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Don't get me wrong, it's a really interesting fork and I really like the idea of USD Forks.
Having said that, USD isn't new, there are some well respected companies producing them, Intend BC and Push are two that spring to mind. However, neither get much attention from the media.
Fox release a USD and suddenly I've lost count of the number of outlets telling me how great USD is.
Have Fox managed to engineer a product head and shoulders above the rest, or have Fox managed to market a product head and shoulders above the rest?
Interestingly, the Fox is in the same ballpark as Intend and Push on price and it's quite a weighty offering as well.
I also like the idea of upside down forks and I can understand it getting more attention when a mainstream manufacturer releases one but at that weight and that price I can't see even Fox's marketing getting a huge number of sales. I note they've gone for an existing standard 20mm axle (albeit steel) when I kind of thought it was going to take a new even larger diameter axle to get sufficient rigidity to keep everyone happy
The weight is reassuring. Attempts to make lightweight mountain bike USD forks tend to result in something too flexy. If it wasn’t far heavier than a 36/38 I’d assume it would be dead in the water once the honest reviews came in. As it is, it might have a life beyond its launch year… fingers crossed.
I don't even have words for how annoyed I am at the 20mm axle. Fox spend so much effort to kill 20mm for everything but dh, eventually worked with Shimano to win the stupid standards war, Rockshox gave up and changed everything to the inferior 15mm standard after years of outright lies and misinformation... And here we are. * you Fox, seriously.
Oh but it's different because it's 20mm boost. Which is 110mm. Which is what old 20mm was. * you boost also.
Still it's probably a really good fork
On the boost tangent, the only 20mm hub was 110x20, but they're not interchange with boost 20. The rotor mount is in an entirely different location. Well, not entirely, it's still the left side of the hub, but you get what I mean.
Intend off different dropouts and axles so maybe we're entering a new era of tuning 🤦🏼♀️
I have an interest in this fork as it could be the answer to my never ending fork creaking problems without going triple clamp.
I'll not be jumping in just yet though.
I'll wait until they've been out in the real world for a while and there's some reports on reliability and performance from folks I know.
I have an interest in this fork as it could be the answer to my never ending fork creaking problems without going triple clamp.
I'll not be jumping in just yet though.
I'll wait until they've been out in the real world for a while and there's some reports on reliability and performance from folks I know.
Depends if they've sorted the tolerance on the crown/uppers and glued them together!
Bit issue is the lack of proper mudguard, fine for California dust, but in the UK, going to need a set of rolloff goggles!!
The weight is reassuring
Why does it have to be heavier? In the absence of any actual knowledge I thought fat bit at the top = stiffer with no weight penalty or potentially could be lighter for the same stiffness? Problem comes with tying the stanchions together at the hub hence me expecting a huge aluminium axle that could be light and stiff but would need a completely new hub design. Instead fox have gone for a 20mm steel axle which existing hubs can be adapted to but that can't be all the extra weight can it?
The fork that 99.9% of people don't need.... but a fair few will buy.
Bit issue is the lack of proper mudguard
I believe there is a Fox solution to this on the way shortly.
I don't even have words for how annoyed I am at the 20mm axle. Fox spend so much effort to kill 20mm for everything but dh, eventually worked with Shimano to win the stupid standards war, Rockshox gave up and changed everything to the inferior 15mm standard after years of outright lies and misinformation... And here we are. * you Fox, seriously.
Oh but it's different because it's 20mm boost. Which is 110mm. Which is what old 20mm was. * you boost also.
+1 on the * you Fox over 15mm and now corrupting DH 20mm. 20mm "boost" didn't exist before this so why not just use DH 20mm? *ing ridiculous! kers!
Stronger wheels. And 20mm DH hubs have been like this for years now. It also means the same hub body can be used as for 15mm boost hubs just by swapping end caps.
eg: https://www.hopetech.com/products/hubs/mountain-bike/pro-5-110mm-boost-front/
Stronger wheels. And 20mm DH hubs have been like this for years now. It also means the same hub body can be used as for non-DH 15mm boost hubs just be swapping end caps.
Yeah we all read the marketing copy for boost the first time round, flanges and rotor mounts moved 5mm outboard, it really wasn´t that huge of a leap forwards for wheel strength, but it was a great move for making hubs/wheels less (not entirely) cross-compatible... I don´t think it needs going over again, and in fairness what else are you going to use on a niche product like this today?
