Fox Introduces New Factory Tuning Program
Fox Factory Tuning
Fox Suspension has officially opened their global, in-house tuning and upgrade program. Fox Factory Tuning, or FFT, promises to upgrade rider's forks and shocks with the latest air springs assemblies, dampers, climb switches and lock out levers. Nearly all forks and shocks are part of the program, including 32, 34, 36 and 40 forks, along with DPS and X2 shocks.
Riders can also order pre-tuned forks or shocks via their local shop and distribution channel, rather than buying a stock unit off the shelf and needing to send it away for tuning when they just want to hit the trails with their new toys. There are 45 Fox distributors worldwide with their own service centers which will be part of the program.
What is the FFT
FFT is a direct link to the consumer via national distributors that also function as service centers. Riders can converse with their service center to change their tunes and upgrade old parts to the latest tech without having to continuously shell out for completely new products. They ask the questions, you answer them, they dial in your dampers.
The people who can gain the most benefit from the program are those at the extreme ends of the scale as the standard tunes can be adjusted to suit most riders well. If you're a 45kg female XC racer, a 100kg dirt jumper or a high-speed enduro destroying brute like Richie Rude, chances are you fall outside of the useful range of settings and are not getting the best performance out of those uppy-downy things that cost you an arm and a leg.
We spent two days in Finale Ligure, playing with suspension and getting to know the multitude of different options available through the FFT
This tuning sounds expensive?
I don't think Fox got the memo from industry leaders as they have tried their best to make this affordable. Firstly by suggesting that riders get any tuning work done in conjunction with general servicing or warranty work. Estimated pricing has been kept realistic, for example, a shim change in the cartridge will cost €20–€25, and around €20–€45 to upgrade air assemblies.
 | We wanted to make it possible for people who spent 3, 5, or 8,000 euros on a bike, to keep it up to date for a few years. After a few years of use, when the bike still has plenty of life left in it, some riders want to make changes—but now everything is boost or whatever and they don't want to drop a bomb on a new fork and wheel or gamble on whichever standard comes next. FFT allows riders to upgrade parts to the latest spec. While the cartridge is open for a standard service it can also be re-valved for a small fee. We wanted to make it affordable for people to upgrade and keep their suspension up to date. |
One of Fox's main goals with the project has been to give riders the chance to keep using their products without costly changes to new parts, especially with the myriad of different standards that have appeared in the last few years. For example, you might have a 2016 fork that is non-boost, but you want the latest damping without having to shell out for a new fork that is boost only, and then a new wheel, and a new spare wheel etc. Send your fork in for a service and get it back with 2018 tech in your existing chassis.
Where do these magical tunes come from?
This FFT program has been in development for nearly four years. As well as sponsored athletes, Fox has teams of riders all over the world, around 200 total; from the guys who ride once a week with their friends for fun, to the hardcore weekend warriors with aggressive styles, bike guides, coaches, and amateur racers. A whole spectrum of riders allowed Fox to build a range of tunes that should suit the needs of all consumers.
Over time, the database will grow to include thousands of consumers with all different wants and needs, this will help Fox to create more options for more riders.
Fox trained technicians should be able to help any riders get close to the ultimate performance.
What kind of upgrades will be available?
Basically too many to list, with the range of forks, shocks, diameters and travel number available, but nearly all Fox units sold over the last three to four years have some scope in this program. For Float X2, DHX2 and Float DPS shocks, there are a number of options including linear or digressive main pistons, EVOL air can upgrades and different damper tunes. There will be remote lock out levers and climb switches for most shocks too. Air spring upgrades, new dampers, and tuning options are available for forks.
All this sounds sensible, but I could get a similar level of service from my local suspension tuning guru?
Yes, there are many great independent suspension tuners out there, but, using the FFT program and your national distributor, riders can keep their suspension running on original Fox parts and not void their warranty. Any changes made will be recorded for future reference. Fox suggests that some tuners can get inventive with the parts they use and that can cause issues further down the line.
What should I do next?
If you are happy with your suspension performance, then you're in luck and can do nothing; maybe ask for some advice the next time you send your suspension in for a service. If you are really dissatisfied with performance then you can get in touch straight away with your local service center and start the tuning ball rolling.
MENTIONS: @foxracingshox
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Fox got yo' back! 26" x 20mm still available!
www.ridefox.com/2016/family.php?m=bike&family=36
Rides better than new! Feels more progressive and supportive all around. From LBS and back to me in less than a week... Top notch! I can only imagine greater things with something like FFT.
"For example, you might have a 2016 fork that is non-boost, but you want the latest damping without having to shell out for a new fork that is boost only, and then a new wheel, and a new spare wheel etc. Send your fork in for a service and get it back with 2018 tech in your existing chassis."
I got two 2016 float 36 RC2 I bought aftermarket with full list price minus 10% .
3 months ago I asked my Fox service center how expensive it will be to get the latest ( 2018 ) air spring with EVOL.
