Earlier this year, we reported on Brembo Brakes’ acquisition of Ohlins Suspension. At that time, Brembo promised “conversion of race track innovation into consumer products.” It wasn’t exactly clear what that meant, and we speculated that perhaps they would help drive the innovation of new electronically controlled Ohlins suspension components. We’ve been seeing prototypes on the race circuit for years, and we remain hopeful that they will likely hit the market eventually. 

This new partnership between Brembo Brakes and the Specialized Gravity team, however, was a bit less expected. But, when you consider that Ohlins is Specialized Gravity’s suspension sponsor, it seems like a more natural jump for the motorsport-focused brake brand to make. This announcement also confirms that some of the spy shots circulating of unidentified brakes on Specialized team riders’ bikes were, in fact, prototype Brembo mountain bike brakes.

Brembo is best known for producing brakes for top-level motorsport racing, including Formula 1, MotoGP, and World Superbike. They are clearly experienced in making high-performance brake systems, but as far as we know, this is Brembo’s first foray into the mountain bike world. With decades of experience in competition at the highest level, however, it isn’t too surprising that they’re jumping right onto the World Cup stage. While the braking demands of motorsport and mountain bike racing are different, the goal is ultimately the same. Control.

Brembo’s mountain bike brakes are looking well past the prototype stage. (photo/Billy Ceusters)

From the Press Release:

Specialized Bicycles and Brembo Brakes have joined forces in a first-of-its-kind partnership focused exclusively on pushing the limits of downhill racing performance. This collaboration brings together two brands with deep roots in competition and a relentless drive to win — on dirt, on track, and on the world stage. Just as Brembo revolutionized motorsport braking through its iconic 1970s partnership with Ferrari, this venture brings that same championship-winning engineering into mountain biking — giving Specialized Gravity athletes unprecedented control and stopping power.

Purpose-Built for a New Era of Racing

As downhill bikes get faster, tracks get rougher, and athletes redefine the limits of what’s rideable, braking has become an even more critical performance need. The Specialized Gravity team needed a system built for the leading edge of progression — and Brembo delivered.

“At Specialized, we’ve always believed that racing is the ultimate proving ground for innovation,” said Armin Landgraf, CEO of Specialized. “We hold our partners to the same high standards we set for ourselves, and Brembo’s legacy of forward-thinking engineering and race-proven performance made them the clear choice. This partnership represents a strategic investment in cutting-edge technology — designed to support our athletes at the highest level. As downhill racing continues to evolve, this collaboration ensures we deliver breakthroughs that start on the podium and shape the future of the sport.”

Specialized Gravity athletes will pilot prototype Brembo brakes throughout the 2025 World Cup season. These components are the result of a focused R&D partnership aimed solely at delivering podium-worthy performance under the most demanding conditions in the sport.

Brembo Didn’t Just Improve Braking — They Revolutionized It

“Officially entering the highest level of professional Downhill racing is a thrilling new challenge for Brembo. We are proud to do so with a team and a brand that share our same vision of performance and innovation, and it is no coincidence that this is happening in the year of Brembo’s 50th anniversary in Motorsport competitions,” stated Andrea Paganessi, Brembo Motorcycle Global Chief Operating Officer. “Today, we can confidently say that thanks to Brembo’s technological advancements, braking has been taken to an entirely new level.”

This exclusive racing partnership marks Brembo’s first appearance in top-tier downhill mountain biking. Known for their dominance in Formula 1, MotoGP, and World Superbike, Brembo brings decades of championship-winning experience in high-performance braking systems. Together with Specialized’s history of innovation in mountain bike design and rider-first engineering, the collaboration represents a bold step forward in gravity racing development.

While the partnership is centered solely on racing, its spirit reflects a shared belief: when athletes are empowered to push limits, innovation follows.

No Brembo Brakes for you, yet. (photo/Billy Ceusters)

When Can We Buy Some Brembo Brakes?

While the brakes in the photos certainly looked like a finished product that’s well past the prototype stage, I wouldn’t get your hopes up about buying them anytime soon. According to the press release, the Specialized Gravity Team will be riding prototypes for the 2025 season — prototypes that just happen to look ready for retail shelves. With that in mind, it seems like 2026 would be the earliest these new stoppers would hit the market, but that’s just speculation, of course.

For now, we can stop speculating about what brakes the Specialized Gravity Team is using and see how Brembo’s prototype mountain bike brakes perform under some of the fastest riders in the world.

specializedgravity.com

brembo.com

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