Oh you fat egg! Admittedly: The launch of the new Fox 38 is not a huge surprise for us. After all, rumours about it had been circulating for some time. But now that the fork is finally in front of us, we have to recognise it: It's quite a stunner! And even its "little brother", the Fox 36 enduro fork, never looked very slender.
Fox 38: For freeriders and enduro racers
Why a Fox 38 now, some may ask: The Fox 38 bridges the gap between the Fox 36 enduro fork and the Fox 40 downhill fork. It is around 200 grams heavier than the Fox 36 with the same suspension travel, but is also over 30 per cent stiffer, especially in terms of torsional stiffness, where it even increases by 38 per cent (manufacturer's specifications). Heavy enduro racers and freeriders in particular should be served up even more steering precision and performance with slightly more weight, so that nothing burns even at high speed on EWS stages or in the bike park. Incidentally, the Fox 38 is available in 27.5-inch and 29-inch versions with up to 180 millimetres of travel.
Technology and inner workings: New casting, new damper
In terms of technology and internals, the Fox 38 shares many features with the Fox 36, which has also been relaunched for 2021. New Evol cartridge with higher air volume in the negative chamber for more sensitivity, newly designed casting for higher stiffness at low weight with a wide cantilevered fork crown for plenty of head tube clearance with low fork offset. Brake disc clearance up to 230 millimetres, which will please e-bikers in particular. In addition, new air and oil ducts in the fork, which should also improve the response behaviour.
However, the most striking feature of the new casting is probably the bulges at the rear of the fork tubes: These channels are designed to prevent the air from building up too much at the bottom of the casting when the fork is fully compressed, preventing the full spring travel from being utilised. A positive side effect is that the movement in the fork should also cause the oil to be pumped upwards more regularly in the channels and thus improve the lubrication of the upper seals. Fox has also fitted quick release valves to the channels of the higher-end forks, which are designed to easily equalise atmospheric pressure differences and quickly remove back pressure. Previously reserved for the Fox 38 is the partially elliptically shaped head tube, which is also intended to provide more stiffness at a lower weight.
Fox 38: Versions, prices, weight
As usual with Fox, the Fox 38 will be available as a Performance version with Grip damper and as a Performance Elite and Factory version with Fit4 damper or Grip2 damper with adjustable high and low-speed rebound and compression damping. The Grip2 shock will also get an update for 2021: By using a technology Fox calls VVC (Variable Valve Control), the adjustment range of the damper is to be increased even further and also deliver even better performance in other respects.
The fork comes with 37, 44 or 51 millimetre offset and will cost between 1259 and 1589 euros. E-bike specific versions will also be available. Weights start at 2180 grams. You can also find all the information on the Fox website.
Update for the Fox 40: technology, prices, weights
The Fox 40 double-bridge downhill fork has been given the same treatment as its smaller brothers. A newly designed, stiffer chassis, air ducts on the dip tubes with quick exhaust valves, a new fork crown for more head tube clearance, new oil and air ducts inside and a new Evol cartridge for finer response behaviour. Available with the more favourable Grip damper or as a Factory with the new Grip2 damper with variable valve control (VVC) for a wider adjustment range. As the high-speed rebound and compression dampers only have eight clicks, as in the smaller forks, specialists like Greg Minnaar will probably have to continue to live with half clicks. However, all normal users should be satisfied with the eight-click adjustment.
Only available with 203 millimetres of travel and 48, 52 or 56 millimetres offset in 27.5 or 29 inch. The Fox 49 as a 29 inch version of the Fox 40 has been cancelled. From 2299 euros and 2816 grams. You can also find all the information on the Fox website.
Adrian Kaether
Editor
