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I just upgraded my broken Magura HS11 brake lever assembly to a HS33R. The new HS33R was packaged with a sleeve nut and an olive, which I used to connect the brake hose to the brake lever assembly. This all works as intended.

If you look online for "Magura olive" you often find sites, that sell them as a kit with an insert pin. Do I need one or are they only used with disk brakes? What is the purpose?

I also found an official video guide for shortening the brake hose and the manual, but neither mention them.

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I assume by 'pin' you mean the following part:

enter image description here

This part is called the 'insert' or 'connecting insert' and its purpose is to 'support' the (non rigid) brake hose in order to prevent it from crushing/reducing drastically in diameter when the sleeve nut is tightened causing the olive to be compressed onto the brake hose.

In other words: When tightening the sleeve nut the olive will be compressed and its inner diameter will decrease slightly (eventually causing the olive to seal against the outside of the brake hose). The insert serves the purpose of supporting the brake hose in order to get a better seal (more pressure in between olive and brake hose which in turn results in the olive/outer surface of brake hose to get a better seal relative to each other).

Brake hose inserts are not unique to Magura by the way, I believe (almost) all bicycle hydraulic brakes use a similar insert when working with a sleeve nut tightening system. Designs may vary between manufacturers however, so use the type specified by the manufacturer of your brake.

I would highly recommend istalling the insert to be sure that you get the best seal possible/your brake won't leak. Sometimes you can reuse the insert (if you manage to get it out of the brake hose), you can burn/melt the brake hose away if it's really difficult to get off in other ways, a new olive would definitely be recommended over re-using an old one to prevent possible leaking of brake fluid.

A similar insert is used for plastic central heating pipes in order to prevent them from 'collapsing' when press-fitting the fittings onto the pipe.

This video shows you how to install the insert/'pin' :

( watch from 2:39 )

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  • Yes, this is the part. I just found an official video guide (and added the link to my question). They didn't use or mention an insert in this video.
    – someonr
    Commented Dec 29, 2019 at 19:13
  • Please check the video I've added to my answer, it shows how to install the metal insert/pin into the brake hose (watch from 2:39 min and onward).
    – Maarten -Monica for president
    Commented Dec 29, 2019 at 19:20
  • @someonr if this or any answer has solved your question please consider accepting it by clicking the check-mark. This indicates to the wider community that you've found a solution and gives some reputation to both the answerer and yourself. There is no obligation to do this. If you have any further questions please let me know.
    – Maarten -Monica for president
    Commented Dec 29, 2019 at 20:00
  • More generically, outside of the world of bicycle parts, this type of fitting is called a 'barbed' hose fitting. At least, the long skinny end of it is. There are adapter fittings that have barbed on one side, and can have just about anything on the other end.
    – user39927
    Commented Jan 2, 2020 at 15:47
  • Helpful answer +1. I edited in a comment on designs varying between manufacturers, in the spirit of avoiding ambiguity. Obvs change that if you don't like it, or anything, but sometimes I find it easier to indicate what and where I'd suggest an edit directly
    – Swifty
    Commented Jan 2, 2020 at 16:13
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I already fitted a hose into a lever without this insert and it was really a bad idea : huge fluid leakage, and impossible to get any braking. So from my experience : this insert is mandatory.

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I sent an email to Magura to ask about the insert. Their response:

Die Stützhülse ist nicht bei unseren HS Bremsleitungen zu verwenden, hier genügen der Klemmring und die Überwurfschraube.

Für den Teilebedarf zum korrekten Leitungsanschluss helfen die nachfolgenden Explosionszeichnungen wohl am besten weiter.

In English:

The insert isn't used with our HS Brakelines, the olive together with the sleeve nut is enough.

The following exploded drawings show the parts required for a correct brake line connection.

brake lever assembly brake assembly

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