FOX 36 FLOAT Factory GRIP2 – € 1,399
FOX have always been a brand comfortable on the top of a podium, last season, the ‘racers only’ Heritage Orange fork got everyone hot under the collar (FOX then opened the exclusive colour to the free market), it was the fork to be seen with. The 2018 EVOL FIT fork from FOX was already a huge step forward for FOX, with a bigger EVOL negative air spring, new PTFE damper oil and fewer seals, at the time it was the best fork we had tested. But just one year later, FOX surprised us all with a ground-up redesign, moving away from the bladder design that has defined FOX’s top-end dampers for decades, and launching GRIP2. The new GRIP2 damper uses a spring-backed IFP, with new Variable Valve Control, high-speed rebound adjustment, and claimed reduced friction throughout. Removing the GRIP2 damper from the fork you clearly feel how smooth the initial stoke has become. Changing from a bladder to a coil spring backed IFP should mean that servicing is simpler, and reliability should be improved. GRIP2 is high tunable, and with the addition of high-speed rebound (HSR) adjustment we are pleased that FOX include a good setup guide. We found it best to think of the HSR as ‘setting the range of the LSR’ (low-speed rebound) using the setting as suggested in the setup guide, then making all rebound adjustments using just the LSR.
On the trail, it was instantly clear that GRIP2 is very different to the 2018 FIT we had been riding, and we quickly removed two tokens and ran considerably less compression. the GRIP2 is VERY supportive through the middle of the stroke! At low speeds the small bump sensitivity is very high, pattering smoothly over trail imperfections, but where the fork really shines is at high speeds, where the fork demonstrates total composure, absorbing huge hits without ever feeling like it’s pushing hard. Recovery is exceptional and you never feel that the fork is getting confused by high speed terrain. All the forks in this test are great performers, but the GRIP2 is a class apart, only rivalled by the new Lyrik RC2. Where the forks performance is most noticeable is on steep descents where the support of the GRIP2 damper holds its posture really well, delivering superb performance without needing higher pressures or lots of LSC to stop diving, Even when the gradient was near vertical we could still lean on the fork. Chassis stiffness is very high and the 36 mm stanchions are powerful when it comes to fast line changes or hanging off in a hard compressions. The FOX 36 FLOAT FACTORY GRIP2 is sublime, a rip-snorting, race-ready beast of a fork, racers will love it.
Conclusion
The new FOX 36 FLOAT FACTORY is a ground-up redesign and the latest GRIP2 damper is simpler, more supportive and has improved sensitivity. The FOX 36 GRIP2 is a suspension product at the very peak of its game, A podium stealer in orange. However, this performance does come at a price.
+ GRIP2 is a game changer
+ Precise handling
– Too much adjustment for some
– You will need to sell a kidney
For more information head to ridefox.com
