In order to keep things streamlined, tidy and protected, many mountain bikes already feature hydraulic brake hoses that are internally routed through the frame. German manufacturer Magura is taking things further, however, with a system that also sticks those hoses inside the handlebar.
Known as Magura Cockpit Integration (MCi), the presently-experimental setup moves each brake's hydraulic cylinder from the front of the system-specific handlebar into its hollow interior, inside the area where the grips are located.
A hose runs from the inside end of each cylinder through the bar to a coupler within the stem, with two other hoses proceeding from that coupler to each of the brakes. This arrangement allows the MCi to be temporarily disconnected from the rest of the bike for servicing, without losing any hydraulic fluid. And when the brake lines need to be bled, the job can be performed via bleed screws located at each end of the handlebar.
The brake levers engage the cylinders via internal push rods, and can be taken off and replaced with other Magura levers depending on the rider's preference.
Given that the expansion reservoir dimensions and piston diameter of the MCi cylinders are the same as those of the company's more conventional MT-series brakes, braking power is reportedly equivalent to that system. That said, Magura claims that MCi offers a "more direct braking feeling," along with better modulation.
There is presently no word on when the technology may be commercially available, or how much it will cost. Previously, though, Magura has brought us innovations such as a wirelessly-activated dropper seatpost, an electronically self-adjusting suspension fork, and hydraulic rim brakes for road bikes.