2011 Fox 36 180 mm: A Closer Look!

Apr 15, 2010
by Mike Levy  
The long awaited 180 mm travel Fox 36 has arrived. Inside you'll find all the specs and info, as well as a video tour of the Fox Racing Shox factory!

Read on..
Watch the video for a peek inside the Fox factory

Views: 24,765    Faves: 56    Comments: 11


photo
2011 Fox 36 Float FIT RC2 180

The brand new 180 mm travel 36 fork is an entirely new platform for Fox Racing Shox. While still utilizing 36 mm stanchion tubes, the fork features completely new lowers, longer stanchion tubes, more bushing overlap than a standard 36, and inside you'll find the new revised FIT damper. The new 7.1" travel 36 fork is designed for those riders who are looking for a long travel single crown fork that will be at home in the bike park or getting gnarly on built features. This is the Fox fork that a lot of aggressive riders have been waiting for. It's also worth noting that introducing the new 36 180 mm platform has allowed Fox to shave grams off of the 160 mm travel version.

photo
The revised FIT damper sees both low and high speed compression adjustments moved from the bottom of the fork to the top

There are three 36 180 platforms to choose from, and six models in total.

Fox 36 Float FIT RC2 180

• 7.1"/180 mm travel
• Revised FIT damper
• Kashima coating
• Adjustments: Low speed compression, high speed compression, rebound, air spring pressure
• Adjustable travel in 10 mm increments (internal)
• Air sprung
• 5.18 lbs/2.35 kg


Fox 36 Float R 180

• 7.1"/180 mm travel
• Open bath damper
• Adjustments: Rebound, air spring pressure
• Adjustable travel in 10 mm increments (internal)
• Air sprung
• 5.25 lbs/2.38 kg

Fox 36 Talas FIT RC2 180

• 7.1"/180 mm travel
• Revised FIT damper
• Kashima coating
• Adjustments: Low speed compression, high speed compression, rebound, air spring pressure
• New 2 position Talas: 180 mm and 140 mm settings
• Air sprung
• 5.4 lb/2.45 kg

Fox 36 Talas R 180

• 7.1"/180 mm travel
• Open bath damper
• Adjustments: rebound, air pressure
• New 2 position Talas: 180 mm and 140 mm settings
• Air sprung
• 5.4 lb/2.47 kg

Fox 36 Van FIT RC2 180

• 7.1"/180 mm travel
• Revised FIT damper
• Kashima coating
• Adjustments: Low speed compression, high speed compression, rebound, preload
• Coil sprung
• Hydraulic bottom out system
• 5.9 lb/2.71 kg

Fox 36 Van R 180

• 7.1"/180 mm travel
• Open bath damper
• Adjustments: Rebound, preload
• Coil sprung
• 6.01 lb/2.73 kg


photo
All of the new 36 180 mm forks use Fox's 20QR thru axle system


Kashima Coating

If you saw any race footage last season you may have spotted some lucky Fox sponsored riders sporting odd colored stanchion tubes on their 40 RC2 DH forks. There have been two obvious versions, the first being a silver colored coating that was actually an electroless nickle plating (EN). While the EN coating did significantly lower the friction and the big fork did see its smoothness improved upon, the silver coating proved to not last as long as Fox needed. The answer came in the form of Kashima coating. The gold colored treatment is done by only a single company that is based in Japan. Kashima has been used by factory motocross teams for many years. In the revolutionary Kashima Coat process, lubricating molybdenum disulfide is deposited, via electrical induction, into the billions of micropores on the surface of hard-anodized aluminum. With its debut on the international mountain bike racing circuit, the distinctive gold colored, Kashima coated stanchions maintain better lubrication characteristics, and the lightweight aluminum components treated with Kashima Coat attain a level of hardness and abrasion resistance four times tougher than standard hard-anodized aluminum. Besides an increase in durability, the real benefit should be a big increase in sensitivity that will increase traction and lessen rider fatigue. You'll only find Kashima coating on Fox forks in the mountain bike world and only on after market forks.

