Fox just dropped two brand-new forks in their legendary 36 line-up, and let me tell you—they’ve packed in some seriously cool tech. So, we headed over to Fox’s Aussie HQ last week to get a first look, and here’s the lowdown.
You know the age-old trail rider’s dilemma: Do you go for a lighter 34mm stanchion fork, or do you beef up to a 36mm for that extra stiffness and big-hit confidence? Why not both? Well, Fox just made that decision easier by splitting the 36 into two distinct models. The ‘SL’ version is all about aggressive trail riding, with 120-140mm of travel, while the standard 36 sticks with 140-160mm travel for riders who like sending it but still want to keep things relatively lightweight.
Now, if you’ve been paying attention, you’ll know Fox already revamped the 36 last year with the Grip X2 and Grip X dampers, plus a bigger base valve, more shims, and a pressure-balanced design. So what’s new this time? The big focus is on the chassis—Fox has gone all-in on improving stiffness, precision, and tracking. They’ve done this with a generatively designed crown and all-new lowers, which now feature wider-spaced bushings to increase overlap with the upper tubes. Translation? Better small-bump sensitivity and more support when you’re really pushing the fork hard.
Weight savings are also a big deal here. Fox spread the bushings 30mm further apart inside the lower legs, which reduces friction and gives better support, especially when the fork is under stress—think hard cornering, heavy braking, or landing deep off a jump. They also added new rubber bushings at the air shaft head and negative plate to help the piston move smoothly, even when the fork is flexing or twisting.
And there’s more. Fox repositioned the bypass channels (those little pathways that keep oil flowing and everything nice and lubricated) from the back of the lowers to the inside of the legs. Why? To improve stiffness right where it matters. Meanwhile, at the rear of the fork, you’ll find new, more compact bleed valves, plus a redesigned mudguard mount that bolts to the brace instead of using the bleed port screws.
Oh, and this is cool—the air spring top cap on both the 36 and 36 SL now uses a standard Shimano cassette tool for volume adjustments. No more weird proprietary tools! Plus, they updated the pressure release valves with a notch that lets air escape from under your finger when you press it down.
It’s clear Fox’s R&D team has been working overtime to squeeze out every bit of performance while dropping weight. We can’t wait to throw a leg over these new forks and see how they ride. Stay tuned—plenty more Fox Factory coverage coming your way soon!
Fox 36 SL
Fox 36
Fox 36 key details:
Wheel Size: 29, 27.5
Travel: 140mm, 150mm, 160mm
Rake: 37mm, 44mm (27.5”); 44mm (29”)
Axle: Kabolt, 15QR on Performance Series
Rotor Size: Direct Mount 200, up to 230
Air Spring: FLOAT EVOL Compliant
Steerer: 1.5” Tapered
Weight: 1920g
Fox 36 SL key details:
Wheel Size: 29 exclusive.
Travel: 120mm, 130mm, 140mm
Rake: 44mm offset
Axle: Kabolt SL
Rotor Size: Direct Mount 180, up to 203
Air Spring: FLOAT EVOL Compliant
Steerer: 1.5” Tapered
Weight: 1755g