Intend Announces Samurai CC, XC, TR and GR Lightweight USD Forks

Intend Bicycle Components has introduced the discharge of the Intend Samurai; 4 new light-weight mountain bike forks with supposed use spanning XC, Downcountry, Trail and Gravel. In Intend vogue, the Samurai is after all an inverted fork. Thanks to its spacerless design, carbon steerer and diminished dropouts, the Samurai CC claims the title of the world’s lightest 120mm journey fork weighing 1405g.

We had been first launched to the Intend Samurai at Eurobike by the designer himself, Cornelius Kapfinger. Incidentally, a sophisticated outdated prototype lurked close by, serving to Dangerholm hold the burden of its Scott Spark RC Hypersonic beneath 9.2kg. Here we’ve updates on the Samurai now accessible, together with information of a 130mm TR model with a shock cartridge of Intend’s personal design.

Intend Samurai MTB Forks

Indeed, the Samurai CC and Samurai XC forks are stated to be lighter than the RockShox SID Ultimate, at 1405g and 1515g respectively. Both supply 120mm of journey via 35mm stanchions.

The distinction?

While the lighter Samurai CC will get a carbon head tube, carbon cable guides and modified stanchions, the heavier Samurai XC makes use of aluminum for these components and forgoes the extra inside machining seen on the CC.

The key to minimizing weight is the usage of (close to) zero offset dropouts, permitting for a minimalist design that makes use of much less materials. At first look, you would possibly discover it arduous to consider that the Samurai has a 44mm offset at sag, however a more in-depth have a look at the sloping crown reveals precisely how this offset is launched. The fork legs sit at a barely slacker angle than the steerer tube.

On a daily fork the place the offset is launched on the dropouts, the offset stays fixed regardless of the place within the stroke the fork is working. However, within the Samurai design, the fork offset really decreases as it’s pushed into compression, however not by a lot. While the offset is 44mm at sag, it is 45.5mm on the high and 41mm on the backside. Cornelius says, “expanded and compressed, there are only a few millimeters less deviation from this 44mm, which has no impact on the driving experience, as we found during testing. We We haven’t done any other consecutive tests with traditional forks.The Samurai’s slight angle shouldn’t impair your riding experience compared to fixed offset forks, it just reduces weight..

On the damper aspect, the Intend Samurai CC and XC forks are designed to work with the RockShox Race Day Damper cartridge which have to be bought individually. This isn’t the case for the Intend TR fork, nonetheless; this makes use of a damper cartridge of Intend’s personal design, permitting it to realize a most journey of 130mm.

It is actually a slimmed down model of the cartridge utilized in Intend’s lengthy journey USD forks such because the Hero. It is 30g heavier than the RockShox Race Day shock, however which means the fork can be utilized for extra Downcountry or Trail purposes because of its further journey.

The closing mannequin is the Samurai GR. This is a 50mm journey USD fork geared toward gravel riders in search of a extra comfy journey high quality and diminished hand and arm fatigue. It can be designed to work with the RockShox Race Day shock.

When the Intend Samurai fork was first proven to us, it had a devoted flat mount for the brake caliper, supposed for a 180mm rotor. Thanks to suggestions from potential prospects, Intend has added a Post Mount 180 adapter for this single dropout so riders can use no matter brake caliper they select.

Price and availability

The Intend Samurai XC, TR, and GR fashions at the moment are accessible direct from Intend Bicycle Components, priced at $1,649, $1,799, and $1,649, respectively. The €1,949 CC mannequin will launch within the first quarter of 2023.

The RockShox Race Day shock isn’t included within the sale of the CC, XC and GR fashions and have to be bought individually from a retailer of the client’s selection. For EU prospects, nonetheless, the shock will be delivered to Intend and put in by the crew earlier than the fork is shipped. This service isn’t accessible outdoors of the EU, and such prospects might want to prepare for the Race Day damper to be fitted elsewhere.

Intend-bc.com