All good advice thus far. To piggyback, my experience with a Fox 38 was similar out of the box, and a lower leg service seemed to help quite a bit. Don’t be afraid to decrease the pressure in the spring and rely a bit more on LSC and HSC to control the feel of the spring rate.
I have read more than a few threads like this on different forums. Are 38s that bad or they just that fickle to setup? I have a new bike coming with one but I still have a lyrik sitting around from previous bike worst comes to worst.
I have read more than a few threads like this on different forums. Are 38s that bad or they just that fickle to setup? I have...
I have read more than a few threads like this on different forums. Are 38s that bad or they just that fickle to setup? I have a new bike coming with one but I still have a lyrik sitting around from previous bike worst comes to worst.
it's the best "stock" air single crown fork I've had and I've been riding for nearly 30 years. I usually convert forks to coil but have not felt the need for this one.
They are tempermental with pressures (say a 2-3psi window) and run LSR faster than recommended. Only real tricks.
I have read more than a few threads like this on different forums. Are 38s that bad or they just that fickle to setup? I have...
I have read more than a few threads like this on different forums. Are 38s that bad or they just that fickle to setup? I have a new bike coming with one but I still have a lyrik sitting around from previous bike worst comes to worst.
it's the best "stock" air single crown fork I've had and I've been riding for nearly 30 years. I usually convert forks to coil but have...
it's the best "stock" air single crown fork I've had and I've been riding for nearly 30 years. I usually convert forks to coil but have not felt the need for this one.
They are tempermental with pressures (say a 2-3psi window) and run LSR faster than recommended. Only real tricks.
That's what I like to hear, I don't mind fiddling to get something to feel perfect interesting that you say they are that temperamental but I will sus it out and hopefully get it dialed. I recently swapped to an ohlins ttx air 2 shock and was interested in giving them a go but since I just ordered a new bike and it will ship with a 38 I figured now is the time to try fox again. Appreciate the info
The vvc grip 2 dampers have very little compression damping coming from the compression circuit. In certain ways, the rebound seems to be more impactful on compression damping amount then the compression damping system does. I find that I like the 36/38 vvc grip 2 dampers more when I am running them more and more open. They tend to start getting a bit harsh on high speed hits when you are running LSC/HSC less then -4 from closed... while at the same time, not having quite enough LSC damping for chassis control.
I think this is why you see mixed reviews of the new grip 2. Those that are willing to run the rebound fast af and using the air spring to keep the fork higher in it's travel, seem to get along with the grip 2. Those that are looking for more chassis control out of the fork, usually associated with techy/janky riding with variable speeds seem to struggle to find a sweet spot.
I go into and out of love with my grip 2 vvc forks. I think admitting defeat and putting a secus on or a luftkappe, and leaning into the air spring for support, running the rebound faster then I would typically want, leads to me being mostly content with the performance.
I have read more than a few threads like this on different forums. Are 38s that bad or they just that fickle to setup? I have...
I have read more than a few threads like this on different forums. Are 38s that bad or they just that fickle to setup? I have a new bike coming with one but I still have a lyrik sitting around from previous bike worst comes to worst.
it's the best "stock" air single crown fork I've had and I've been riding for nearly 30 years. I usually convert forks to coil but have...
it's the best "stock" air single crown fork I've had and I've been riding for nearly 30 years. I usually convert forks to coil but have not felt the need for this one.
They are tempermental with pressures (say a 2-3psi window) and run LSR faster than recommended. Only real tricks.
That's what I like to hear, I don't mind fiddling to get something to feel perfect interesting that you say they are that temperamental but I...
That's what I like to hear, I don't mind fiddling to get something to feel perfect interesting that you say they are that temperamental but I will sus it out and hopefully get it dialed. I recently swapped to an ohlins ttx air 2 shock and was interested in giving them a go but since I just ordered a new bike and it will ship with a 38 I figured now is the time to try fox again. Appreciate the info
Something else to consider with the Grip2 VVC damper is that the mid valve design can produce significant compression damping. You can test this by closing LSR all the way and then pushing on the fork. You will feel quite a bit of compression damping in addition to rebound being slow.
Fox has softened the check valve shim stack from the initial release, so depending on when your damper was built it may be slightly better, but it is still a pretty significant source of "harshness".
