2026 is proving to be a busy season for anyone selling squishy bits on a bike, with both Fox and RockShox rolling out extensive updates to their line-ups of shocks and forks. Instead of going over each release separately, we’re putting them all in one place where you can see how the two major brands compare, and where they diverge.
Just a note: despite being launched early in 2026, both Fox and RockShox are calling all the following announcements their 2027 products. But you’ll see them in stores and on bikes well before that. We’re living in the future, man.
Trail/Enduro forks: Updated and all-new
Some of the bigger changes for both brands come in the fork category. Both RockShox and Fox released big forks that are almost entirely new.
Fox re-writes 38 and updates trail forks
For Fox, the 38 gets new lowers, a new crown, new internals. Basically everything but the name, steerer and axle are updated. The double enduro world cup winning fork still runs between 160 and 180mm travel, but there are updates galore. Bleeder valves move to a more accessible feature.
Like the inverted Podium fork last year, the 38 now has significantly increased bushing overlap, up by 20mm, for more fore-aft stiffness and decreased friction. There’s also Float Glidecore air springs, allowing movement with the fork under load. A new arch design balances stiffness, weight, and steering responsiveness.
After releasing a raft of new shorter-travel forks in 2025, the 34 SL, 36 SL, and 36 all get updated dampers. The Grip X damper is also still quite new, but it gets significantly revised to improve descending capabilities. It also loses the climb switch in favour of more fine-tuning options. That’s intended to bring it closer to the performance of the Grip X2 while dropping weight to come in around 120g lighter than that heavy-duty damper.
Fox also makes the RAD 40 forks spotted on Gracey Hemstreet and Jackson Goldstone’s bikes through the latter half of the 2025 season and makes them widely available. These introduce a bit more forgiveness into the brand’s DH line, as well as new internals.
RockShox re-releases Lyric and Zeb
Matching Fox’s re-released 38, RockShox fully redesigns the long-travel single-crown Zeb. RS’s enduro fork borrows some tech from the new Boxxer. The Lyrik, which RockShox calls “long travel, not crazy travel” is also fully re-designed for the new year. There’s a new Charger 3.2 damper, designed to balance with the new RCT2…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…