FOX 34 Performance Elite Suspension Fork [Rider Review]

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

When it comes to finding the right fork the the job, FOX doesn't shy away from being just that. The FOX 34 fork performance elite fork has the factory performance of their top forks, but doesn't break the bank. Our friend, Darrell, has been running the fork. See what they think!

Overview

It took me a little while to make the move to buy this fork, but the weight and responsiveness of my Marzocchi Z2 were bringing me down, literally. I have an older model Giant Trance 2 which has a Fox Rhythm 34 upfront which I have always liked, so I got to thinking, I wonder how much of a difference this Fox 34 Performance Elite would make. So I reluctantly purchased it from the guys at Worldwide Cyclery. I had already purchased an I9 wheelset from them (which are awesome by the way) so I thought what could go wrong?

First off I really was amazed by how fast it shipped (kudos WC). I live in a remote area so I don't have an LBS, as a matter of fact, the closest shop is 2 hrs. away, so I hit up the guys at WC for guidance on a good match to my old fork. I gotta tell ya, the specs on this fork matched to a "T" with my old fork, which not only made it extremely easy to install, but I had no issues making the riding adjustments that I would likely have to make with a different travel or a different offset.

I set it up and took it to the trails... It took me a little bit to dial in the air pressure, kind of finicky if you ask me, but once I did, WOW!! Light and plush, like riding on air. The first drop was amazing, I did not have to force the front to come up as I would with my old fork, a nice little lean back, and let the bike do the rest. I'm not sure if the old fork was dialed incorrectly, but I imagine the guys at the bike shop would have done a better job than myself, so it had to have been the difference in the quality of the forks, because I cruised right over some of the rougher spots of the trail, and the fork ate up the chunk on the tech with no problems. Since my first ride with this new fork, I have had a complete ear-to-ear grin. What a difference it made,

I am a happy rider.

Now I'm not really one for appearance as much performance, (I lie, it was actually one of the selling points in my decision to go with this fork.) but this fork looks nice on my bike, the color is spot on, and the matte finish is pimpin' (is that even a word anymore?) It actually looks like the fork came as a stock item. You get what I'm saying, it's nice, just take a look at the photos. I am very pleased with how my bike looks.

Final Thoughts

So, all in all, I was worried about how much I wanted to spend on a fork but I am sure glad I did!! The look and the performance of this fork are far superior to the fork I was riding before. Shout out to all at WC for pointing me in the right direction.