The Kashima coating will be available on Float FIT RC2, Talas FIT RC2, and Van FIT RC2 models of the new 36 180 fork (as well as select other models).

Visit www.kashima-coat.com for more info.

photo
2011 Fox 36 FIT Talas RC2 180 with Kashima coating

There are two models of the new 180 mm travel 36 that use Fox's Talas travel adjustment system. The higher end and more adjustable FIT RC2 version as well as the air sprung and rebound only R 180 will appeal to riders who earn their turns and will take advantage of the low front end. The Talas system allows the rider to quickly and easily lower the front end by turning a dial atop the fork leg. All of Fox's Talas equipped fork's now use a simpler two position system as opposed to the most recent three position design. The new 180 mm 36 is adjustable from 180 mm down to 140 mm of travel.

photo
The new 180 mm 36 Talas forks can be adjusted down to 140 mm with a turn of the dial

Foxracingshox.com

What do you think of the new 180 mm travel Fox 36 fork? Will it have a place on your bike?

Author Info:
mikelevy avatar

Member since Oct 18, 2005
2,032 articles

121 Comments
  • 17 2
 OMG A FREERIDE FORK FROM FOX ,OMG, FINALLY!!!
  • 2 7
flag DH-Til-I-Die (Apr 19, 2010 at 10:55) (Below Threshold)
 ? 160mm 36s?
  • 8 0
 "You'll only find Kashima coating on Fox forks in the mountain bike world and only on after market forks."
I guess someone didn't do his research, KOWA forks also have Kashima coating!
  • 3 1
 Fail =D Kowa are actually quitу good. I like their air shiver....but the price...
  • 3 0
 The kowa 180 mm forks are pretty cheap and awesome.
  • 3 0
 i have a 200si in the mail right now Smile
  • 2 0
 i have the 2010GF on my lambda ,supernice forks ,best i ´ve ever had....no need for a fox....
  • 1 0
 yeah those 180 mm look sweet though i would get one if wasnt already getting them and if they werent so frigging expsensive.
  • 1 0
 *the fox ones
  • 8 0
 The Kashima stanchions look better in today's pics than yesterday IMO - deep, rich, gold.
  • 8 0
 My dreams have come true, not that i can afford one.
  • 8 0
 pure sex...
  • 6 0
 why the Fcuk did i have to purchase an 2010 float 35 rc2 like 3 months ago god dammit!!!
  • 9 2
 YES ILL!!!!!
  • 18 0
 I WANT ONE RIGHT NOW!
  • 25 1
 Thank you Fox!!
  • 20 3
 ^^ thank you too fox!!! please can i have some free of charge as i love you!
  • 45 3
 well i just so damm glad they dont have those stupid 15mm axles..
most stupid idea ever... Madder
  • 20 2
 watch out Marzocchi and RS....Fox just stepped up to the plate and is in the 7" SC ball game now.
  • 9 0
 hellloooo beautiful! definitely gonna start saving up for one of these badboys.
  • 3 0
 FINALLY! soo happy
  • 2 0
 SCORRRRRREEEE! SOOOOO sick that they finally did this. And it's like the same weight as a totem SA...
  • 2 5
 kashima coating is only done by a lil factory in japan?..hmm...just waiting to see the price of this kashima-forks...
  • 2 1
 im guessing that everybody knows how to read japanese seeing how their website is all in japanese... unless if there is an english translation i dont know about.
  • 5 0
 kowa did kashima coated forks before fox.
  • 4 2
 Nice !!!! Marzo and Rock Shox will be sad....
  • 2 0
 If you use Google Chrome, a message will pop up at the top, and ask to translate it. Also, there's a link to an English pamphlet on the top right corner. FYI
  • 1 1
 AHHHHHHHHHHHH FINALLY!!!!
  • 4 0
 should have called it the "38" imo
  • 1 0
 why? it has 36 mm stanchions...
  • 3 0
 ^^ He's saying he wants in to have 38mm stanchions, which i totally agree with.
  • 2 0
 I've always wondered how sick a 180mm fox fork would be, this is like a dream come true. Im glad to see fox has the full line up now, with the 831 and the 180mm 36 additions (not that I could aford them) but so nice. Damn.
  • 3 0
 Have pre ordered my carbon nomad, a black pair of these babies up front sitting on new cranks bros wheels, gonna be an awsome addition to my stable Smile
  • 2 0
 I guess all the rumors were true about Fox coming out with 180mm 36 series forks. The new Kashima coating looks great, but with the amount of money that it will probably add to the price tag, it may not be worth it. I'm really liking the new Fox Van forks though, with a coil spring and 180mm it should be awesome.
  • 3 0
 Didn't see anything about the 1.5" or Taper either... the forks look ridiculously cool, but its like they should have 1.5" or taper options on a 180mm fork.
  • 1 0
 or a step down headset lol
  • 1 0
 finally the 66 from fox at double the price. 3 years too late at the party duudes! and btw start selling replacement parts for your junk and publish service guides. I hate the stupid "authorized service" bull****. It's just forks not CPU's.
  • 1 0
 Here, full parts lists and sku numbers, and service guides for everything from simple dust seal cleaning to full overhaul. BTW this link is accessible off the fox racing shox website..... perhaps more research would of prevented your incorrect assumption.