Short of having the damper modified and tuned by someone who knows how to deal with this issue, you can run LSR out as much as possible to help. The LSR is a bleed that bypasses the mid valve completely and can help with the compression spike.
Turn HSR all the way in (closed) to stiffen the shim stack as much as possible, then see how far out (open) you can run the LSR to get your rebound how you like it. This will limit the spike and harshness from the mid valve on compression.
I had the Grip 2 for a while & despite my best attempts, servicing , different settings etc also found it to be not that plush nor have the best small bump sensitivity. In my Fox38 i went to the standard GRIP damper & it is quite simply night & day. The small bump sensitivity is amazing. I've been running it for over 2 years now, still feels like new & I've ridden it all over the globe. As a lighter rider (70kg) the GRIP damper has been far better for me than the GRIP2. Hope this helps
I've had 2 forks now with bad CSU's, the bushings were perfect, stanchions were skewed outwards, required a little inwards push to slip the lowers back on. Only a few mms off but felt horrid on the trail.
All good advice thus far. To piggyback, my experience with a Fox 38 was similar out of the box, and a lower leg service seemed to help quite a bit. Don’t be afraid to decrease the pressure in the spring and rely a bit more on LSC and HSC to control the feel of the spring rate.
I have read more than a few threads like this on different forums. Are 38s that bad or they just that fickle to setup? I have a new bike coming with one but I still have a lyrik sitting around from previous bike worst comes to worst.
it's the best "stock" air single crown fork I've had and I've been riding for nearly 30 years. I usually convert forks to coil but have not felt the need for this one.
They are tempermental with pressures (say a 2-3psi window) and run LSR faster than recommended. Only real tricks.
That's what I like to hear, I don't mind fiddling to get something to feel perfect interesting that you say they are that temperamental but I will sus it out and hopefully get it dialed. I recently swapped to an ohlins ttx air 2 shock and was interested in giving them a go but since I just ordered a new bike and it will ship with a 38 I figured now is the time to try fox again. Appreciate the info
The vvc grip 2 dampers have very little compression damping coming from the compression circuit. In certain ways, the rebound seems to be more impactful on compression damping amount then the compression damping system does. I find that I like the 36/38 vvc grip 2 dampers more when I am running them more and more open. They tend to start getting a bit harsh on high speed hits when you are running LSC/HSC less then -4 from closed... while at the same time, not having quite enough LSC damping for chassis control.
I think this is why you see mixed reviews of the new grip 2. Those that are willing to run the rebound fast af and using the air spring to keep the fork higher in it's travel, seem to get along with the grip 2. Those that are looking for more chassis control out of the fork, usually associated with techy/janky riding with variable speeds seem to struggle to find a sweet spot.
I go into and out of love with my grip 2 vvc forks. I think admitting defeat and putting a secus on or a luftkappe, and leaning into the air spring for support, running the rebound faster then I would typically want, leads to me being mostly content with the performance.
Something else to consider with the Grip2 VVC damper is that the mid valve design can produce significant compression damping. You can test this by closing LSR all the way and then pushing on the fork. You will feel quite a bit of compression damping in addition to rebound being slow.
Fox has softened the check valve shim stack from the initial release, so depending on when your damper was built it may be slightly better, but it is still a pretty significant source of "harshness".
Short of having the damper modified and tuned by someone who knows how to deal with this issue, you can run LSR out as much as possible to help. The LSR is a bleed that bypasses the mid valve completely and can help with the compression spike.
Turn HSR all the way in (closed) to stiffen the shim stack as much as possible, then see how far out (open) you can run the LSR to get your rebound how you like it. This will limit the spike and harshness from the mid valve on compression.
I had the Grip 2 for a while & despite my best attempts, servicing , different settings etc also found it to be not that plush nor have the best small bump sensitivity. In my Fox38 i went to the standard GRIP damper & it is quite simply night & day. The small bump sensitivity is amazing. I've been running it for over 2 years now, still feels like new & I've ridden it all over the globe. As a lighter rider (70kg) the GRIP damper has been far better for me than the GRIP2. Hope this helps
I've had 2 forks now with bad CSU's, the bushings were perfect, stanchions were skewed outwards, required a little inwards push to slip the lowers back on. Only a few mms off but felt horrid on the trail.
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