Fox 36 Float Factory FIT GRIP2 fork (2019) £1,139
DESPITE THE SUPPORTIVE FEEL, IT NEVER SEEM SHARSH. IT’S SUPPLE OVER SMALL BUMP SAND CHANGES FROM REBOUND TO COMPRESSION WITH MINIMAL LAG
Fox and RockShox have been battling to build the best enduro fork for years. In March, RockShox launched a revamped Lyrik RC2, which simply outclassed Fox’s 36 FIT4. They’ve now hit back with the 2019 36 GRIP2, which uses a new four-way adjustable damper. Fox claim this cuts friction and offers more usable adjustment. It also has a higher-flow mid valve, which is said to reduce the effect of the rebound setting on the compression feel and give greater control over the compression damping curve.
Our testers needed a little more air pressure than Fox recommend for their weight to get the right amount of sag, but both needed just one volume spacer. While Rob found the recommended rebound settings worked well, Seb felt the fork needed a slightly quicker rebound to get it tracking the terrain better. Opening the high-speed rebound any further than three clicks from closed created a harsh feeling on big impacts, so we stuck with three.
The fork impressed both testers with its balance of sensitivity and support. Even with the compression damping run fully open, you can feel the damper holding the bike up when riding through repeated holes, but despite the supportive feel, it never seems harsh. It’s supple over small bumps and changes from rebound to compression with minimal lag. This creates a very comfy ride as it smoothly tracks the ground over pitter-patter roots or rocks. In back-to back tests, we also got less hand pain on long runs with the 36 than the Lyrik.
That said, the 36’s air spring isn’t as sensitive off the top as the Lyrik’s, so it doesn’t feel quite so stuck to the ground. This is because, in fixing the top-out issue we reported on the 2018 version of the fork, Fox have decreased the negative spring volume slightly. The softer start to the Lyrik’s spring means it can be run firmer for more mid-stroke support without feeling harsh off the top, so it holds the fork up better under prolonged braking too. While the Lyrik works better with a firm spring set-up, the 36 gets more support from the damper. This means it feels more measured, albeit a little less lively. Most riders will want to keep the compression damping fairly open (unlike on the Lyrik, where the whole adjustment range is usable) and we didn’t find the 36’s high-speed rebound adjuster particularly useful either. Once we’d got it to feel right, we left it alone.
In performance terms, it’s too close to call. Fox’s longer service intervals (125 hours versus 50) might just have swung it if it wasn’t for the £150 price difference. That’s the deciding factor in our book. The 36 is marginally heavier than the Lyrik too (thanks in part to an increase in oil volume), though the difference is a scant 29g according to our scales, with the Fox fork weighing in at 2,110g. Seb www.silverfish-uk.com
Supple yet supportive fork that beats its main rival in some areas but can’t match it for sensitivity or price