service.foxracingshox.com/consumers/index.htm
  • 1 0
 What colour will the hard-anodizing of the stanchions have on the standard "R"-type forks? Same as MY 2010, or something closer in colour to the Kashima-coating? Does anybody know? Or has anybody seen a photo of - let's say - a 2011 36 VAN R 180?
  • 1 0
 just called fox up the other day for some info on these, EP prices aren't out yet but he did tell me retail pricing for the three RC2 models: Talas 180 RC2 = $1080, Float 180 RC2 = $1020, Van 180 RC2 = $975. Definitely lower than i figured. Does anyone want to buy the 160mm VAN RC2 thats coming on my scratch?
  • 2 1
 "In the revolutionary Kashima Coat process, lubricating molybdenum disulfide is deposited, via electrical induction, into the billions of micropores on the surface of hard-anodized aluminum. With its debut on the international mountain bike racing circuit, the distinctive gold colored, Kashima coated stanchions maintain better lubrication characteristics, and the lightweight aluminum components treated with Kashima Coat attain a level of hardness and abrasion resistance four times tougher than standard hard-anodized aluminum. Besides an increase in durability, the real benefit should be a big increase in sensitivity that will increase traction and lessen rider fatigue. You'll only find Kashima coating on Fox forks in the mountain bike world and only on after market forks."
2 things that are false on this paragraph:
1: The debut of Kashima Coating Stanchions on MTB international Circuit was in 1999 with Kowa Suspension Forks.
2: You will Not only find it on the top level Fox Forks, you can find it in all the Kowa suspension Product range
In conclusion: Fox didn't discovered anything new, they just copied what Kowa Suspension did with their stanchions the latest 12 years
  • 1 0
 super cool products --

still, someone needs to explain to me why the cost so dang much.

how is it you can outfit a automobile for far less than stuff like this?

Auto shocks go through a ga-jillion times more abuse, travel nasty of all nasty road grit and grim, hold 2000 times the weight, etc etc

is it just simple economics!?!?!? if everyone buys one, will the prices go down?
  • 1 0
 sniperbob02 - where did you see that the new 180mm fox's have the 1.5 through?
i really dont want a taper but i cant find any with 1.5 all the way through.

