The chances are good that you have heard of Formula. You know, the Italian bike company best known for their hydraulic brakes? But have you ever heard of AIM? AIM was a motocross company that was founded in Italy in 1972 and for over fifteen years made innovations that would help shape the future of motocross and enduro racing. In 1987 the power and expertise from AIM gave birth to the Formula we are familiar with now. Drawing from their motocross heritage, Formula’s first break through product was a mountain bike hydraulic brake that they released in 1993.
Formula's Italian brakes have adorned many iconic bikes through the years under names like Greg Minaar and Nicolas Vouilloz. Until recently, large oval calipers and radial master cylinders filled with DOT fluid were a dead giveaway. Never being one to rest on their past success, Formula completely overhauled their brake line in 2016. Some of the most notable changes were a switch to mineral oil and an obvious lack of radial master cylinders. Sleek, trim and stylish, the Cura line was born. The Cura (two piston brake) quickly gained a reputation for providing immense power in a small package and its success on a world stage backed that up. In 2017, onboard the Specialized gravity team the Cura raced to six World Cup wins and two World Championship titles. Since then, Formula has expanded the range to include the Cura 4. The Cura 4 shares the same lever body, but a large, 4 piston caliper, provides even more braking power.
Unbeknown to most of the mountain biking world, Formula had re-entered the motocross industry in 1993 with their first ever shock absorber. And while their mountain bike brakes might be their best-known products, Formula capitalized on their history in motocross suspension and released their first mountain bike suspension in 2012. Since 2012 Formula has grown and expanded their suspension line to include both a single crown trail fork (Selva) and a dual crown downhill fork (Nero) as well as a number of different damper and airspring options.
The Formula suspension line is packed with unique technologies that set their forks apart. Among them all, the CTS systems stands out. The Compression Tuning System (CTS) allows riders to alter their fork’s compression tune without removing the fork from the bike, or rebleeding the damper, and seven different compression tunes make finding the appropriate tune easy!
Learn more about Formula and their history here!
Want to know more about the Formula brake line? Check it out here!
Interested in what sets their suspension apart? Learn more here!