ULTIMATE GUIDE: 2021 FOX FORKS
When Bob Fox started making prototype motocross suspension in a friend’s garage in the mid 70’s, we doubt he was aware of the momentous impact he’d have on suspension technology for decades to come. But now, here Fox is, standing firmly on the podium of every sport it represents, a true suspension monolith, giving riders groundbreaking performance on the trail.
Their excellent mountain bike suspension forks are known for their industry-leading technology. Every year, it seems, they grace the industry with something new and innovative. Most recently, it’s been their outstanding revised GRIP2 damper, and several innovations to improve suspension feel and consistency. No matter your offroad discipline, Fox has what you need. They’re revered as one of the premier suspension companies in the industry, and it’s no wonder why.
We've broken down their entire lineup of forks to help you find the right fork for your ride. Get started by clicking the link(s) below that best match your riding style. You can also click on the features and technologies throughout the article to learn more. Let's get started!
Choose Your Riding Style
GRAVEL | LIGHTWEIGHT XC | LIGHTWEIGHT TRAIL | CROSS-COUNTRY | TRAIL | ALL-MOUNTAIN | ENDURO | DOWNHILL
ENHANCE YOUR GRAVEL EXPERIENCE
Gravel bikes are traditionally rigid bikes, front and rear, making some terrain much more difficult to conquer. A little bit of travel up front means a whole lot more travel out on the trails. The chassis of Fox's 32 Float AX was originally designed for 100mm XC race bikes, but with the rise of gravel grinder and cross popularity, Fox appropriated the design for 700c bikes. A 15x100mm Kabolt axle is sturdy and light, and the tapered steer tube adds to the smooth, reliable handling. The AX features a short-travel Float Evol air spring keeping things smooth and predictable, and FIT-4 adjustability offers 22 clicks of fine-tuned compression options. There's a lockout option for increased efficiency, and the sleek finish matches easily with a variety of frames.
FEATURES
- 40mm travel for gravel grinding provides predictable cornering and descending
- FIT-4 three-position damper Open, Medium, and Firm settings for when the trail becomes unpredictable
- Float Evol air spring provides smooth and reliable action
- Easily fits 700x40c tires making it a great option for your favorite tires
- 100x15mm Kabolt axle is sturdy and light
Cross country riding is all about being lightweight, fast and agile, especially when it comes to racing. The 2021 Fox 32 FLOAT Step-Cast fork is the definition of a XC racing quality front suspension. The Step Cast version of the Fox 32 features cut-out lower legs and shorter upper tubes to achieve a racing quality, lightweight front suspension. The Fox Float EVOL Air Spring provides increased sensitivity and traction by automatically equalizing the pressure in the forks upper and lower chambers.
FEATURES
- 32 mm upper tubes and ample bushing overlap for a quality ride and the hollowed out lower legs provide even more weight savings.
- Step-Cast design Narrower stance and lower weight with room for spokes and rotors
- Float air spring Automatically equalizes the positive and negative air chambers for increased sensitivity and traction.
- Redesigned crown Increases stiffness to the same level as the Trail-proven 34.
Trail suspension needs to be versatile, sporting a lightweight and agile build as seen in cross country forks, but able to provide more travel when the trail gets rough. The 2022 Fox 34 FLOAT Step-Cast fork is the definition of a lightweight, trail-quality front suspension. The Step Cast version of the Fox 34 Fork features hollowed-out bottom legs and shorter upper tubes to achieve a lightweight build that doesn’t sacrifice any stiffness. The Fox Float EVOL Air Spring and the lower leg bypass channels provide increased sensitivity and traction by automatically equalizing the pressure in the forks upper and lower chambers, and the redesigned lower leg arch adds stiffness, reduces weight and is designed to work with ever-evolving modern frames.
FEATURES
- Step-Cast design Narrower stance and lower weight with room for spokes and rotors.
- Redesigned lower leg arch Reduces unnecessary material allowing for a lighter weight while boosting the stiffness of the forks.
- Larger negative air spring Assists with mid-stroke support.
- Float air spring and lower leg channels Automatically equalizes the positive and negative air chambers for increased sensitivity and traction.
- Dedicated air spring and damper tune Specific for this travel range, with a lighter tune at mid and higher velocities.
Cross-country riding is all about being lightweight, fast and agile. The 2021 Fox 32 FLOAT Performance Grip 29 Fork utilizes a lightweight build and performance technology to achieve a racing quality front suspension. The FIT GRIP 3 Damper uses an adjustable damping lever so you can set your fork to be firm or plush in the travel for increased efficiency. The Fox Float EVOL Air Spring provides increased sensitivity and traction by automatically equalizing the pressure in the forks upper and lower chambers. The performance version is coated with a black anodized finish for a sleek, all-black look.
