The name is the same, but Fox’s new 36 is a totally reworked trail dominator for the smartest, fastest riders.
The new chassis has been put on a savage diet
throughout to drop 385g over the 2014 fork and put it within 100g of the
obvious RockShox Pike competition. Despite the weight savings, larger diameter
legs give it a noticeable stiffness edge when carving through high-load corners
or braking. While they’re a pain in a hurry, the DH fork style bolted dropouts
give ultimate axle security and inserts let you run a 15mm or 20mm axle.
Reduced ride height means the new 36 fits the geometry of more bikes – or lets
you sneak more travel into the same space.
The Kashima coating on the legs is slipperier, new
seals and lubes have been added, and the FIT damper cartridge valving has been
altered too. The result is a much more open, sensitive feeling fork that offers
better climbing and flat singletrack traction but hasn’t lost any of the
support and accuracy that’s always made the RC2 so popular with the hardest
riders. The solid structural stiffness means less shearing stiction too so it
stays reactive under brutal braking and cornering loads, and – unlike the Pike
– even the long-travel 29er versions feel poised and super-accurate.
Damping performance can be fine tuned with the
independent high- and low-speed compression adjusters for as firm or flowing
ride as you like. Though we’ve not felt the need, progression can be increased
easily too by adding the supplied volume spacers to the air spring, which is
much more accurate than the old ‘adding fork oil’ solution. Reliability of the
several sets we’ve been beasting since last summer has been great and if you
really want to get anal with your adjustments, Mojo’s fettling reputation is
second to none.
Travel 160mm
Weight 1,980g
Length 549mm
Wheel sizes 26in, 650b, 29in
PRICE 1375$
