FUJI AURIC LT REVIEW

THE LAB

It’s quite simple when it comes to choosing your Auric LT. Fuji doesn’t offer a choice of wheel size or frame material, instead sticking to their guns with a pair of 27.5” wheels and their A6-SL “super butted” aluminum frame. Cushioning the ride is a coil sprung 160mm of rear travel delivered via their unique MLink suspension system, which sits somewhere in between a Horst Link and dual short link setup to produce some unique kinematics and handling traits.

The MLink four bar suspension system is surely the biggest talking point, as it’s the most unique feature on the Auric LT with that mid-chainstay pivot offering a unique aesthetic. Fuji developed this system to address some issues typically found on other systems, claiming to reduce the flex and binding in the pivots which then leads to less stress on the bearings. The MLink system on the Auric LT is relatively progressive with a 22% progression through the travel that should allow for coil or air shock compatibility. The anti-squat figures sit at 117%-124% at sag throughout the cassette, which should give reasonable pedaling efficiency. Anti-rise is a low 53% at sag, falling down to 38% at bottom out, which should give a relatively free rear end but may be prone to pitching the rider forwards on steeper descents.

The A6-SL frame is made with tubing that is given multiple butting profiles, to reduce the material in low-stress areas and produce a strong yet lightweight aluminum frame. There’s internal cable routing and room for a large water bottle in the front triangle; a threaded bottom bracket; and neat molded rubber downtube and chainstay protection. Enduro Max bearings are used in the pivots to give a long life in testing conditions.

The Fuji Auric LT 1.5 tested is the entry level spec of the two-bike range and retails for $3,499. A move to the higher spec Auric LT 1.1 will set you back $4,999. The 1.5 model comes with a purposeful component spec to offer trail capability at a reasonable price tag. A RockShox suspension package with Yari RC 170mm fork and Super Deluxe Coil Select shock offer limited tuning capability with low-speed compression and rebound on the air fork and just rebound on the coil shock. The drivetrain is an 11spd affair, with a Shimano Deore shifter, derailleur, and crank; Sunrace 10-50t cassette offering a good gearing range; and MRP AMg chain guide. Braking duties are handled by the TRP Quadiem 4-pot brakes, which clamp onto a 203mm front and 180mm rear rotor. WTB is on wheel duties, with their ST i30 rims laced to Formula hubs. These wheels are wrapped in Maxxis EXO casing rubber, with a 2.5” Assegai up front and a DHR2 in the rear. Rounding out the spec, RaceFace provides the alloy cockpit with their Ride series bar and stem, and there’s a TransX dropper post with 150mm drop.

The geometry on the Auric LT is purposefully tailored to the wheel size. The rear end is compact at 425mm, whereas the head angle is a relatively slack 63.5 degrees to regain the front-end stability required to attack gnarly terrain. The effective seat tube angle is 76 degrees for the small and slackens up the size range to 75 degrees on the XL. Seat tube lengths range from 380mm to 495mm, and reach numbers go from 450mm to 510mm with equal size gaps, putting the large size at a relatively long 490mm. Stack heights are very low across the size range, ranging from 585mm to 612mm, and the bottom bracket is a consistent 15mm below the axles. Wheelbases add up to 1,200mm to 1,275mm, with the large coming in at 1,250mm and therefore equaling the shortest on test.