also - are all the 180mms going to be OK for DH? the talas is beautiful but i dont need the adjustment
  • 1 0
 how much r they????????????????? i wanna get one, my girl's gonna kill me but f*ck it, ive been waiting forever for a freeride fork from fox, especially that burley ass talas, super sexy
  • 2 0
 come on ofcourse there is going to be a 1.5 and tapered version. Fox already makes them so why would they stop with these bigger forks
  • 1 0
 this just kicked the crap out of the rest of the market! i've been waiting like 4 years for this fork. ahhhhhh i can't wait for the day i've got a 7 inch talas on my freeride bike. sickkkkkk! i love fox so much!
  • 1 0
 Can i replace 200mm dual crown forks with these without changing geometry like totems instead of boxxers in an ih sunday? The float is about 300grams lighter than totem solo air..
  • 5 4
 am i the only person who hates the new coating? something's just wrong with it, the previous one looks better in my eyes.
oohh, yeah, and the price is gonna be sky high... totem would still be the top choice. Razz
  • 4 4
 WTF ? 180 and 140 on the Talas ? They missed the boat in my opinion. They should have done a 3 position 140 160 180. All mountain bikes could use a 180 3 position fork. 140 for climbing, 160 for normal trail riding and 180 to slack the head angle for the steeps. I was set to buy this fork if it were 3 position. You lost my purchase Fox.
  • 1 2
 I completely agree. a 180/160/140 option would make the talas the perfect fork, for the reasons you stated. gahhh I hope it happens then I'd have to readjust my parts priority.
  • 2 1
 I also agree. 140/160/180 is ideal but if ride quaility suffers with 3 settings like they say i would rather have a 160/180, or 150/180. 180 is great for downhill and freeride. I would rather have 160 option for trail riding and not worry about climbing. Who with 180 fork is in to climbing anyways. Push. Plus 160 would climb good enough. At least it is better than the Rock Shox 170/115 2 step. That is a waste.
  • 2 0
 I would only buy one if it had 17 different settings....... Wait ......... hmmm.....damn it! i already bought one haha!
  • 5 3
 A 7" SC fork with no option for a 1.5 steerer tube or at least a taper option?
I guess we will see how many bend/break....
  • 2 1
 and 36 of stanchions o.O ??? like totems are 1.5 and 40 of stanchions and 66 are 1.5 with 38 of stanchions... personally I think fox doesnt start with a real good step o.o
  • 1 0
 Remember that boxxers use 35mm and formerly 32mm 66 and 888 also used 35mm a couple years ago 36mm will do just fine
  • 1 0
 if you look it that way maybe Razz
  • 1 0
 Ive just saw that they have an option of 1.5 Big Grin
  • 1 0
 and taper
  • 1 0
 I have a RockShox Domain 180mm travel fork with 35mm stanchions and 1-1/8" steer tube. They haven't bent or broken or even shown signs that they would, and I'm not the lightest rider out there. I can't imagine fox's would be worse, they'd probably be stiffer.
  • 1 0
 Boxxers use 35mm because the additional stiffness of the second crown. I personally would have liked to have seen 38 or 40mm like the totem
  • 1 0
 yeah same here
  • 1 0
 you guys realize the the stanchion wall thickness changes with outer diameter right? 40mm stanchions have thinner walls than 36mm stanchions. they'll be just as strong. but I really hope they have a 1.5/tapered steer tube option
  • 2 0
 And you realize that 40mm stancions will provide more stiffness to the fork? Im not worried about cracking or breaking the thing, but more so flex
  • 1 0
 I see a lot of 2009 and 2010 fox 160mm forks going for sale on here shortly. lol. Beauty forks, not that I could afford one Razz
  • 3 1
 so uhm, does anyone else have a boner that won't go away?

