reduced by up to 40 per cent. Mind you, on a dry road. Nevertheless, that sounds pretty impressive.
All system components
3. What are the advantages for cyclists?
In the light of such tests, it is clear how the Magura IBS can score points. Safety is the dominant theme here. However, there are also other aspects that make the installation of such solutions attractive.
- Shorter braking distance: The values were already mentioned above. And the calculation is quite simple: the sooner you come to a stop, the better your chances of avoiding accidents. This point is doubly and triply important for those who use a cargo bike to take children from A to B.
- Stability-enhancing: If the front and rear brakes are applied in a coordinated manner, the ground contact of both wheels is maintained and braking is more controlled and safer.
- Adaptable: Magura does not work with a fixed ratio for the brake force distribution on the IBS. Instead, the manufacturer can adjust it differently for different ebike types.
- Reliable: The system is self-sufficient and is not connected to the ebike drive, its power supply or sensors. Events such as a sudden battery failure or similar do not affect its function in any way. It supports you during every braking process, thus permanently increasing your riding safety.
- Material-friendly: By braking the front and rear wheels together, the brake pads and discs are subjected to a more even load. This should extend the maintenance intervals.
- Convenient: The rear brake lever is all you need to operate the IBS. In theory and in practice, you can therefore brake with one hand. The German Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO) stipulate ‘two independent brakes’. Therefore, bicycle manufacturers will still equip their ebikes with two brake levers.
The left brake lever could be omitted, but will of course continue to be installed as standard.
4. What components are part of the system?
The IBS is embedded in a conventional braking system featuring hydraulic disc brakes. This means that you will encounter all the familiar components such as brake levers, brake lines, brake pads, brake discs, etc. A box the size of a cigarette packet is then integrated between the brake lever and the brake pad at any point on the bike. This is the actual IBS.
A small dark box with a total of four connections – that is the actual brake force distributor.
5. On which ebikes can it be used?
To start with, the IBS from Magura will be used exclusively on the FS Life model series from Ca Go. This means that we are talking about a long-john cargo bike with two wheels, where the load is located in a lower cargo area in front of the cyclist. But this is not the end of the story by a long shot. Magura is pursuing plans to adapt the system for city, trekking and all-road bikes in the medium term.
6. Will the innovation become an accessory?
At the moment, there is little to suggest that it will. Magura says that it is not initially considering a retrofit option. Ca Go is pushing in a similar direction. In response to a comment on social media that raised the question of the IBS as an accessory, the company said that it would announce when there was a possibility of retrofitting.
A strict no sounds different, though. So, for your information, here is what you need to know: if you configure a model of the Ca GO FS Life in the Ca Go shop and select the Magura IBS as an option, you will currently pay a surcharge of 390 euros.
7. What has been the response from the cycling industry so far?
Magura received one of the awards for the system at Eurobike. In its statement of reasons, the jury emphasised the associated increase in riding safety. “The Magura Integral Braking System (IBS) is an outstanding innovation designed to assist especially less experienced riders. By combining the use of front and rear brakes, it reduces braking distance by approximately forty percent. This system ensures smooth deceleration and stabilization of the bicycle, enhancing safety, particularly in hazardous situations.”
Together with the other award winners, Magura and Ca Go were able to present their joint project in a special area for the winners of the Eurobike Awards.
Pictures: Ca Go Bike GmbH, Gustav Magenwirth GmbH & Co. KG, Elektrofahrrad24 GmbH
