Incremental improvements aren’t enough to make Magura’s expensive trail fork compete with the best. The distinctive double arch and Maxle 20mm axle lowers of the 2011 Thor make it a stiff and accurate steering structure. It’s an original fixed angle Maxle though, and the fork is heavy, at 1,994g.
New damping tweaks make it more supple and less dive-prone, so the working pressure range is broader and easier to find. Lighter oil means it now works in sub-zero conditions too. The remote travel adjust lever is still fragile and awkward to use though, and it’s just not as smooth or well damped as the best of the competition. It’s very expensive too.
Magura have made improvements to the Thor for 2012, including switching to a Maxle Lite axle and a more robust remote lever, shedding some weight and tweaking the internals. So, if you like the look of this fork, it may be worth waiting until the new version hits the shops.
