Catastrophic Magene QED Brake Failure: Here Is What Happened
00:37:23Cyclists Hub | Petr Minarik

Catastrophic Magene QED Brake Failure: Here Is What Happened

Cyclists Hub | Petr Minarik

22. August 2025

Auf YouTube ansehen
Beschreibung

Okay, this one is a little different than my usual videos, but definitely don't miss it! A Chinese cyclist encountered a problem with his Magene QED brakes that led to a crash on the downhill. Unfortunately, he ended up in the hospital. But what actually happened? I spoke to Mel, who explained everything in detail and told me the whole story. Sit back and get some popcorn, because this is worth it.

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Antrieb & BremsenSchaltgruppe

Magene QED Groupset

Erstellt: 29. März 2026
Alle 4 Bewertungen für dieses Fahrradteil

The video is a discussion between Peter and Mel about a serious incident involving the Magene QED groupset. A Chinese cyclist named Dingf crashed after losing braking power on both front and rear QED brakes, resulting in a broken leg. Magene initially released a statement blaming the user for using lightweight rotors, resin pads, and not using an authorized installer. However, subsequent testing by a mechanic (and others) revealed a design flaw: when brake pads are worn down to bare metal, the QED caliper's reservoir does not allow the pistons to extend far enough to contact the rotor, resulting in a complete loss of braking. In contrast, Shimano, SRAM, and LTwoo calipers still provide clamping force even with fully worn pads. The product is only officially available in the Chinese domestic market through controlled channels. The reviewers criticize Magene's after-sales attitude and premature statement, and note the incident has caused a backlash on Chinese social media. The story is unresolved, with Magene expected to respond later.

KI-Zusammenfassung

Pros

  • The product is only sold through authorized channels in China, which the reviewer says deserves praise for being relatively controlled.

Cons

  • A serious design flaw exists where the brake caliper reservoir is insufficient, preventing pad-to-rotor contact when pads are heavily worn, leading to total brake failure.
  • This flaw caused a crash resulting in a broken leg for a user.
  • Magene's initial response was to blame the user (for rotor choice, pad type, and installation method) rather than acknowledge the product issue.
  • The reviewer states Magene's after-sales attitude and culture is 'not the greatest'.
  • The reviewer mentions Magene products (not specifically QED) have had a 'relatively high failure rate' with some electronic components like heart rate monitors.
  • The product is not widely tested to the extremes a typical cyclist might use it.
  • The groupset is not available in Western markets, making access difficult.

Key Points

  • The Magene QED groupset is only officially available in the Chinese domestic market through authorized channels.
  • A user crash was caused by simultaneous failure of both front and rear QED brakes.
  • Mechanic testing proved the flaw: grinding pads to bare metal and depressing the lever on QED calipers leaves a 2-4mm gap to the rotor, while Shimano, SRAM, and LTwoo calipers still clamp.
  • The root cause is identified as the QED brake system not having a large enough reservoir to allow piston extension at the wear limit.
  • The user had ridden about 600km (under 400 miles) on the groupset before the failure.
  • Magene sent a technician to inspect the bike and provided a wheelchair to the injured user.
  • Chaser Sports rotors were used, but testing indicated they were not the cause.
  • The incident and Magene's handling of it have damaged confidence in the product and brand.