FEATURES
- Black anodized finish
- Float air spring automatically equalizes the positive and negative air chambers for increased sensitivity and traction
- FIT GRIP 3-position lever with an open, medium, and firm setting
34 is the ultimate trail companion. Featuring an EVOL air spring, choice of dampers, and a lightweight yet robust chassis, you can count on 34 to get up and down the mountain, every time.
Designed for trail riding, the Factory Series 34 features a GRIP2 damper, FLOAT EVOL air spring, and lightweight chassis. Starting at only 3.83 pounds, the 34 provides proven trail performance that instills confidence and control.
Trail suspension needs to be versatile, still sporting a lightweight and agile build as seen in cross-country forks, but able to provide more travel when the trail gets rough. The 2022 Fox 34 FLOAT Factory GRIP 2 29” Fork is the definition of a lightweight, trail-quality front suspension. The Factory version of the Fox 34 Fork uses Fox’s top-of-the-line GRIP 2 Damper, which provides high and low-speed compression adjustments as well as high and low-speed rebound adjustments. The Fox Float EVOL Air Spring works in combination with the lower leg channels to provide increased sensitivity and traction by automatically equalizing the pressure in the forks upper and lower chambers. The Factory version of the Fox 34 GRIP 2 29” Fork includes Fox’s Kashima Coat for enhanced durability and performance. The newly redesigned fork arch can be found on all models and increases stiffness while reducing weight.
FEATURES
- Kashima Coat Low friction coating that provides additional durability.
- Float air spring and lower leg channels Automatically equalizes the positive and negative air chambers for increased sensitivity and traction.
- Lower leg arch Sheds unneccessary weight while increasing stiffness and moder frame compatibility.
- GRIP 2 Damper High and low speed rebound and compression adjustments provide more sensitivity while maintaining support during aggressive riding.
The Fox 36 Float forks are built for aggressive all-mountain riding. It features a floating axle offers a distinct performance advantage due to their unique ability to match the exact width of the fork's wheel mounting surface precisely to the front hub flange spacing. This creates a perfect chassis alignment that eliminates unwanted friction between the upper and lower fork legs. The lower legs have bleeders that allow for atmospheric pressure equalization at the press of a button. With the lower leg arch, you'll have enhanced stiffness without the extra weight. All-new design inside-and-out, plus an unmatched combination of smooth performance, tunability, stiffness, and lightweight.
FEATURES
- Optimized for 150-160mm of travel Fox took the award-winning, EWS favorite and made it even better.
- Float EVOL technology increases negative air spring volume.
- Bleeders on the lower legs allow for atmospheric pressure equalization at the press of a button.
Suspension is evolving at a rapid rate and becoming much smoother, stiffer, and more tunable. Modern suspension is more capable than ever before and lets riders conquer the terrain with ease. The Fox 38 Float series forks are hard-hitting, long-travel enduro specialists. It carries over all of the new features of the redesigned 36 and pairs them with the stiffer 38mm to cope with the hardest hits. You'll find the floating axle to match the exact width of your hubs, the lower leg bleeders and the air channels to further perfect your suspension feel. A feature not found on the 36 is the elliptical steer tube that adds material where it's needed, but not where it isn't, to increase strength and stiffness.
FEATURES
- Optimized for 160-180mm of travel Packing the same revolutionary feature set as the new 36, the category defining 38 is ready for the big time.
- Float EVOL technology increases negative air spring volume
- Bleeders on the lower legs allow for atmospheric pressure equalization at the press of a button
- Elliptical steerer optimizes the stiffness-to-weight ratio, placing more material only where it is needed, and eliminating every ounce of it where it’s not.
DOWNHILL: FOX 40
Completely redesigned for 2021, the line of Fox 40 forks are built for the most demanding riding conditions from DH racing to park laps to remote freeride. It features a floating axle offers a distinct performance advantage due to their unique ability to match the exact width of the fork's wheel mounting surface precisely to the front hub flange spacing. This creates a perfect chassis alignment that eliminates unwanted friction between the upper and lower fork legs. The lower legs have bleeders that allow for atmospheric pressure equalization at the press of a button. With the lower leg arch, you'll have enhanced stiffness without the extra weight. These forks feature Fox's legendary Kashima coating that provides a buttery smooth feel paired with a GRIP2 damper that provides high and low-speed compression adjustments and high and low-speed rebound adjustments.
