Formula’s New Oval-Piston Brake, AM Wheels and Front Suspension – Eurobike 2011
Formula has reached fruition on an ambitious development cycle that began in secret a number of years earlier. The Italian brake maker has diversified with a range of Scandium-rim wheels, and its first suspension fork. In case you are wondering, Formula has not lost any momentum in its core business, as evidenced by the debut of its 361-gram (per side), ‘RO’ brake with an innovative oval-piston brake caliper.
![Stunner Italian Barrista]()
“Why yes. We would love an espresso.” Formula’s family-owned factory is in Tuscany, so it is a tradition to serve guests cafe` or red wine from nearby Montalcino. Alasdaire McLennan photo
RO Downhill/AM Brake
![Formula RO Brake]()
Formula RO Brake Details: (clockwise) Formula’s RO lever assembly is based upon its powerful ‘The One’ gravity brake, with the reach adjustment integrated into the forged lever blade and Formula’s ‘Feel Control System’ hydraulic engagement-adjust dial at the hose fitting • The RO caliper is forged aluminum with top-loading brake pads and a banjo hose fitting • With one brake pad removed, the oval piston is evident. The larger surface area of the piston puts even pressure on the brake pad and produces more squeeze force • A close-up of the integrated lever-reach dial, which is large enough to operate with full-finger gloves. Alasdaire McLennan photo
Speed Lock Brake-Hose Quick Release
![quick release hose fitting]()
Speed Lock is a quick-release brake hose junction that blocks fluid loss when disconnected. The quick release operates with a slide collar in the same manner as a pneumatic hose fitting. Those who disassemble their bikes for shipment, or need to deal with a frame that features internal cable routing, will appreciate how handy Speed Lock could be. Speed Lock can be installed at the brake lever, in-line or at the caliper. We anticipate that Speed Lock will retrofit on other brake maker’s lines as well. Alasdaire McLennan photo
Volo Wheels
![Volo wheels]()
Volo All-Mountain Wheelset Details: Volo wheels are designed for AM/Trail riders who seek a lightweight, sturdy set of hoops. The rims are 21-millimeters wide (ID), Scandium alloy with 24 straight-pull spokes laced two-cross. Volo 29er wheels weigh 1538 grams a pair, while the 26-inch model weighs 1440 grams a pair. Formula’s forged 7000-alloy aluminum hub features ‘external bearing technology’ similar in theory to Shimano’s freehub design. The right-side hub bearing is placed outboard of the cassette where it can directly support the wheel’s lateral forces, not inboard under the spoke flange like most hubs. Alasdaire McLennan photo
Formula 33 Suspension Fork
![Thirty Three fork]()
Thirty Three Fork Details: (clockwise) Formula’s 33 fork is a 100-millimeter XC design, but we anticipate a long-travel AM slider is soon to follow. The 33 has magnesium sliders, 33-millimeter stanchions and is available with slotted or 15-millimeter through axles, and standard or tapered aluminum steerer tubes • Formula uses a coil booster spring to keep the 33 riding smoothly. Small bumps activate the coil spring and the air-spring kicks in to catch larger hits • The 33’s high-speed compression and rebound damping is handled by speed-sensitive washer stacks • In the Formula tradition, the attention to detail and manufacturing quality on the 33 fork is second to none. Alasdaire McLennan photo
Explore Formula’s entire brake and component range and after you are done, give Pinkbike your thoughts about the oval piston concept below.
RO Downhill/AM Brake
Speed Lock Brake-Hose Quick Release
Volo Wheels
Formula 33 Suspension Fork
Explore Formula’s entire brake and component range and after you are done, give Pinkbike your thoughts about the oval piston concept below.
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And the fork, nice to see some suspension forks being made in Italy again ;-)
Yes you're right, the Marz numbers don't refer to anything but with all of the research and development that goes into making a new fork I would have taken the time to come up with a name that isn't the same as that of another one.
On another note does this mean that we could have hose connectors plug directly into the frame and have a 'pipe' welded in there during construction to run the brake fluid through, rather than running a hose inside a frame as with current internal routing set ups..
?
Oh really? I didn't know that, well you learn something new every day
The forks, for XC, look sweet, really liking the cutaway look at things.... and the wheelset, well what to say? Don't have a set to ride to base an opinion off... they look ok, not super flashy, but nice, and the hub design is cool. I like the outer bearing idea, where the force of torsion would be greatest... good job boys and girls! lol.
if the oval piston is bigger then the round piston, the answer should be fairly obvious.
Deamongrad- sorry to burst your bubble but the cutaway things won't be included in the final product
I don't exactly know how much more powerfull they are. Our team has been running them all season without any problem what so ever. The pistons have to be cleaned and lubed ounce in a while. The new reach adjuster is pretty cool. No pictures from the new disc with aluminum carrier...
I just don't see how you can have the hub shell supported by that outter bearing, at least not without creating load/friction on the carrier.
Brakes work on the hydraulic multiplication principle, small area piston pushing larger one blah blah blah, shape is utterly irrelevant.
And now, instead of blasting out pistons and bores at ten a penny on a lathe / mill, they now need a CNC mill to get the profiles.
Basically, it's complete rubbish.
Now I had an idea about oval wheels but with specially made tyres which are round on the outside but with an oval bead to match the rim...;-)
Also, with most manufacturers now using composite pistons it's a case of molding them rather than machining and therefore production costs should be very similar if not equal.
Formula brakes aren't cheap as it is.
Cloverleaf, I hear you, but I don't think your argument holds much water.
For a given brake pad, however you choose to squeeze it against the disc, it's centre from the edge of the disc is always in the same place. You wouldn't want to squeeze the pad away from it's radial centre or you'll have uneven wear top to bottom. You can't put the caliper bridge any closer than touching the disc so the two are always going to be basically the same distance apart.
If pad flex is what they are trying to work around, over the small distances we're talking, clearly the pad backing must then flex into the hollowed centre of the piston when squeezed!
This could only ever mean that either the pads aren't stiff enough, their pistons must have a flat face to counter this OR, it's complete rubbish. It's a rare brake pad which has worn in the centre but with some material left around the edges.
One other thing, if you've managed to get a larger piston area by making it oval, then either you'll have to increase the master cylinder area to maintain feel (added weight) or you'll have spongier brakes, unless you use harder pad materials which won't slow so well or piston seals which pull back less, which also tend not to last as long...
I have Hope M4's front and back, they work well. I squeeze, they stop. Clean - brilliant, dirty - not so good.
I think calipers and pad disc combos should be rated at their ability to retard in the filthiest conditions, not because they may generate more "squeeze force"! - surely THAT'S what's really important to bikers.
A brake dyno should be rigged up at Pinkbike HQ with a mud and leaf litter re-circulating pump, then you'd know who's stopping technology is really up to the job.
Anyhow, as mentioned above the pistons need to be able to spin freely to help reduce wear on the caliper, pistons and seals. I suspect that people who use these heavily, mostly racers or people who spend a lot of time in "parks", will be seeing issues with the pistons binding up or seaping fluid at the edges.
Which bit do you disagree with Hope wise? The fact they work in the first place or that the performance is compromised when clogged with crud?! I have the old school four pad per caliper jobs. I think I need to bolt on covers to mine, particularly on the rear caliper to stop so much crap falling in, they were so clogged on the weekend the holes in the discs didn't stand a chance of clearing them out!