RockShox has become the first of the big suspension specialists to release at fat bike suspension fork – the Bluto.
The 1.7kg (4lb) Bluto – first rumoured at Interbike last year and hot on the heels of its RS-1 upside-down fork – is being unveiled at Sea Otter in the States later today and BikeRadar will bring you a first ride review as soon as we've hit the trail with it.
RockShox hope it will mean more fat bike riders can take their voluminous tyre bikes out of their traditional snow and sand habitats and onto trails: "they’re just too damn fun not to ride on dirt," said the press release.
A number of smaller fork manufacturers have dabbled in fat bike suspension fork technology – 11Nine, Fat Forx and the all-singing X-Fusion's Revel HLR upside down fork – but RockShox is the first of the big brands to really commit.
The tapered Bluto offers 80/100/120mm of travel with remote and crown lockout options. It also uses RockShox's Bottomless Token system – first used in the Pike, which allow riders to reduce the volume of air in the fork and fine tune the recoil.
The fork will cost US$643/€572 for crown lockout version and $711/€632 for remote lockout version. For UK and AU buyers interested in a Bluto, a price is coming shortly.
A first ride review is coming shortly. Stay tuned.