40 FORK SPECIFICATIONS
| |
FACTORY |
| Wheelsize Options |
27.5 / 29 |
| Travel |
203mm |
| Rake Options |
48 (27.5) / 52 (29) |
| Air Spring |
FLOAT EVOL |
| Damper Options |
GRIP2
FIT4 3-Pos Lever w/adj |
Axle Options
|
20 Thru-Axle x 110 Boost |
| Upper Tube Finish Options |
Kashima Coat |
| Steerer |
1.125 Straight |
| Rotor Size Options |
203 Direct Post Mount, Up to 230 compatible |
| Color Options |
Gloss Orange
Gloss Black
Battleship- Limited Edition |
| Starting Weight 27.5* |
4.8 lb / 2180 g |
| Features of All 40 Forks |
Air Channels
Bleeders
Floating Axle
Mud Guard Mount |
|
*Fork weights shown are at 165mm steerer length with star fangled nut and disc brake guide installed.
*Not all combinations of travel, dampers, axles, offset options, etc. are available for each color and size of fork.
|
LEARN MORE
FACTORY VS PERFORMANCE | STANCHION FINISH | EVOL AIR SPRING | DAMPER OPTIONS | AXLE OPTIONS | AIR CHANNELS | BLEEDERS | LOWER LEG ARCH
FACTORY VS PERFORMANCE | FINISH OPTIONS | FLOAT EVOL AIR SPRING | DAMPER OPTIONS | AXLE OPTIONS | STEP-CAST | AIR CHANNELS | BLEEDERS | LOWER LEG ARCH
FOX SERIES LEVELS
FACTORY
"Factory" says it all. The best-of-the-best technology Fox has to offer is available in their Factory Series models with the buttery smooth, and ultra durable Genuine Kashima Coat. These products are World Cup proven. You'll find the latest Grip2 damper paired with Factory forks for maximum tuneability.
PERFORMANCE ELITE
Performance Elite forks retain the same adjustments, features, dampers, weight, and 7000 series aluminum upper tubes as Factory Series, but have black anodized stanchions instead of Genuine Kashima Coat; a killer option for those who love a subtle look or are looking to save a few bucks.
PERFORMANCE
Performance Series forks retain the same black anodized 7000 series aluminum upper tubes as Performance Elite, except paired with a GRIP damper making this the most affordable option out of the Fox lineup, but lacking some of the top-end bells and whistles.
KASHIMA VS BLACK ANODIZED STANCHIONS
Beyond the looks, there is one key aspect that sets Kashima apart from it's black anodized counterpart; durability. The friction performance of the two finishes are nearly identical (slight nod to Kashima) and would be hard for most riders to notice. So, why would you want Kashima? That all lies in it's durability. Kashima provides that same low-friction feel for longer with less wear on the stanchion surface. This means less maintenance and better feel for longer.
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FLOAT EVOL AIR SPRING
Fox's FLOAT EVOL linear spring curve gives forks and shocks plushness off the top, extra mid-stroke support, and more tunable bottom-out progression, allowing riders to tap into the ideal pairing of front and rear-end feel.
EVOL technology increases negative air spring volume, optimizing small bump sensitivity. EVOL’s linear spring curve delivers plushness off the top, extra mid-stroke support, and more tunable bottom-out progression.
The benefits of EVOL are further enhanced by the new Lower Leg channels and Bleeders (found on 36, 38, and 40 forks), which both function to reduce air pressure captured in the lower legs, allowing the EVOL air spring to operate freely without unintended interference.
DAMPER OPTIONS
GRIP2 DAMPER - UPDATED FOR 2021
The GRIP2 damper is the benchmark for unparalleled ride quality and ultra-precise on-the-fly adjustability. For 2021, Fox has taken the GRIP2 to the next level by adding their patented VVC technology to the high-speed compression circuit. VVC is a proprietary variable valve control system that allows for external fine-tuning of suspension performance. GRIP2 achieves with the twist of a knob what typically requires the time consuming and complicated task of completely disassembling and reassembling the fork.
FIT4
In its fourth generation, Fox's patented FIT4 closed cartridge system provides three on-the-fly compression damping positions—Open, Medium, and Firm—to adapt to varying trail conditions. Factory Series forks feature an additional 22 clicks of low-speed compression adjust in the Open mode, allowing riders to fine-tune their exact damping preferences.
