36 – The Apex of All-Mountain
This evolution of the FOX 36 impresses with superior performance for all-mountain biking and offers the perfect balance between stiffness, control, and suspension smoothness. The 36 delivers enduro-level feel with increased steering precision and buttery-smooth suspension, but without added weight.
What's new? The Fox 36 features a revised chassis with an optimized fork arch. The new design provides 20% more stiffness than its predecessor. This brings the Fox 36 nearly to the level of the larger Fox 38, but without the extra weight. The FLOAT suspension has also been updated. The FLOAT Glidecore Air Spring allows the suspension to yield under heavy side loads, thereby reducing the resulting friction. In practice, this means consistent, low-friction compression, even on the roughest trails. The bushing overlap has been increased by 30 mm to make the ride feel even smoother over small bumps and at high speeds. Furthermore, the post-mount brake disc mount has been increased to 200 mm.
As a representative of the Factory series, this fork with improved FLOAT air suspension is, of course, feature-rich. Technically, the Gravity-focused GRIP X2 damper particularly stands out, generating maximum traction and thus creating the confidence needed for racing.
Both the "Bypass" channels and the special bleed valves are dedicated to pressure adjustment to exploit the suspension's maximum travel potential on one hand and to optimize the fork's response behavior on the other. With its smooth and extremely durable Kashima coating, the 36 fork is also visually impressive.
Technical details of the FOX 36 fork
Series: Factory
Suspension: FLOAT EVOL Glidecore
Damper: GRIP X2
Low-Speed Compression (LSC): 18 clicks
High-Speed Compression (HSC): 8 clicks
Low-Speed Rebound (LSR): 16 clicks
High-Speed Rebound (HSR): 8 clicks
Steerer Tube: 1 1/8" - 1 1/2" diameter (Tapered)
Stanchions: 36 mm diameter, with Kashima coating
Mounting Dimensions: 15 x 110 mm Boost (Kabolt X thru-axle)
Glidecore Air Spring The Glidecore Air Spring features a stanchion with elastomer bumpers. This allows it to move independently of the air piston, especially when the fork is deep in its travel. This helps reduce air piston friction in these situations. The result? A smoother suspension feel.
GRIP X2 Greater Traction. Even more Control and Speed. When it comes to tune, support, and plushness, this descent-oriented damper stands out not only in the FOX lineup. By leveraging the benefits of long travel, GRIP X2 generates maximum ground contact and immense cornering traction. This not only combats fatigue but also gives riders the confidence to push the limits in Downhill and Enduro races.
Arch Against The 36 SL fork arch, optimized by FOX engineers, wraps around the fork lowers and contributes to a 20% increase in torsional stiffness compared to the previous trail fork, the 34. Strategic cutouts help minimize weight.
Lower Leg Bypass Channels Air pressure increases during compression, which can prevent the fork from reaching its full travel. The channels in the stanchions solve this issue by significantly increasing the air volume. This not only reduces the occurrence of unwanted pressure spikes but also allows oil to circulate into the upper areas of the stanchions, keeping the internal seals and bushings constantly lubricated.
Lower Leg Bleeders To further improve sensitivity and responsiveness to small bumps, in addition to the "Bypass" channels, the stanchions are equipped with bleed valves that allow equalizing atmospheric pressure with the simple press of a button.
Kabolt X The floating Bolt-On thru-axle with a one-sided Pinch-Axle design not only saves weight wherever possible but also improves torsional stiffness. Furthermore, the chassis alignment prevents unwanted friction between the upper and lower fork legs, for smoother suspension movement throughout the entire travel.