Ultimate Review Guide: Fox 36 Fork

When the Fox 36 suspension fork was revamped for 2016, it became a true contender for any aggressive trail bike fork. The Fox 36 is the fork of choice for 2015 and 2016 Enduro World Series Champion, Richie Rude. Fox says the 36 is designed to meet the most demanding terrain, and with an updated air spring for 2018, the 36 seems to be getting better and better. Here in this Ultimate Review Guide we have put together a one stop shop to everything you need to know about the Fox 36 fork. You will find all the most popular reviews, important technical information, and killer custom builds!

Left: Fox 36 Factory Series, Right: Fox 36 Performance Series

Worldwide Cyclery Review

This our take on the Fox 36 - "The bottom line is the 2017 Fox Float 36 is one of the best suspension forks on the market! This fork is a true contender to the proven Rockshox Pike. I felt like the 36 was able to handle everything I threw at it. This thing rips - and that is one of the best feelings to have when riding. The stiffness in the front end gave me the confidence to charge hard and brake even later into the corners.  

After riding the fork for a few months now, I have noticed that it has become a bit harsh on the first inch of travel. Service intervals for these kinds of things depends purely on the amount of hours you have on the fork, and I am certainly past the service interval. With some fresh oil and foam rings, the 36 will be back to feeling brand new!"

Read full Worldwide Cyclery Review

For those interested in immediately upgrading your bike with the new 36, any Worldwide Cyclery employee can tell you which model is best suited for your riding needs. 

2018 Fox 36 Overview

The 2018 Fox 36 gets an all new EVOL Air spring in which riders should notice an increase in suppleness. Fox has changed the location of the air transfer point and in doing so, has increased the volume of the negative spring which, at the beginning of the travel, places more force against the positive air chamber. This should create a more linear feeling in the initial part of the stroke. According to Fox, the 32, 34, and 40 forks will also get the new EVOL chamber. 

Read Full 2018 Fox 36 Overview 

Fox Website

For all of the technical information on the 36 fork, check out ridefox.com. Here will find all the different damper, wheel size, and boost spacing configurations possible with both the Factory Series and Performance Series models. This is a great place to start before reading the different reviews below.

Vital MTB Review

Vital MTB's bottom line - "Light, smooth, highly adjustable and just about as burly as you can make a single crown fork, the 2016 FOX Float 36 RC2 ticks all the boxes. It will compete on level terms with the main alternatives out there, and will really come into its own when the gnar factor increases. If it’s ultimate adjustability in a fork that packs a serious punch you’re after, look no further."

Read full Vital MTB Review

Yeti SB6c Custom Build Featuring Fox 36 with Industry Nine Hubs Mounted to Derby Rims

Dirt Magazine Review

Dirt Magazine's verdict - "And Fox delivered. Big style. As robust as any 160mm fork there has ever been, with damping quality that is both muscular and sensitive. It’s a truly a great fork. OK let’s not get massively carried away here, yes the Lyrik is close but what you are paying for is this quite small advantage that the 36 offers. In fact it’s our favorite 160/170mm fork."

Read full Dirt Magazine Review

Enduro MTB Review

Enduro MTB's thoughts - "The Fox Factory 36 Floats new E16 tune is not just hype, the iconic racing fork now offers more support and control at high speeds. The Fox Factory 36 Float is a powerful racer’s fork that gets better the faster you go, but like a supercar it needs speed and aggression to shine."

Read full Enduro MTB Review

Yeti SB5c Custom Build Featuring Fox 36 and Industry Nine 305 Wheels

Bike Radar Review

Bike Radar's take - "So all in all, it's a very return to form for Fox. If you’re a hard rider the stiffness, adjustability and damping control is difficult to beat. Justifying the price/performance step over a Pike depends on how healthy your bank account is."

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Mountain Bike Rider (MBR) Review

MBR's thoughts - "More surprisingly, with such a firm set-up, the 36 still offered unparalleled control in rough terrain, where the extra support on steep tracks has got to be worth a couple of degrees in the head angle alone. This set-up was hard fought, however, and even though the Fox 36 had a slight edge over the RockShox Lyrik, we’re certain the 36 could be even better with a lighter touch to the damping."

Read full MBR Review

Richie Rude Tears up Mountain Creek Bike Park - Sound of Speed