Answer is 725 $ parts + 70 $ work, so 795 $ because I have to change the CSU which is not the same for the 2018 air spring...
I don't really consider 800 $ per fork as inexpensive (as claimed) to get the latest airspring.
Will this amount be lower in the future with the FFT program ?
Most smart-thinking customer service oriented companies would reply, "Sorry for this miscommunication, we'll offer this to you even though the offer closed last week." Because that's how you keep clients for life. Um, nope.
Guess who's running Rockshox now? Business 101. Customers have loooong memories.
I keep reading these replies about not being able to work on Fox stuff and I am almost certain it is paid shill accounts saying this. They have videos on their website detailing how to do everything up to complete rebuilds and you can order almost any kind of part you want and almost all their products can be upgraded by newer parts a few years down the line. I'm not a dealer or anything, just a single customer. I stick with Fox specifically because their parts are cheaper and it is super easy to find info on how to service them.
Fox only started doing service videos recently compared to Rockshox. Just to reiterate I don't like Rockshox, I like that they allow and promote service by competent home mechanics. Fox restricts this whether you chose to believe it or not and this new bollox whatever they're calling it is just another way to further restriction and force people to use their own 'service' centres - under the guise of giving something they are taking it away.
you could just use air instead of nitrogen if it's what you have access too.
Any air(gas) spring will work better with nitrogen. A nitrogen spec'd chamber filled with air will perform marginally worse with variable tpatures but in practicality won't be notably harmful l to performance or equipment
I agree, the Monarch is a sub par shock. Maybe if I had to choose between a CC shock that has to be sent in for service I would go with a Monarch, but luckily that isn't a choice forced on me!
I just don't see what your are talking about being restricted? Like, how? Their videos date all the way back to 2009 and as long as I have been working on my bike I have just called them up and told them what part I want. I guess the only thing you can ACTUALLY say is that you can't usually purchase official Fox upgrades from 3rd party retailers which is again, not a valid issue.
I don't think the Monarch is sub par at all, it's a very good, mass market shock which is super easy to service (not just talking about slapping some grease inside the air can here) and the parts can be found at many 3rd party outlets often for less than retail. It's just not fantastic, in general Rockshox' build and material quality doesn't have the same high end feel as Fox but then there is quite a difference in price between the two and obviously you get what you pay for. But on the bike the two are exactly the same, the only way to effect change and make either one better than the other is through tender loving care and tuning - something which is a lot easier (for the home mechanic) with Rockshox than Fox as much as I wish it weren't.
Hey bud. It's not like Sram held a gun to any companies forcing them to get on board with boost.
But they did it didn't they?
It's called progress.
The world needs it.
It makes things better you twat.
You're an idiot.
This comment insinuates Sram makes the Final call on all bike standards.
6 months later still no one has called to let me know parts arrived.
So really at this point any experience with fox suspension services can only get better... Right?
There, I fixed it for you. Watsonville is not that bad - on the central coast of CA, tucked up between coastal mountain ranges, and I guarantee you that the workers at Fox don't make minimum wage for long. Skilled technicians are valuable and valued anywhere near Silicon Valley.
Trust me... they'd rather be in an air conditioned warehouse working for MORE than min and getting full benefits that picking strawberries based on baskets and not getting any benefits.
I'd venture to guess than none of the techs at Watsonville make min. They're all way over. I'd be surprised if any of the positions there start at min. Even line workers. And beyond that... they're not working on $10k super bikes. They're working on one piece of a fork or a shock.
But you got china/taiwan dead on for sure. Screw that noise! It is getting better... slightly... over there. Mainly because larger companies are demanding certain standards be met or they pull their production and put it in other factories. Disney for example.
Side note... I live near Watsonville. Anything outside of downtown is rad. Weather doesn't get much better. Ocean less than 10 miles away. MTB riding less than 10 miles away. Post Office is gone but there's still some DJ's around. Tons of great shops around. Snowboarding is less than 4 hours away. Surf. Best Mexican food around. Etc.
This program stinks of profiteering in disguise as "customer service".
Now it's time to start thinking about having them serviced again and I don't know who to turn to.
I intend to use it when they actually have metric shocks available.
Were so lucky to have such quality distros/shops as these (and a few others like sprung sus) in the UK.
It's nothing like the service Push or Avalanche offer where your weight, bike, riding style, and preferences are taken into account.
like what TFtuned, jtech, mojo etc have been doing for years.
so 2018 forks/shocks will be void of warranty if its serviced by a non fox tech?
-Futureproof the designs and make retrofittable upgrades
-Don't release a new spacing/wheel/whatever standard each year
-Make products more durable (better sealing, more lubrication oil, better bushings etc.)
-Don't release new product each year with insignificant performance increase
-Keep making spare parts even if the product in question is a couple of years old
-Avoid propietary designs (Brain, Re:Aktiv, Specialized clevis bodies and special shock sizes)
Of couse all of this goes against the desires of the stockholders, because no. 1 priority is revenue.
Pfft
Are you listening SRAM?