All-mountain, trail and touring bikes, all-rounders: Most BIKE readers are at home in the 120 to 150 millimetre travel category. At Fox Racing Shox, this segment is served by the Fox 34, which currently (still) provides up to 160 millimetres of typical enduro suspension travel for 27.5-inch wheels. The version now presented for the upcoming plus-size format B+, 650B+ or 27.5+ goes its own way and at the same time anticipates some of the innovations of the next generation of the "simple" Fox 34.
New: FIT4 damper cartridge and wide axle in 15 x 110 mm
The Fox 34 suspension fork is set to improve. The wide tyre version is the first to get the new FIT4 damper cartridge of the latest generation and a revised air spring. This should allow it to make up some ground on its in-house competitor, the Fox 36. However, the new 34 leaves the spring travel range from 160 millimetres to the Fox 36 and is content with a maximum of 150 millimetres.
But the real innovation is in the width. Wide tyres on wide rims are one of the Trends in the impeller sector. The middle ground between "simple" mountain bikes and fat bikes is intended to combine the positive rolling characteristics of wide tyres with increased traction and good-naturedness on rough terrain, without having to accept the weight disadvantages and compatibility restrictions of fat bikes. However, there now seem to be problems with compatibility in particular.
First exception, then rule
The main focus is currently on the B+ or 27.5+ size, i.e. extra-wide tyres based on a 27.5-inch wheel. What was initially traded as a retrofit option for 29-inch bikes is increasingly developing into a niche of its own. The selection of plus-size tyres is still limited. But there will be more and more. The announced plus tyres will increase in width to up to 3.25 inches and, depending on the rim used, will be just too wide for standard forks and rear triangles.
Fox is being proactive and is the first manufacturer to present a suspension fork specifically for the Plus 27.5+ format. A widened fork crown and the revised casting allow the lower tubes to move outwards by five millimetres each, which should ensure tyre clearance up to a maximum of 27.5" x 3.25".
Another advertised feature is the likewise widened thru-axle, which is being introduced for the first time for the Fox 34 27.5+. It also increases by a total of 10 millimetres to 15 x 110 millimetres. However, because the brake caliper mount moves to the outside with the dip tube, compatibility with standard hubs is no longer possible and 110 millimetre wide hubs are also required. Together with the "Boost 148" axles on the rear triangle, we are witnessing the emergence of a new - well - standard.
The technical data of the Fox Factory 34 Float 27.5+ 2016 at a glance:
- Widened chassis for extra wide rims and 27.5+ tyres
- 15 x 110 mm thru axle
- Tyre clearance up to a maximum of 27.5" x 3.23"
- 110-150 mm suspension travel
- 51 mm fork offset
- New fourth-generation closed FIT4 damper cartridge
- new Float air spring
Sebastian Brust
Editor
