Formula is known for its lightweight, techy brakes, and its forks aim to follow suit. The ThirtyFive clearly has the lightweight part covered. Our 160-millimeter-travel, 27.5 inch version was lighter than most of the forks in this issue. It was the most expensive, but there’s a lot under its hood.
In addition to its
feathery weight, the ThirtyFive stood out for performing just as well in small
chatter as the notably plush RockShox Pike. This is partially thanks to much of
the initial bump force resting on an actual metal coil spring, not the air chamber.
The damping cartridge shares some of the load as well, making for a buttery feel
through the entire stroke.
On a fork this plush,
fnely tunable lowspeed compression damping is a necessity. Without it, the fork
gets divey when riding heavy on the front wheel, so a blue knob is there on top
of the right leg. The stiff lockout seems less useful unless the threshold is
dialed back, and even then it only feels appropriate in ferce pedaling
sections.
Formula distilled the
tunability to the essentials so you won’t need to read the manual every time
you want to properly roost a berm. And despite its sub-4-pound heft, the
ThirtyFive roosts with confdence. Its stiff chassis and trail-hugging
technology make it a worthy contender this year.
PRICE 1220$