Unboxing The New Fox 36 Fork - Comparing old vs new 36

When we heard ‪@FOXFACTORY‬ had developed an updated fork crown for their beloved 36, we knew there would be some excited riders out there.
The new Fox 36 crown offers a reduction in weight while also making some claims around enhanced durability and performance. We’re sure that also means the noise that some customers experienced in previous generation Fox forks was a goal in the development of this new and improved crown.
How does the new crown look up close and in person? Definitely an improvement and quite a bit more material, which should only mean good things for mountain bikers looking to ride hard.
For more info visit theloamwolf.com to see the full press release:
theloamwolf.com/2022/04/07/we...

[@fairlyfunctional2236]

this has been my dream fork for a while and i was able to find one for half price, ordered it yesterday. i'm so stoked. great video, bro.

[@sayeeet8349]

same here!

[@justinnieves984]

Haha you just got yours too huh? I've been waiting for months! Just installed it (36 150mm) and started working on dialing it in. Wow! I love it!

[@WheeliamWallace]

Loam Wolf with the content we want. I'm starting to check the loam wolf page before Vital and Pink now.

[@TheLoamWolf]

Heck yeah, that's what we like to hear. Thanks!

[@SDmountainbiker]

Once again, Loam Wolf Pack on point. Have some great trails down here in San Diego along with some pretty cool microbreweries. Rounds on me if you ever migrate south!

[@littlewill4446]

Really hope they did actully fix the creaking, it was pretty annoying😂

[@Bench_mark_113]

I wonder if the weight is the same if you swap the qr axle with the bolt on kabolt. But good to see fox continue to support the 36!

[@hoff482]

Looks like a nice improvement. I would love a Fox 36. I am currently running a Fox performance 34 on my Orbea Rise. This would be a great fork for my bike in my opinion.

[@gingerb36]

I have the 36 with grip 2, on my Orbea Rise and it’s sublime 🤙

[@badhabit2889]

You guys think i can put fox factory 36 fit4 51mm offset works with orbea rise? i have rise hydro 30

[@NerdsonDirtMTB]

How many EWS races have been won on 36s? Many, a lot of people forget 38s was designed with eBikes in mind. The 36 is a great fork for 90 % of the all mountain/ Enduro (if you like FOX).

[@bartoszkaczynski8609]

Most of the difference in weight in your comparison comes from the difference in the axles - kaboltX in the new one vs what is seems to be the standard axle on the old one. I know that cause I've swapped the axle for kaboltX on mine 36.

[@kuyajayyoutubechannel6327]

When it come to cross country bikes which is better for racing fox stepcast 32 or rock shock Sid sl ultimate?

[@adamsilversmith]

Does the older one have a ridge going down the back near the blender buttons? Or is that just on the newest one?

[@aaronburela432]

I had csu issues fixed under warranty, but hopefully it is fixed cause I need another one lol

[@albertmaftei4457]

Hi.Can you tell me if is any difference between the kashima color from the fox 38, 36 and fox 40? All 2021/22

[@davenawahine4428]

I dropped a late model grip 2 damper in a rhythm chassis along with low friction skf seals and it's a definite improvement. What I noticed was that the high speed compression has 8 clicks, not 16 as listed in the fox tuning guide. Is that right?

[@gen-X-trader]

2019-2020 grip 2 had 16 but it was questionable how it really worked. the 2021+ is 8 with each click being noticeable. if you have 8 it just means you have the updated design. i have ridden both and while similar the one you have is much easier to remember and set a tune on. the 16 click dampers would sometimes be 16 clicks. sometimes,17 and as much as 21. the stops were weird and fox was warrantying those for people who complained. the newer design has positive stops and clicks. the ones i have seen that were oddballs were all early 2019 models

[@theadventuregamer6693]

When will the 2023 model be available for purchase?

[@sneakyray9160]

I want to upgrade my Fox 34 performance Elite, 130mm fit4 damper, 15x110 kabolt, 44mm offset, off of my 2021 Giant Trance Advanced Pro 29-1 for Fox Factory 36 150mm.

[@grrlewis1]

So I think this has solved the mystery of the intermittent creak/cracking noise I get from the front end of my Ripmo. Invariably it occurs when I go through a compression whilst seated. I couldn’t figure out where it was coming from & had initially blamed the headset, then my saddle clamp & then gave up & stopped trying to find it. Does this mean there is some movement between the streerer & the crown? Scary.

[@timtb7906]

Movement? No. Appearently its micro friction or something like that. Theres one really good post in some forum i forgot which explains it perfectly. Anyways RockShox already fixed it by glueing together the stanchions and the crown.

[@finkelmann]

Its called csu (crown steerer unit) creak and it plagues many fox forks for years now. I'd say a good 25-30% of forks based on my experience, to some degree. Its not a safety concern- i've never seen a steerer separate completely. But it is annoying as hell and there aren't really any good long term solutions (some loctites mitigate it temporarily, and some suspension gurus can treat it by pulling the whole thing out and pressing it better. But for the most part its leads to a warrany claim rabbit hole, and if you're not the original owner you're pretty much screwed)

[@dont_hit_trees]

Micro friction = Movement

[@jessehill3780]

The only thing about the 38 vs the 36 is the 38 still has a better air spring. I could have easily done a 36 and saved weight but the 38’s air spring design is far superior with more lower leg volume and the ability to run the fork more linear. Fox should switch the 36 to the 38 style air spring, I’m betting it comes on the next full revision.

[@benedictmojo2202]

spot on..I had my 36 before and switched to 38 and i can easily feel the big difference..ride safe!

[@TheLoamWolf]

It is definitely a better feeling air spring no doubt.