so sexy. i love fox.
  • 2 1
 cant get it down ahahaha Looks awesome, like everyone else id like to know the price... Goodbye Marzo 66
  • 2 1
 Goodbye 08 66 RC3....now the difficult choice, Talas or Van RLC for DH race/freeride bike....
  • 1 0
 is the talas 180 adjustable down to 140mm travel in 10mm increments like it said in the previous post about the 2011 fox forks, or is it just the two travel settings?
  • 1 0
 SimonH182, i read somewhere it's only got 2 travel adjustments, 140 and 180 and nothing in between. i have a 2010 talas which has 140, 150, and 160. i never use 150. i'm not even sure when i would ever use it.
  • 2 0
 right, i need a new 7" travel bike/frame so i can get a set of these forks on it!! lol
thank you FOX!! Big Grin
  • 2 0
 Haha! Now on top models of FOX for 2011.... Standard on all Kowa suspension since years
  • 1 0
 very true!!!!!!! haha
  • 2 0
 Going to be super expensive but completely worth the investment. Fox Rules!
  • 2 0
 Of course man... they will have aplace in my bike.
Beer
  • 3 0
 UK prices??? any ideas
  • 5 0
 sky high as usual Wink cheaper to order from US IMO
  • 1 0
 FINAFUCKINLY!!!!!!! thank you fox. iv been waiting for this. im really excited to try this thing. i know ill be happy.
  • 1 0
 damn it i bought a 2010 totem a few weeks ago... ive been bitching forever about fox making a freeride fork. fox did well!
  • 1 0
 Yeah I want one too, but... what it is with price?
  • 1 0
 i guess nobody knows the price seeing as they are 2011??
  • 1 0
 when do these hit the market?
  • 2 1
 looks nice but no 1.5 option??
  • 1 0
 this is gonna break the bank, but my totem is still fearing replacement...
  • 1 0
 Can you buy Kashima coating 40 stanchion tubes? Anybody know?
  • 1 0
 they should call it the 38 and give it 38mm stanchions
  • 1 0
 stanchions just dont look right\....
  • 1 0
 No tapered steerer is kinda sad as well Frown I would def run one otherwise
  • 2 0
 how much cost this fork?
  • 1 0
 lookin' so sick. too bad fox is expensive..
  • 1 0
 the colour of them stantions is evilllllllllllll
  • 1 0
 So long Totem, you have just been completely eliminated!
  • 1 0
 WOO-HOO!!!! Finally! This thing looks so rad! How much is it gonna cost?
  • 1 0
 FINALLY FOX MADE SOME 180MM SC FORKS !I LOVE YOU FOX! Big Grin
  • 1 0
 £699 for Fox 36 Van R 180
  • 1 0
 This is so sick. I love it!!
  • 1 0
 what is the axle to crown distance of these 180mm versions?
  • 1 0
 Yes, I have looked but its hard to find the axel to crown distance.
Does anyone know?
Very cool fork、Im liking them all!
  • 1 0
 The new question is: Will it dethrone the Totem?
  • 1 0
 i know what im buying next season!
  • 1 0
 hooray 180mm FOX's!!!!!!!! booo... lots of money
  • 1 0
 why cant they sell those things cheaper? they pump thousands out of the factory like its nothing and then they sell them >1000 frickin bucks!!!! damn them
  • 1 0
 Beause of the materials and processes
  • 1 0
 at last fox 180mm fork... my next fork for my AM bike!!!
  • 3 0
 Agreed.
  • 1 0
 quite! Beer
  • 1 0
 Amazing!!
  • 1 0
 how much? $$?
  • 1 0
 the dream come thru
  • 1 0
 They look so sick
  • 1 1
 could these be used for DH/FR?
  • 1 1
 Ill not as awsome as the 180mm BOS forks also there cheaper than BOS
  • 1 0
 i think im inlove Big Grin
  • 1 1
 SO happy they finally made this. and the stantions look sexy
  • 3 3
 My only question is, why did it take them so long to make a 180mm sc fork?
  • 2 1
 So they could spend time getting it right! they don't have one of the best reputations in the business by rushing out forks that aren't up to scratch..
  • 1 0
 i want it!
  • 1 0
 I AM GETTING ONE!
  • 1 2
 I still think they should of made it with 40mm stantions instead of 36mm.
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