The Fox 36 has been a firm favourite in the enduro MTB segment for years and is also popular with all-mountain bikers when the going gets tough. And not without good reason: The thickest Fox suspension fork to date without a double crown proved to be very sensitive on small bumps, but also stood high in its travel on large bumps without bottoming out. And that with a still reasonable weight. Time and again, the enduro fork from California took the top spot. Test victory, last in BIKE 11/2019.
Fox 36: Major update for 2020/21
The Fox 36 is set to be even better next year. Through the release of the new Fox 38 the Fox 36 can concentrate entirely on its core business and only comes with 150 or 160 millimetres of travel in 27.5 or 29 inches. The casting, shock and cartridge have all changed compared to last year. We go into detail for you!
New casting, more head tube clearance, quick exhaust valve
Offsets are getting shorter and shorter, and the triple clamp is getting closer and closer to the head tube of the frame when the travel is fully utilised. To ensure that there is still enough space in the future, Fox has taken this development into account and designed the new triple clamp in such a way that there is no risk of collision even with a low offset and voluminous head tube. Fox also wants to make the new casting stiffer and lighter. However, the most noticeable change compared to last year is probably the channels at the rear of the fork tubes.
Here, air and oil should be able to circulate further when the suspension travel is fully utilised, instead of getting stuck at the bottom of the casting. This means that the entire spring travel can be better utilised and performance has been improved on deep bumps. In addition, the oil would now be pressed through the channels at the top of the seals in the event of strong spring movement. The promised effect: improved lubrication and therefore even better response behaviour. The quick exhaust valves on the channels also make it easier to remove air that builds up in the casting.
New cartridge, new Grip2 damper
A lot has also changed on the inside of the enduro fork. The new Evol cartridge promises more air volume in the negative chamber and therefore better response behaviour, and the high-end Grip 2 damper, which has already shone in our tests in the past, has also been further revised. A system with variable valve control is now used here - called VVC by Fox - which should extend the adjustment range of the fork and also improve the overall performance. On the other hand, the floating axle used in the new fork is a rather minor change. It is intended to improve the interaction between the hub and fork and thus ensure less torsion and better response behaviour due to less friction.
Fox 36: Models and prices
In terms of models, the concept remains the same. The Fox 36 Factory with Kashima Coat and Grip2 or Fit 4 shock is the top end of the range, while the Fox 36 Performance Elite offers the same inner workings, but without the Kashima coating on the stanchions. The Fox 36 Performance continues to rely on the tried and tested Grip damper, and the quick release valves can also be retrofitted here at most. E-bike specific models will also continue to be available, and all models of the new Fox 36 are approved for 230 millimetre brake discs.
The new Fox 36 is available with 150 or 160 millimetres of travel and 37, 44 or 51 millimetres of offset for 27.5 or 29 inches. It weighs at least 1965 grams and costs between 1339 and 1459 euros. You can also find all information on the respective models on the Fox website.
Read in BIKE 06/2020 how the new Fox suspension fork performs in practice and whether the changes compared to last year's model are really noticeable.
Adrian Kaether
Editor
