Fox finally did it. To launch the new Grip X damper line, Fox finally took Kashima-coating to its logical conclusion with an all-gold fork.
No, the suspension giant didn’t actually coat a whole fork with its Kashima finish and there are no claims to any performance benefit. Instead, the all-gold treatment celebrates Fox’s 50th anniversary, as well as the Grip X launch. And yes, you can buy it.
For XC fans looking forward to Paris, Fox has a bold new take on an old design, making its 32SC fork its lightest cross country fork ever.
From XC to DH: Fox has a Grip X for every rider
This is a big release for Fox, covering everything from its XC and gravel 32 forks to the full-on gravity forks, Fox 40 and 38. Throughout the line, Fox relies on its 50 years of suspension experience to deliver quality design for every rider. There’s no electronics to distract, or drain batteries. Just tried and true mechanical design.
The line starts with the Grip SL, Fox’s lightest XC damper ever. It will hide inside 32 TC, 32SC and 34SC cross country race forks. The Grip X covers a range of trail and larger forks, from 34 and 36, with select OEM-only 38 forks also using the Grip X. The top-end Grip X2 will control damping for 36, 38 and 40 forks, with select OEM Fox 34’s getting the X2 as well.
Fox Grip X2
The gravity-focused Grip X2 focuses on maximizing control for riders. Fox lowers the pressure required to support the fork by moving from the Grip 2’s 20mm base valve to a 24mm base valve to give increased sensitivity. This supports a 23-count valve stack, adding an even wider range of clicks so riders have a more external adjustment available to tune the fork for their riding. All of this is designed to keep the fork sitting higher in its travel for better small-bump sensitivity. That means more control and more traction on trail.
The Grip X2 remains four-way adjustable. That means high and low-speed compression and high and low-speed rebound are all externally adjustable.
Grip X damper
You’ll find it inside Fox 34s
And in all-gold Fox 32
But it’s also making its way to the Fox 34 Performance Elite series forks
Fox Grip X
For the Grip X, Fox aims for a mix of control and tune-ability. The high-speed compression knob doubles as a “firm” mode switch, locking out the high and low-speed compression for climbing. Turn the knob fully clockwise until there is a more distinctive, final click for climbing. The twist the knob back to our HSC setting for the…
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