No matter your riding style and budget, our experts have picked out the best mountain bike brakes available
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Brakes are arguably the most important control component on your bike, so you'll want to fit the best mountain bike brakes you can. After all, the last thing you want to do is drop into a trail and find out you can't stop.
There's more to MTB brakes than pulling a lever to stop – different brakes have different feel and power and there are also a wide range of features, weights, and costs to juggle when hunting down the best mountain bike brakes for your bike.
Most brakes feature either two or four pistons. Two pistons calipers are generally lighter and have more bite but can't match the power and modulation of a four-piston brake. Different levers also play a big part in a brake feel; lever blade shape, bite point, reach, and adjustability should all be considered to get the perfect lever feel for pin-point precision braking.
If you're not sure what to look for, skip ahead to read our guide on how to choose the best mountain bike brakes at the bottom of this article.
To get the optimal performance from the best mountain bike brakes you need to pair them with good-quality rotors and pads. If you're looking to upgrade or replace them, check out our guides to the best mountain bike disc brake rotors and MTB disc brake pads.
Superbly powerful and incredibly precise brakes, with a silky-smooth feel.
Best MTB brakes for modulation
aluminium t shape The super-light lever feel aids modulation and reduces arm pump.