Brembo brakes are being introduced to mountain bikes now.

      Billy Lebelge

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      Brembo, a well-known manufacturer of high-performance brakes for automobiles and motorcycles, is venturing into a new domain: downhill mountain biking. This supplier for Formula 1 and MotoGP is set to create compact brake calipers for Specialized’s 2025 UCI MTB World Series race bike, and yes, they will be red.

      Although there have been a few custom bicycles featuring Brembo brakes in the past, this marks the first official OE application on a pedal-powered vehicle. The Specialized Gravity Team will be utilizing Brembo’s new brake system (which includes more than just the calipers) on their race bikes starting with the upcoming Val di Sole event, scheduled for June 20-22.

      This move makes sense—downhill bikes may not reach MotoGP speeds, but they certainly go fast enough to require superior braking performance, especially in high-stakes competition. In my youth, I participated in a few downhill mountain bike races as an amateur, and I never managed a full day of downhill riding without damaging a crucial component (usually bent wheels).

      New business partnerships likely played a crucial role in this collaboration. For many years, Specialized has used Öhlins suspension (another brand offering top-tier equipment for motorsports and road vehicles) on its race bikes, and Brembo acquired Öhlins just a few months ago. The Swedish company continues to supply suspension for both Specialized’s race lineup and some consumer bikes.

      Regarding the specifics of Brembo’s new bike brakes, here's what the brand disclosed:

      “The braking system, for both front and rear, includes an axial brake master cylinder with a 9 mm floating diameter and a triple lever adjustment (lever ratio, lever reach, and free stroke), giving riders the ability to tailor the braking experience to their liking. The master cylinder connects to a post-mount caliper equipped with four 'isolated' aluminum pistons, each with an 18 mm diameter, which offers substantial braking power. The connection between the master cylinder and caliper is via a braided steel hose, ensuring consistent and accurate lever travel. Completing the system is a fixed brake rotor specifically created to complement the caliper, featuring an enlarged braking surface to enhance heat dissipation during intense use.”

      I inquired whether the brake kit would eventually be available as a standalone consumer option, and the response was neither a firm yes nor no. They communicated via email: “Brembo has elected to enter the cycling sector initially through racing applications: this signifies our first step into competitive bike racing and a new area for Brembo and our racing business unit. We cannot comment on future possibilities in the bicycle industry at this moment, but this is not a mere opportunistic partnership—it is strategic. Brembo and Specialized have just started a journey that we hope will lead to further innovations soon.”

      Typically, Specialized’s factory riders use special prototype race bikes in competitions, so it’s unlikely these will be readily available for purchase right away. However, given that the brand races to drive merchandise sales, I anticipate these brakes, or a variant, will eventually be made available for production. Currently, you can purchase the Specialized Demo Race bike for around $7,100; although this model doesn’t feature Brembos yet, it does come with Öhlins suspension.

      This news has inspired me to ride—my own Specialized has been gathering dust in the garage; I’ll dust it off if it ever stops raining here in NY.

      Do you know of any other collaborations between car brands and mountain bikes? Feel free to reach out to the author at [email protected].