The Forme Black Rocks HT1 is an excellent entry point to mountain biking. The geometry gives a solid base to work from with great handling and stability while the budget-conscious specification is reliable leaving room to upgrade in the future. With some aftermarket chain protection and a clutch-actuated rear mech, this bike will not hold you back out on the trails. But how does it fare as a contender for the best hardtail mountain bikes crown?
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Forme Black Rocks HT1 - Technical details
The Black Rocks HT is Forme’s offering as an aggressive “British” hardtail. Forme says it's “designed with geometry often found on aggressive trail/enduro bikes”. The intentions of this hardtail are clear – a local trail ripper that is simple and accessible.
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The Black Rocks HT aluminium frame is available in two spec levels, the HT2 which comes in at £1,200 with an 11-speed Shimano drivetrain and Suntour forks. And the top-of-the-line £1,400 HT1 with 12-speed SRAM gearing and a Rockshox Recon fork.
The frame has a lifetime guarantee and the components are covered by a one-year guarantee.
Forme Black Rocks HT1 - Frame details
Forme has kept things simple but modern. The frame is constructed from industry-standard aluminium 6061. Internal cable routing for the rear brake, mech and dropper keep the lines clean and make washing the bike a little easier. A contemporary tapered headset, boost spacing on the rear and a bottle mount (one available across sizes), mean all the basics are covered.
The frame comes in two colours: purple and blue and is available in three sizes. There's unfortunately no chain-stay protection but that is easily rectified with aftermarket options.
Forme Black Rocks HT1 - Sizing and geometry
The three frame sizes; 16.5", 17.5" and 19" are designed to cater for anyone from 5’2” (158cm) to 6’1” (185cm).
As said above, Forme claims to have designed this bike with “geometry often found on aggressive trail/enduro bikes” and the claim is not wrong. Looking at the geometry chart the reach number is where I like to get a real idea of sizing (check out our bike geometry bible if you’re not familiar). The smallest frame gets a reach of 440mm, the medium is 460mm and the large is at 490mm. These are impressively up-to-date numbers, not outrageous but on the money.
The head angle sits at a perfectly acceptable 66 degrees which shows the bike's aggressive and high-speed intentions. Short 435mm chain stays will make changing direction snappy. A 74.5-degree seattube angle is on the slacker side but should provide a comfortable climbing position.
Forme Black Rocks HT1 – Specification
Up front, there's a 130mm RockShox Recon fork. It's basic but functional with an air spring, rebound adjust and low-speed control to firm it up.
On the drivetrain duties, SRAM takes care of things with its budget-friendly 12-speed SX offering, complete with an 11-50T cassette. The absence of a clutch in the SX rear mech is unfortunate, particularly on a hardtail, but this can be upgraded at a later stage.
Shimano M501 brakes and 180mm rotors give a positive feel and enough power to supply confidence on the descents. At 780mm wide and with a 45mm stem, the Azonic cockpit offered stable and precise steering for trail riding.
It's good to see a dropper post included at this price point and the Tranz-X 150mm is included across all three sizes. That said, taller riders may want to upgrade to something longer. The Forme-branded saddle and grips are impressively comfortable, providing good ergonomics and performance.
The WTB i30 TCS rims and branded hubs are a reliable choice and, with a 30mm inner rim width, they’ll suit the common range of trail tyres. Speaking of tyres the 2.4 WTB Trail boss front and rear should give a good blend of fast rolling and grip for trail ripping duties.
Forme Black Rocks HT1 – Bike set-up
Being a hardtail, the setup is nice and straightforward. The fork has an air adjustment guide on the leg – this is a set-and-forget type of affair. A couple of quick stops on the brakes in the car park got the pads bedded in. Out of the box, the Forme is ready to rip.
As far as the no chain-stay protection goes, I’d recommend some aftermarket protection such as a neoprene wrap or a self-adhesive option (see our review on VHS Slapper Tape).
Forme Black Rocks HT1 – Performance
I was impressed with the generous geometry offered by the Black Rocks HT1. It's clear this hardtail has a bias towards the downs. Unfortunately on the ups, the bike does feel sluggish to pedal especially for a hardtail - but I think this is partly down to the weight (claimed at 15.2kg). The wide-range cassette certainly helps you spin your way up but the seat tube angle is relatively slack which I found to create a less-than-efficient riding position.
On to the fun bit – descending on the Black Rocks HT1 was a hoot. The geometry is clearly aimed to make this 130mm hardtail confidence-inspiring at speed. Flowing single track, high-speed berms, small drops and sneaky trail lines are all easily dismissed.
I felt confident on the bike even from the first ride. The wide bars and short stem are smartly specced to keep the steering lively but controlled. From a spec standpoint, a couple of upgrades would really improve the ride. For starters, the RockShox Recon fork blew through its travel a few times and lacked the control I was looking for on the bumpy stuff. Upgrading to a SID would radically improve things at the front end.
And then there's the SX rear mech which causes a lot of unwanted noise owing to the lack of a clutch. Upgrading to a SRAM GX mech would quieten everything down. It’s a real shame there is no chainstay protection included with the frame as standard - especially considering the clutchless derailleur.
Forme Black Rocks HT1 – Value and competition
Retailing at £1,400 the Forme Black Rocks HT1 represents good value for money and provides a reliable entry into mountain biking, not to mention the scope to upgrade later.
For £100 more (£1,500) the Merida Big Trail 600 is worth looking at. Liam reviewed it and made some interesting points about its character and ride feel – it also has 10mm more travel on the front if you’re looking for some extra squish.
As a value proposition, the £1,250 Vitus Sentier 29 VR is hard to ignore. It has a solid spec and is an impressively capable bike.
Forme Black Rocks HT1 – Verdict
The Forme Black Rocks HT1 represents a solid starter bike. It’s a great recipe combining parts and a design which provides a capable bike at an affordable price point. Although the componentry is basic, it is functional and won’t hold you back too much. Most importantly, the frame is sized and shaped with the right intentions meaning the kit hanging off it can be upgraded when required to reach this bike’s full potential.
