Magura forks are getting better every year, and the Durin is both race light and impressively trail stiff.
The distinctive dual brace design is slimmed down to wafer thicknesses on the Durin, but this still has a noticeable effect. During static tests in the workshop the fork was impressively stiff, and out on the trail it steers and brakes with noticeably better precision and accuracy than nearly all other forks in its class. It responds well to sharp, weighted turns through technical sections and Magura's reputation for quality shows - the Durin feels like a fork that is built to last.
It has a really well made feel to it with crisp castings, durable paint (custom colours are an optional extra) and chunky, easy-to-grab metal adjuster knobs.
The actual suspension stroke is very similar to that of the RockShox forks, which is no bad thing. The Durin sits up in the travel a bit more at the start of the stroke for a tighter, more racey feel, but it’s never rattley or jarring. For a short fork it eats the bigger stuff well, too, with no harsh bottom-out or clunking kickback even when we really walloped it. It’s worth noting that, while they seem low, the Magura rider weight/pressure recommendations are actually spot-on.
The Albert Select damping has given consistent control throughout testing, and not even high-speed runs down our ‘steps of doom’ pushed it out of control.
Last year's Maguras were criticised for being a bit too harsh out of the box. This was due to over tight seals and wipers. None of that was present on the Durin, which was ready to rock from the off.
Set up is very easy to dial in the way you want and it stays that way over time, and compression damping is spot on. We like the simple but effective on/off nature of the lockout, too, although from experience the optional remote control lever is pretty delicate.
Other than that, reliability of our ’07 and ’08 Magura forks has been really good, and Magura is the only fork manufacturer to be on hand with a service crew at most major events. Add in the supplied shock pump and a decent price for the performance, and the Durin is a great short-travel all-rounder.
The lower legs take a 6in disc rotor on a Post Mount, there's a blue lockout dial (DLO) at the top of the right leg and there's enough clearance for fat tyres. Rebound damping is adjustable through the red knob at the base of the right leg.
