Fox has not presented any new products for some time now. Now the suspension experts have revised their damper range. They have also introduced a new XC damper and a trail damper - the Float SL and Float.
Fox Float: lightweight meets trail compatibility
The new Fox Float shock should offer the perfect balance between low weight and aggressive trail riding. Climbs should be child's play to master thanks to the solid and efficient platform mode. At the same time, the Float should be able to keep up with its big brother Float X in terms of trail suitability. For a wider tuning range and better damping control, the Californians have given the Float larger pistons and valves. The new EVOL air spring with a larger volume allows the shock to run at lower pressures. This results in a more linear spring characteristic. In addition, more grip is generated on the rear wheel on small bumps.
New volume spacers with a smaller step width offer very precise tuning when reducing the size of the air chamber. In addition, Fox has improved the bottom-out protection and thus optimised the end progression of the new Float. The damper is available in two versions. The first is the three-stage adjustment. Here the damper can be adjusted in three modes - Open, Medium and Firm. In addition, three further tuning options are available in open mode. The second variant is the two-stage remote version. This allows the damper to be controlled from the handlebars. The two setting options are new here - the open mode with zero valve preload and the tunable firm mode. The lightest damper weighs 293 grams. The starting price of the new Fox Float damper models is $349.
Fox Float SL shock: Lightweight, fast & race-ready
With the Fox Float SL, the suspension experts present a lightweight shock for cross-country and marathon riding. The successor to the previous Float DPS SV is said to be specially optimised for racing. It is the lightest damper in the Fox range and weighs 58 grams less than the new "normal" Float model. Thanks to a completely new main piston, valve and IFP (Internal Floating Piston), the Float SL offers improved traction and more even damping on the rear wheel. As with its heavier brother, the SL model utilises the tried and tested EVOL air spring. The three-stage adjustment of the Float SL shock has a hard medium setting for efficient pedalling, in true XC style. A two-stage remote version will also be available for the Float SL. The lightweight weighs in at just 235 grams. The price of the Float SL starts at $349.
The big brothers: Fox Float X and Float X2
The two new shocks continue to be supported by the well-known Fox Float X in the All Mountain range and the Float X2 in the Gravity range. The Float X has an additional equalisation chamber with more oil to ensure consistent damping on long descents. In order to be able to fine-tune the shock, a low-speed compression adjustment with 12 positions has been installed. The price here is 799 euros.
The Float X2 is the right choice for those who want to go even more extreme and need a lot of grip on their mountain bike. The settings are the same as for a Grip2 fork: high-speed compression and rebound with 8 clicks each. This model also has a lever to engage a platform mode. This gives you full downhill performance and a bob-free shock on the climbs. The Fox Float X2 Gravity shock costs 929 euros.
