Prototype Spotted – FOX 38 Suspension Fork | ENDURO Mountainbike Magazine

During the pivotal final round of the EWS, both Richie Rude and Martin Maes took on the tough race using a new prototype FOX fork. It looks like a burlier FOX 38 will soon be joining the FOX lineup.

Nowhere to hide. It was clearly not a FOX 36 on the front of Martin Maes bike

During each EWS round, there’s often exciting product being tested by the elite racers, some products well hidden, some hard to hide. However, when you fit something like a new prototype fork to the front of Richie Rude and Martin Maes’ bikes, people are going to notice.

The prototype features a revised bridge and clearly thicker 38 mm stanchions

These prototypes are labelled under FOX’s Research and Development, RAD program, and there was no official statement from FOX. However, while the FOX Race Support technicians were not able to give details of the new fork, we can confirm that they have 38 mm stanchions and were being tested at 170 mm of travel. This means they fit directly in between their flagship 36 mm enduro chassis and their triple clamp 40 mm DH chassis. Just like the FOX 40, The prototype fork also has pressure release valves at the back of the fork legs, allowing internal pressure built up from heat and elevation to be released, optimizing small-bump compliance. The damper inside the fork looked to be the current GRIP2.

On the back of each fork leg was a bleed valve

The new fork is stiffer, more sensitive and better than the FOX 40! – Martin Maes

The prototype fork was being tested with a top-of-the-line GRIP2 damper.

The forks appeared to being tested at 170 mm of travel

Will we see a new FOX 38 hitting production soon?

FOX’s RAD program often works a number of years ahead, however, for Richie and Martin to take to the tough trails of Zermatt on prototype forks during such an important race, it would suggest that these prototypes are at a very advanced stage. With enduro bikes growing in travel, a 38 mm chassis single-crown FOX fork would make a lot of sense.

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Words: Photos: Manne Schmitt

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