FOX's New 36 RC2 - Sea Otter 2014
FOX's 36 fork has long been a favourite of riders going hard on mid-travel bikes, but recent competition has seen FOX re-work the 36 to further improve its performance. 2015 sees the company debut a revised RC2 damper to the 36 platform that still allows riders to tune low and high-speed compression separately from one another, but also features some important updates. The new damper uses the same basic layout that the RC2 system has utilized in the past, but it does employ a revised tune compared to previous years that sees more low-speed compression damping added. Why the update? FOX says that the new stanchion tube polishing process that the uppers go through before the fork's Kashima coating is applied adds a substantial amount of slickness to the travel, as does a new seal head design that accomplishes the same thing.
Despite a similar appearance at first glance, the 36 chassis is all new compared to the old one. Starting at the top, a completely new crown shape helps the 36 to not only come in with a shorter axle-crown length than the older model but, incredibly enough, shorter by a handful of millimeters than the latest 34 model when comparing 29er options. FOX told Pinkbike that this new shorter chassis has allowed some of their racers to run slightly more travel without having to sacrifice handlebar height to do so. The lowers are also new, with a much different shape to the arch that sees material removed where it wasn't needed and added where it makes sense.
Despite a similar appearance at first glance, the 36 chassis is all new compared to the old one. Starting at the top, a completely new crown shape helps the 36 to not only come in with a shorter axle-crown length than the older model but, incredibly enough, shorter by a handful of millimeters than the latest 34 model when comparing 29er options. FOX told Pinkbike that this new shorter chassis has allowed some of their racers to run slightly more travel without having to sacrifice handlebar height to do so. The lowers are also new, with a much different shape to the arch that sees material removed where it wasn't needed and added where it makes sense.
Those who plan on sticking with 26" wheels will be stoked to find out that FOX will be offering five different models compatible with their setup, with coil sprung, air sprung, and air sprung TALAS travel adjust models in 180mm FIT RC2 guise, as well as a TALAS 160 FIT RC2 version. FOX will also have a number of choices with a 1 1/8th steerer tube that will not only fit older frames that use a straight head tube, but also make mixing and matching certain angle adjusting headsets easier if you're looking to go to extremes.
Compatibility seems to the be the name of the game for FOX in 2015, and that theme continues when we get down to the 36's new thru-axle setup that allows for either 15 or 20mm axles to be used by way of aluminum adapters inserts at the axle clamp. The adapters are pushed into place, and a thin section extends down into the gap in the clamp that the pinch bolts are run through. There is no quick release thru-axle option as FOX have gone back to using traditional pinch bolts.
www.ridefox.com
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In all seriousness, why Are Fox not using a 20mm version of their 15mm axle? It's a good design, it doesn't violate the Maxle patent and it's secure. They could also just have a different sized axle nut on the left leg for 15mm and 20mm, it's replaceable anyway. BOS are already doing a similar thing with their Devilles and it works great.
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This just strikes me as Fox being cheap, cheap design, cheap engineering, it's nice to see RC2 back though, as long as it's not plastic inside...
I not trusting the folks in and around LA that much and feel a little better if its at least locked away in the car and out of sight....
www.ridefox.com/subhome.php?m=bike&ref=topnav
26": 160 mm Float and Talas, 180 mm Float and Talas
27.5": 160 mm Float and Talas, 170 mm Float
29": 150 mm Float and Talas, 160 mm Float and Talas
But the 180 is adjustable to 160 mm or 170 mm or 150 mm. etc.
Here ya go.
Really hard , there's a good chance they'll crack , if they have fixed the problem that's great , but it is a real headache
vimeo.com/90995933
Maybe you're right that they all share identical parts for each wheel size. All the 26 inch may have an available 180 mm, but they put no travel adjusters into the 180 mm forks from factory and two 10 mm travel adjusters into the 160 mm from the factory. This would help out the folks that dont have the tools or technical ability to add/remove spacers themselves.
Also what this means is that the fork bottomed out will have 20 mm of stanchion tube still visible on the 160 mm.
The only good thing I can see from this is that they can take a whole lot more time with just one fork design, rather than one for 160 mm and a completely different one for 180 mm. And in terms of what some riders are looking for, maybe being able to go between 160 and 180 mm would help in their decision, since they may be stuck between the two, they can have both now.
But I do not understand why they would do this when they spent so much time with last generation and getting a new 36 180 fork designed with a lower axle to crown just to trash it a few years later.
And why wouldnt they fill in the columns on their website showing that they can have a 26" with 150 mm and 170 mm too. I know its still early and they probably need a few weeks to update their entire website, but some things just don't make sense now.
Is the design based on the stolen prototypes from the Marzocchi?
For a limited time, FOX is offering three blacked out FLOAT fork models with stealth black decals and black anodized knobs.
• 32 29”/100mm CTD w/Trail Adjust
• 34 27.5”/160mm CTD w/Trail Adjust
• 40 26”/203mm RC2