Fox Shox Float 36 GRIP2 Damper Upgrade [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.

Fox suspension is known as the benchmark in the industry. They have a full range of suspension to cover every discipline, each with varying levels of performance and adjustability. The premier level damper gives you complete control of every movement that makes each ride better and better. Craig recently upgraded to the GRIP2 on his 36 fork. Let's take a look at his thoughts below!

Introduction

I bought a 2019 Fox 36 Factory fork to replace the RockShox Lyrik that came with my 2019 Trek Remedy 9.8. I have always enjoyed the feel of Fox shocks more than any other brand especially RockShox. The issue was the fork I bought came with the FIT4 damper and I wanted to test out the new GRIP2 damper. After a lot of research about the difference between the FIT4 and GRIP2  dampers, I decided I needed to give the GRIP2 damper a try. Luckily, Worldwide Cyclery had the GRIP2 damper kit in stock, and I was able to order one.

Installation

The install was simple and took about 30 minutes including cleaning the internals of the damper side of the fork. The one thing the damper does not come with that is recommended from Fox is the 5wt fluid specifically for the GRIP2 damper. The good news is, I bought this from Worldwide Cyclery as well and it is not very expensive for how much you get. My only recommendations for installation are, be sure to be careful with the shaft of the damper and do not over-torque the screws and bolts. This seems obvious but I am used to abusing my bike and must remind myself to be careful with the internal parts.

Setup and Performance

The Lost Co. has an in-depth guide for setting up the fork and I was able to follow their recommendations for adjusting rebound/compression and air pressure. I started with the recommended settings form the Fox website for HSC/LSC and HSR/LSR and rode a few laps at my local trails. Based on the laps at my local trails, I was able to make the appropriate adjustments and repeat the process. This is obviously not science since it is based on feel and individual preference but that’s kind of the point of having so many adjustments.

I have been riding the fork with the Grip 2 damper for 8 months and have noticed a significant difference between the Fit4 and Grip 2 damper. Most noticeably is the plushness and responsiveness of the top end of the travel now.

The additional levels of customization from HSC/LSC and HSR/LSR have allowed me to smooth out the full length of travel in conjunction with airside spacers and air pressure tuning. Although it takes some time to get the fork set up just right, it feels extremely smooth through rock gardens and big drops.

Final Thoughts

The damper has excelled at both my local trails in San Diego as well as at Mammoth and Snow Summit bike parks. I do not have to adjust the fork pressure anymore when changing between flow trails, chunky tech trails, or jump trails. While still being an air damper fork, it feels much more supple through the initial 50% of the travel while maintaining the progressiveness towards the latter half of the travel.