Magura has a new inverted suspension fork. But don’t get too excited just yet – this fork isn’t meant for most mountain bikes. No, instead you’ll see the new Boltron gracing the front of mountain bikes that also include a battery. While other suspension companies have been adding more material and stronger steerers to compensate for the increased stress that e-bikes exert on the front end of the bike, Magura has introduced an entirely new fork. One that is e-bike specific.
Partnering with WP Performance Systems, Magura claims WP’s USD fork technology has been proven on the moto side, which is a natural fit with the performance of modern e-bikes…
Just what makes an e-bike specific fork? From what we can tell, it’s simply built to a higher degree of strength and stiffness, with less emphasis on weight. Not only are e-bikes heavier, but in many cases they can be faster as well which is harder on the fork, especially under braking. Along with the stiffer 35mm chassis, apparently different fork bushings are used to increase overall stiffness. Following that rationale, the fork uses a 20 x 110mm thru axle with Magura’s trademark T25 tool stashed inside.
The steerer tube is a standard tapered model measuring 1.5″ to 1.125″. The Boltron will be offered in 120 and 150mm sizes, both meant for 29″ or 27.5+ wheels. Inside you’ll find internally adjustable compression damping with externally adjustable rebound damping as well as an air spring with automatic negative spring balancing. Given the need for improved braking performance on these bikes, the post mount brakes will accept 180mm rotors minimum.
We should have more on this fork and what would happen if you put it on a regular mountain bike from Eurobike.