Anybody running the Formula Thirty Three fork on their bike? I am interested in any real world feedback, as they seem relatively light and with good air spring and damping (at least in their marketing blurb). The only review I was able to find is on bikerumor.com, but I would love to see any real world feedback.

Thanks in advance!
Stefan

http://www.mountainbike.be/techniek/ond ... ee-xc-vork

Really good fork !
I've tested it myself and still using it because it is just so nice !

Thanks for your reply, google translate helped get the positive note of the review. Can you compare it to some of your previous forks? I am planning to replace RockShox SID Team with Blackbox Motion control.

Stefan

yes I tested this year the Sid, f120rl, TS8sl, axon, and the 33.
The 33 is the best, the compression is great, weight is great and he is stiff.

the Sid i didn't like, the wheel was still not 100% in the middle and he was not stiff.

1) Formula
2) Fox
3) TS8sl

But that's my opinion....

Obviously not many people have ridden this fork, so partly out of curiosity I have ordered one and will write review once it has been ridden thoroughly.

Stefan

I'm curious about the lifespan of those polymeric bushings.

I am not sure it is correct comparison, but I was using polymer bushings on my shock mounts on my previous frame (Giant Trance) and to be honest, I was surprised that they lasted as much as the metal DU ones.

Stefan

Got the fork today (QR9, 1.1/8" steererer), and mounted in on my bike. First impressions:

1. Weight: 1495g with uncut steerer. Claimed weight is 1443g
2. The fork feels very smooth in a parking lot test... unbelivably smooth for a non broken-in fork.
3. The rebound and compression adjustments have quite a wide range of adjustability.

I will post an update once ridden on a trail.

Stefan

As far as I remember, Formula abd Paioli are the same company. Paioli makes some of the finest trial and MX forks for motorbikes.

I think they are very different companies. Paioli is a very old company. Formula has been found in 1987. May be you are mistaking this because the Thirtythree was supposedly designed with the help of some italian MX tuners.

Stefan

Here I was, lost.. Thinking I missed the latest development! 29er goes up to 33.. Appears to be the size in mm for the legs though..

First ride on the trails today:

1. Very smooth work from the fork, almost like a coil fork. Unbelivable for non broken in fork. Maybe they do not require break-in at all.

2. Substantially stiffer than the RockShox SID Team (2009 model year with 32mm stanchions and power buldges, etc). With the SID I was getting rotor rub on the front brake even running Shimano XT QR skewer. With the Formula 33 I have no rotor rub running KCNC Titanium QR skewer.

3. Massive tyre clearance for a XC fork. See the picture below with Conti Mountain King Racesport in 2.4.




If this fork proves to be reliable, I think Formula have a clear winner.

Stefan

An update after the first real race is in the bag with the Formula ThirtyThree.

Yesterday's race had very nice downhill sections with big stones, small drops, jumps and plenty of very fast singletrack. It was quite technical.

Stiffness is very very good. I was thinking that my SID was stiff, but the Formula is on a different level.

The fork works very smooth and soaks both small bumps and big hits with aplomb. My confidence level on the downhill sections is quite higher.

So far, very happy with it.

Stefan