FORMULA BELVA FORK
£1,590 www.elro.uk
Dual-crown forks are usually found on downhill bikes, but this one is aimed at hard-charging enduro riders and e-bikers. Formula have gone with a triple-clamp design to improve crown steerer unit (CSU) – and overall – stiffness, but say they’ve balanced this with lower-leg flex for improved steering precision, traction and comfort. The result, they say, is more control and performance than from a 38mm single-crown fork, without the weight penalty of a DH one.
At 2,370g, the Belva is comparable to the latest (conventional) enduro forks. Despite boasting 170/180mm of travel, it shares its lowers and 35mm stanchion diameter with the brand’s Selva singlecrown, and features a Boost axle, 43mm offset and tapered steerer. It uses a single positive air spring and coil negative spring, and incorporates Formula’s Compression Tuning System (CTS), which lets you tweak the damping to suit your weight and riding style, using swappable valves (two included). Compressible spacers can be used to tune mid-/end- stroke ramp-up, and there’s external low-speed rebound and compression adjustment, too.
We tested the Belva on a full-power, 24kg enduro e-bike. Setting up the fork takes a bit more time than others, due to the ability to change the compression valving yourself. We found the stock gold CTS valve had too little high-speed damping, so the fork would blow through its travel easily. Swapping to the blue valve, with a more progressive damping curve, resolved our issues. For our 70psi fork pressure, the coil negative spring worked exceptionally well, giving an incredibly low breakaway force. The Belva sank into its early travel with ease, even competing with coil-sprung forks. Surprisingly little friction was exhibited, giving it excellent small-bump sensitivity. Trail chatter and vibrations were absorbed impressively well, delivering excellent grip through corners and off-camber sections.
Mid-stroke support was decent, and the fork stayed propped up in its travel nicely. It moved through its stroke smoothly, and muted stinging square-edged hits well, keeping the ride composed when the trail got rough. This stability ensured great handling and control. We never found the
Belva too stiff nor unwieldy. Instead, it was precise and steadfast. End-stroke progression was smooth without a harsh ramp-up, which helped provide a great sense of predictability.
On fast trails with multiple high-energy compressions, we found the damping took a fraction of a second to kick in, causing the initial part of the stroke to feel a little uncontrolled. This could be due to the blue CTS valve’s low mid-stroke support. Additionally, heavier riders running higher positive air spring pressures may find the coil negative spring less supple than we did.
Formula have gone with a 160mm brake mount, which seems an odd choice on a fork aimed at riders likely to be using 180mm or larger discs, and meant we had to run an adapter. Some frames may not be warrantied for use with a dual-crown fork. The design also limits the turning circle, though we didn’t find this to be an an issue on the trail. Luke
A great, if pricey, enduro fork. It has a few quirks, but tunabili , performance and handling are exceptional