I hate to say it, but I got a hunch you won't be able to purchase a Fox 36 831 (26'' 100mm) fork pretty soon.
On February 24th 2021 Brett Rheeder posted a photo of his Ticket slopestyle bike on his Instagram with the caption "My last bike with Fox suspension #freeagent". As people are probably aware, Rheeder has been a sponsored Fox suspension rider for the past 9 years.
On March 29th, Rheeder posted a video on Instagram explaining the situation surroundings his departure from Fox. He explained how Fox is now exclusively offering their namesake suspension products for team riders who focus on racing disciplines. Sponsored slopestyle/freeriders will now be using Marzocchi suspension products.
This makes a lot of sense. Taking a deep dive into the Instagram pages of Fox team freeride/slopestyle riders like Garret Mechem and Thomas Genon, you can see that they all switched their bikes from Fox to Marzocchi suspension in early 2020, coinciding with the Bomber DJ release in mid 2020. During the few competitions held (Crankworx) Fox suspension was notably absent from team riders in the slopestyle competition, replaced by the Bomber DJ.
For a product which costs approximately $1350 CAD/$1000 USD, its very pricey. Rockshox offer cheaper versions of their DJ forks like the Pike Select and Select+, whereas Fox only offers a singular top-of-the-line Kashima factory fork for DJ applications. Realistically, only very high budget builds can afford this fork.
I hope this isn't true, but I don't see Fox continuing to offer a product which is no longer represented and advertised by their freeride team riders given it has no practical racing applications. Time will tell if the 831 lives on!
I think you're 100% correct. I was told by a fox dealer a month ago that the 2021 model would be the last 36 factory 26 (831). The 831 is hugely expensive for most 'hobby' riders, which is where the (Fox owned) Marzocchi bomber dj (which is based on the 831) comes into the picture at a significantly lower price. Fox probably recognise that they can win greater market share from the likes of manitou and rockshox with the bomber dj than they ever could with the more expensive 831, so putting their factory riders on the bomber dj to achieve maximum market exposure seems like a logical move.
I think you're 100% correct. I was told by a fox dealer a month ago that the 2021 model would be the last 36 factory 26 (831). The 831 is hugely expensive for most 'hobby' riders, which is where the (Fox owned) Marzocchi bomber dj (which is based on the 831) comes into the picture at a significantly lower price. Fox probably recognise that they can win greater market share from the likes of manitou and rockshox with the bomber dj than they ever could with the more expensive 831, so putting their factory riders on the bomber dj to achieve maximum market exposure seems like a logical move.
I don't even know how many 831's they manufacture each year. Can't see the number being too high. With the current state of the bike market, I doubt very many people will be able to get their hands on the 2021 final model even if they want to.
Not hugely surprising if true - from a branding and supply chain management perspective it makes sense. Selling a product just because niche fans in a niche sport want to see their favourite niche rider on Instagram ride it (who can't afford it) isn't a money maker.
High income middle aged riders are driving the market for bikes specced with Fox Factory suspension and focussing on being the bling-factor gold standard on overkill enduro sleds will pay for itself a million times over. Kashima is brilliant marketing and a DJ fork doesn't fit in to that lineup naturally.
Who needs a GRIP2 damper on a dirt jumper anyway? It's just marketing. The Bomber DJ is a great product and the best riders I know throw on a set of Pikes and crank the pressure until they hardly use the travel regardless. The only guy I know who rides Bomber DJs is over 100KG and the local with 831s did a money-no-object build... I won't be upgrading from Pikes any time soon.
Hi guys so I've punctured my 100mm 26" 36fox kash fork lowers can I put any other lower on it?.. Like a 26 140mm or 27.5 100mm?.. I also have an old set of talas I think the bridge is wider but not a shout?
Ive found most fox lowers in either 26" or 27.5" in there respective stanchion size, axle width can be swapped, the internal size of the lowers is generaly the same dimension, as the wheel axle mount is positioned further externally to suit 27.5 over 26.
Be mindful the diameter of the threaded end of the dampers that protrude out the hole on the bottom of the lowers where you screw the foot nuts on, these hole sizes on the lowers may vary in OD, depending on the type of damper used or changes made over the years, though as yet I havent had issues.
You may have to sort bushings fit tolerances depending, if lowers already come with bushings, mating them up to your CSU stanchions could be loose or tight if not perfect, especially if your switching with a used lower as stanchions bushings wear together.