There seems to be no end in sight to products designed for mixed-terrain and gravel riding, and Seven Cycles thinks we’re only just now scratching the surface. Their newly released all-carbon Matador fork introduces new innovations designed to meet the demands of fast riders inclined to ply the roads and trails less traveled.
With enough clearance to accommodate a 700x45c tire, or even a 2.1 fitted to a 650b rim, the Matador is capable of pushing well beyond groomed gravel. Larger tires sometimes compromise toe overlap, so they designed the new fork with 55mm of rake to add clearance and improve stability. Fork blade length was increased by 3mm to add mud clearance and better fit a fender.
The uncut carbon steerer tapers from 1.5” to 1.125” and even at the full length of 350mm, the Matador clocks in at only 484 grams. According to Seven Cycles, that makes it the lightest mixed-terrain fork in the segment. That includes Flat Mount disc brake mounts sized for a 160mm rotor, 12mm Thru-Axle dropouts, and double cable mounts for tight hose routing.
At the onset of the mixed-terrain riding movement, many forks and frames were built with a singular focus on brawn and durability. With a lack of bonus attachment mounts and a retail price of $565, Seven’s new Matador still retains that end game, but makes a move into the realm of ultra-high performance riding.