[@niminnimin7197]

Hello 👋 You think I can feed this shock to trek fuel ex5 2022.?? Wanted to upgrade from rockshox recon.. Good idea?

[@TheLoamWolf]

Hey thanks for reaching out. Yes upgrading from the Rekon would be a huge improvement to that bike's handling! a 34 or 36 or even a Marzocchi Z1, which may save you money and still be an improvement could be worth considering. Also look at the Bomber Air rear shock from Marzocchi to get a front and rear upgrade! It'll make a big difference.

[@niminnimin7197]

@@TheLoamWolf thank you mate 👍 The rear one I upgraded to Rock shock ultimate deluxe.. and now am looking for the front one.. I will check your recommendations and will pick one.. just I really like the fox 36 😊 Big thanks for replying.. Peace ✌ and keep doing great job 👍

[@thim8009]

I'm tall and heavy. On my ebikes I roll with either a zeb or 38. On my stumpy evo I run a 36. No complaints.

[@interpluswork8065]

Says every gram counts. . . than measures in imperial :D :D :D

[@th_js]

🤬

[@icy_icecream]

🤘

[@donbenincasa7442]

The 2021 has a QR axle and that weighs more 🤨

[@ninjazzrhythm400]

So they're using the same fork as marzzocchi z1 but different internals and color?

[@keiraneagen3336]

Other way around. Fox acquired Marzocchi (pretty sure) and the Marzocchi forks are basically Fox performance models with different colors and internals. The Fox Factory and Performance Elite models are actually different forks entirely and theoretically provide measurable performance enhancements.

[@arjaysuper]

I wanted to have one! but cant afford it. :D

[@spuddo123]

I feel like rockshox is gonna drop a new boxxer and a new charger damper at least, otherwise they're gonna be so far behind fox in the gravity department

[@jaysealenduro5618]

new boxxer and zeb both will have new charger 3 and maybe debonair spring but i think boxxer will have new chassis and zeb same chassis but with air bleeders. they already have working prototype Blackbox equipped to some EWS and DH world cup pro's since last early 2021 for testing. And i can't say Rs is far behind cause for real they have different style of releasing new products by a period of many years in fact it's actually the opposite the Rockshox is always ahead on XC/Trail/AmEnduro/gravity suspensions. I remember when fox 38 got released the zeb is already in development 2 years before that.

[@timtb7906]

also RockShox fixed the creaking csu already like 4 years ago while its something new for fox this year.

[@th_js]

@@timtb7906 That is not true at all, lol. I've owned 3 RS forks in the past 4 years, and all of them have creaked at the crown.

[@timtb7906]

@@th_js havent heard of a single rs fork newer than like 2019 creaking.

[@th_js]

@@timtb7906 That's insane. I've been in the understanding that there hasn't even been an attempt to fix the creaking, since I've heard of so many people's 2019+ RS fork creaking. I have a 2020 Lyrik, creaks like hell, and a 2021 Zeb Ultimate, creaks, not as much as the Lyrik, but still very annoying.

[@koukimonzta]

so thats considered as a 2023 model ?

[@TheLoamWolf]

You are correct.

[@pbls43]

Correction:some people didn't have creaking problems...

[@timtb7906]

it will appear on every fork with the older design eventually though.

[@LCNismo]

My floating axle tends to come loose over time …

[@TFritz82]

I've had my 38 for just over a year now and have noticed the same. About to go to a Kabolt style axle. I've found that every now and then, you need to take an allen wrench to the side opposite the axle lever and 'take up' on it just a touch. It is not tight at all, almost finger tight, but allows you to regain that tension on the lever once again, as you close it.

[@TeamCykelhold]

Super cool fork. The only thing missing from it is that it isn't a Mezzer Pro. To address the sentiment that if the fork is good enough for Greg Minnaar then it's good enough for everybody is stupid. If Greg Minnaar went down a bike on a rigid bike from the 80ies he would rip. It doesn't mean a rigid bike from the 80ies is just great for anybody. It's actually quite the opposite. The worse you are at riding, the more help you need from the suspension. Just look at all the dentists bumbling down mellow hills slowly with their Kashima coated 38s.

[@th_js]

I know, right? I see too much of "If *insert hyped famous rider* uses it, it must be very good"...

[@gingerb36]

Enjoy Sea Otter

[@jy60517]

Jensen USA got the fox 36 grip 2 on sale now for half price down to $599 . Just ordered it can’t beat that price.

[@denesk2794]

I feel absolutely no difference between my 160mm 36 and 170mm 38 (29 and 27.5). However I have a 180mm 36 that definitely is flexier sideways than the rest. I don't have a 180mm 38 to compare though. Also that 36 is not boost..... so who knows if a 180mm boost is that much stiffer.

[@70HeavyChevy]

Just bought a replacement CSU last week to resolve this exact issue 👎🏻

[@TheLoamWolf]

Bummer to hear that. Good news is that should be the last one you have to buy!

[@NeuroticNexus]

What are pounds and ounces? Am I in middle age? Joke, thanks for the vid

[@JJ_MTB_15]

That weight savings is not even worth noting.

[@jonathanvasquez9604]

Fox is confusing. marketing strategies 😅

[@timtb7906]

both of my friends with 36s are on their 3rd and 2nd csu (warranty). I dont think thats really cost effective from fox either.

[@finkelmann]

CSU creak was secondary to weight saving?!?! That just shows how much slack were cutting bike part manufacturers, even after a decade of such a lame creaky design. kinda disappointed how you tippie-toed around the issue.

[@timtb7906]

exactly. Still some brands managed to solve this problem.

[@Casualfulltime]

20g 🤣

[@unspecialist]

Had to pause the vid 5 times to convert objects and body parts to scientific based contemporary units… dear Americans pls.. it’s 2022

[@th_js]

Same