2021 FOX Suspension Lineup Unveiled 25

Welp, we're in an age where every little detail gets scrutinized, and it's clear FOX has been doing quite a bit of fine tuning lately. They've also developed several brand new products that you're sure to have seen on Pro bikes by now. The updates are numerous and the tech goes deep. Here's an overview of the key things you need to know. 

"The smoothest, stiffest, most tunable forks we've ever made." - FOX

Press Release:

Floating Axle

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.

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, spacing is locked in via a floating sleeve, allowing repeated front wheel removal and reinstallation while maintaining perfect fork alignment. Floating sleeve positioning comes preset from the factory so if you are unsure of how to operate the floating axle system or simply don’t want to bother with it, you can just install the front wheel and get on with your ride.

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. The all-new 40 utilizes a double-pinch bolt floating axle design to provide maximum stiffness for Downhill racing applications. 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.

Lower Leg 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. Our 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.

Bleeders

Our 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.

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 38 pulls out all the stops, shaving every possible gram while making sure not to compromise stiffness or strength requirements of modern, hard-hitting long-travel Enduro 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. Our 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 us to create an organic lower leg shape that optimizes stiffness with the absolute minimal amount of material.

Elliptical Steerer (38 Only)

The 38’s elliptical steer tube is one of many ways we’ve further optimized stiffness-to-weight, placing more material only where it is needed, and eliminating every ounce of it where it’s not.

GRIP2 Damper with VVC

Our GRIP2 damper is the benchmark for unparalleled ride quality and ultra-precise on-the-fly adjustability. For 2021, we’ve taken GRIP2 to the next level by adding our patented VVC technology to the 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.

FLOAT EVOL Air Spring

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 our new Lower Leg channels and Bleeders, which both function to reduce air pressure captured in the lower legs, allowing the EVOL air spring to operate freely without unintended interference.

Heritage Collection

The limited edition 2021 Heritage Collection draws inspiration from the original 36 and 40 – the iconic forks that shaped modern enduro and downhill riding 15 years ago. The all-new 38 ushers in a new era of hard- hitting, long-travel enduro riding and comes adorned in a unique pistachio hue, commemorating this historic moment and keeping the tradition of launching category-defining forks in a very special limited edition colorway. All Heritage Collection forks feature special black adjuster knobs, a Kabolt-X axle, and include a matching graphics kit, compatible with all 2021 and 2020 models of FOX rear shocks.

Heritage Collection forks are available in extremely limited numbers at time of launch only. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

2021 FOX 36 Specifications

• ALL-NEW chassis
• NEW lower leg bleeders
• NEW air/oil channels
• NEW floating axle
• NEW arch shape offers improved head tube clearance with shorter rakes
• Matching 8-click HSC and HSR adjustment on GRIP2 forks and X2 shocks
• Damper option(s): GRIP2 with VVC, FIT4, Live Valve, GRIP
• Updated EVOL air spring
• Travel option(s): 150mm-160mm
• Increased crown diameter to match modern frame shape profiles
• Wheel size(s): 27.5" and 29"
• Offset(s): 37mm, 44mm and 51mm
• Optional mud guard
• Factory Series models feature Genuine Kashima Coat
• Available in Factory, Performance Elite, and E-Bike models
• Starting weight: 1965 g
• MSRP USD $849 - $1099 / CDN $1129 - $1449 / EUR €1339 - €1459

2021 FOX 38 Specifications

• NEW elliptical steerer tube maximizing stiffness to weight
• NEW lower leg bleeders
• NEW air/oil channels
• NEW floating axle
• NEW arch shape offers improved head tube clearance with shorter rakes
• Matching 8-click HSC and HSR adjustment on GRIP2 forks and X2 shocks
• Damper option(s): GRIP2 with VVC FIT4, GRIP
• Updated EVOL air spring
• Inner air sleeve/cartridge tube
• Travel option(s): 160mm-180mm
• 31% stiffer transverse shear, 17% stiffer fore/aft and 38% torsionally stiffer than 36
• Wheel size(s): 27.5" and 29"
• Offset(s): 37mm, 44mm and 51mm
• 58mm crown diameter to match modern frame shape profiles
• Optional mud guard
• Factory Series models feature Genuine Kashima Coat
• Available in Factory, Performance Elite, Performance, and E-Bike models
• Starting weight: 2180 g
• MSRP USD $949 - $1199 / CDN $1249 - $1579 / EUR €1259 - €1589

2021 FOX 40 Specifications

• ALL-NEW chassis
• NEW lower leg bleeders
• NEW air/oil channels
• NEW arch shape offers improved head tube clearance with shorter rakes
• Matching 8-click HSC and HSR adjustment on GRIP2 forks and X2 shocks
• Damper option(s): GRIP2 damper now with VVC (Variable Valve Control), GRIP
• Updated EVOL air spring
• Pinch-bolt 20mm x 110mm floating axle
• Travel option(s): 203mm
• Offset(s): 48mm, 52mm and 56mm
• Wheel size(s): 27.5" and 29"
• Optional mud guard
• Factory Series models feature Genuine Kashima Coat
• Available in Factory Series
• Starting weight: 2816 g
• MSRP USD $1749 / CDN $2309 / EUR €2299

2021 FOX Float X2 Specifications

• ALL-NEW chassis
• NEW damper
• NEW high-flow main piston
• NEW progressive MCU bottom-out bumper
• Matching 8-click HSC and HSR adjustment on GRIP2 forks and X2 shocks
• NEW HSR with VVC (Variable Valve Control)
• Independent firm mode circuit – firmer lockout than previous Float X2
• Ultra-low-friction, highly durable damper shaft finish
• Improved bearing ratio for metric sizes
• Reduced length reservoir for better fit on more frames
• Finned inner body for improved structural rigidity and reduced hysteresis
• NEW lower friction air seal
• Updated compression ratios, 300psi max
• MSRP USD $639 - $669 / CDN $789 - $879 / EUR €849 - €889

2021 FOX DHX2 Specifications

• ALL-NEW chassis
• NEW damper
• NEW high-flow main piston
• NEW progressive MCU bottom-out bumper
• Matching 8-click HSC and HSR adjustment on Grip2 forks and X2 shocks
• NEW HSR with VVC (Variable Valve Control)
• Independent firm mode circuit – firmer lockout than previous DHX2
• Ultra-low friction, highly durable damper shaft finish
• Improved bearing ratio for metric sizes
• Reduced length reservoir for better fit on more frames
• Steel outer body and finned inner body for improved structural rigidity and reduced hysteresis
• NEW detents on spring collar to prevent loosening under light preload conditions
• MSRP USD $619 - $649 / CDN $759 - $859 / EUR €819 - €859
• *Spring sold separately

Also New: FOX Mud Guards

Up Close

In Action

Head over to www.ridefox.com for more details, and be sure to let us know what you think of the new lineup in the comments! We're excited to get these on the trails.

View key specs, compare products, and rate the latest from FOX in the Vital MTB Product Guide.