GRIP DAMPER
Inspired from moto, the GRIP damper uses the FIT sealed cartridge technology combined with a coil-sprung, independent floating piston. GRIP allows excess oil to purge through specially designed ports at the top of the damper to maintain consistent damping and increase durability. Performance Series forks provide Open, Medium, and Firm modes with additional micro-adjust between settings.
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AXLE OPTIONS: QR VS KABOLT
Many of the forks in Fox's lineup can be configured with either their quick release (QR) style thru-axles or with their Kabolt axle. The QR style axles are very convenient since they don't require any tools to remove them, but they carry a bit of a weight penalty and have the QR lever can be exposed to possible rock strikes if you ride techier and tighter trails. The Kabolt loses the QR level in exchange for using a traditional 6mm hex tool, but shaves weight, reduces exposed parts, and comes in orange or black colors. You will need to be sure to have a 6mm or multitool handy for removing your front wheel, but most riders carry tools on the ride anyway, so it's not a big deal.
FLOATING AXLE
The all-new 36 and 38 come equipped with a new quick-release lever operated patent-pending floating axle system, combining the benefit of a floating axle with the ease of a tool-free quick-release. With this system, axle/hub spacing is locked in via a floating sleeve, allowing repeated front wheel removal and reinstallation while maintaining perfect fork alignment.
Floating axles might look similar to other axles, but in fact they offer a distinct performance advantage due to their unique ability to match the exact width of the fork’s wheel mounting surface precisely to the front hub flange spacing, thus creating perfect chassis alignment and eliminating unwanted friction between the upper and lower fork legs. Floating axles provide much smoother suspension movement throughout the entire range of the fork’s travel, notably improving sensitivity and overall ride quality.
Available optionally is the new Kabolt-X, a lightweight bolt-on floating axle exclusively for the all-new 36 and 38 that not only shaves grams but also increases torsional stiffness via its sleeveless, single-sided pinch bolt design. Chassis alignment must be reset each time the front wheel is removed and reinstalled on both the Kabolt-X and 40 floating axles, but the end result is the same – perfect alignment and perfect performance.
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STEP-CAST
Chasing gram-shaving without sacrificing stiffness is an common endeavor in the world of bikes. Fox found a very creative way to accomplish this goal with their Step-Cast technology. Visually, Step-Cast forks are easy to spot with a cutaway from the lower leg around the rotor and hub. This cutaway is one of many methods of shaving weight that Fox employed to make their Step-Cast forks some of the lightest in the market. Fox also shortened the upper tubes raising the lower leg floor and allowing for the hollow "step" on the lower leg. This step allowed Fox to narrow up the stance of these forks by 10mm (meaning less material) while still accomodating the rotors and spokes, and keeping torsional stiffness. Fox even modified their FIT4 damper to reduce unnecessary materials and consolidate parts all with the intent of reducing the overall weight. Step-Cast can be found within Fox's 32 and 34 line of forks intended for light XC and light trail style riding.
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AIR CHANNELS
As a fork compresses, the air volume within the lower legs decreases, increasing air pressure. The more the fork compresses, the more pressure increases. This effect can have the unintended consequence of preventing full travel from being achieved. The lower leg channels help alleviate this issue by dramatically increasing air volume within the lower legs and thereby reducing the amount of additional unintended pressure ramping.
Another benefit of these channels is that lower leg bath oil is circulated to the upper reaches of the lower legs, continuously lubricating the foam rings and bushings as the fork compresses and extends through its travel.
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AIR BLEEDERS
Lower leg bleeders allow for atmospheric pressure equalization at the simple press of a button. Pressure build-up in the lower legs dramatically decreases fork performance, preventing full travel from being achieved, and diminishing small bump sensitivity and responsiveness.
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LOWER LEG ARCH
Stiffness-to-weight is the ultimate metric for bicycle design. Engineers invest countless hours poring over every ounce of material in an effort to optimize this critical ratio. The all-new lower leg design pulls out all the stops, shaving every possible gram while making sure not to compromise stiffness or strength requirements of modern enduro and gravity style riding.
Modern frame designs and geometry trends require modern suspension design solutions. The arch design of the all-new 36, 38, and 40 is designed to pair perfectly with modern Enduro and Downhill bikes. Head tube profiles have grown larger and larger, and fork offsets shorter and shorter. The new arch shape takes this need into account by jutting forward to provide ample headtube clearance at full compression. State-of-the-art computer modeling techniques helped Fox to create an organic lower leg shape that optimizes stiffness with the absolute minimal amount of material.
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