As for the fork itself? Meh...
I love a USD fork, but this is just another new, shiny product. it´s selling pointis more it´s novelty and difference from most of the rest, but it isn´t unique and it isn´t great VFM. their claims about trying to minimise friction? I don´t know, does USD really help there?
Otherwise, just another expensive product from a company that, in fairness, isn´t really known for cheap products...
Re the mudguard - it's obviously been designed by Californians as
| MUD GUARD MOUNT | Optional Crown Mount (available Fall 2025) |
Just won't work well enough - a mudguard needs to be close fitting to minimise face spray and a 170+mm gap isn't going to cut it. Look at wat happened to Reece Wilson at the first DH race of the year - he simply couldn't se where he was going with a crown mounted mudguard.
The guard needs to be mounted on the axle/stantions and move with the wheel.
Looking forward to seeing this fork propping up the lower end of flat UK Enduro races soon.
Another Fox product I have no interest in.
I don't even have words for how annoyed I am at the 20mm axle.
It's only an axle. You must have a very charmed life it bothers you that much! 😀
Personally, I'm just glad they haven't invented a new 'standard'.
USD forks typically reduce the unsprung mass, allowing the suspension to do its job better (in theory).
There's also the element of where flex occurs during hard braking and cornering (the closer to the wheel, the less change to overall geometry). The thing is (on motorcycles at least), a dual crown setup can be afforded to keep the legs from flexing.
They can be lighter than upright forks too, though that may be due to the fact that USD forks are aimed at a performance market (i.e. the design might not be inherently lighter all things being equal).
Is there a benefit to USD forks on your typical MTB? Very interested to see how this develops.🤞
their claims about trying to minimise friction? I don´t know, does USD really help there?
From experience, yes.
Well... small bump sensitivity is noticeable better (which is probably partly due to reduced friction) and you tend to have to use more compression damping (which is also probably partly due to reduced friction). The shifting of the weightier elements of the fork probably more important though. Impossible to isolate the effects of friction/weightdistribution in use really.
Quick test for you... hang your bike from its front wheel for a week or so... go ride... less friction from the off.
The guard needs to be mounted on the axle/stantions and move with the wheel.
I was this close to pulling the trigger on a Manitou Dorado but a £15 mud guard made me pause for a second and I ended up not buying anything. Still thinking about it.
Saying that, if Fox do make one (if they can do it on motorbikes then it must be possible for mtbs) then that might mean I finally get the Dorado.
Actually, looks like they already exist:
https://gritshift.com/products/manitou-dorado-mudguard-fender-kit
Now I just have to get over how ugly it is.
It's only an axle. You must have a very charmed life it bothers you that much! 😀
Death of 20mm cost me money I didn't really have, and took money out of the pockets of anyone that buys or sells bike parts, I literally still have old standard stuff that I'd like to sell and nobody wants, it's part of the reason I was riding a 10 year old bike til recently. Standard wars suck for everyone but this one was both especially stupid and having the leading light of 15mm go "oh yeah 20mm is good" is a piss in the face. More so because the destruction of the superior 20mm standard was the opening salvo of the standards wars, it's the reason we have boost and 35mm and every other bloody stupid thing and it was all about manufacturers going "consumers don't matter, the only customer that matters is the 2 or 3 biggest OEMs"
It's something to be pissed off about imo.
I've had a set of these in my hands. They are indeed a beautiful sight but by ek they are heavy. Got quite the shock.
Upper tubes at the crown are massive as well.
Nice bit of kit but too pricey for me
i think this fork is significant because, especially looking at the Brendog ebike video coordinated with the embargo lift , a 'new' oversized axel standard and its 15% heavier even than a longer travel 38 ...... it looks like a premium product that is designed almost exclusively for ebikes.where the % increase in weight & price (over a zeb, lyrik, 38 or 36) make less difference.
I can't see it likely theres a lighter version for regular mtbs in the works ether as the design doesn't really lend itself to that- RS1 ?
Agreed. I think ebikes are going to be the main target market.
I’m firmly in The marketing over engineering. As others have said tho is nothing new or innovative beyond adding another axle standard. The reviews talk about the benefit of less inspiring weight but there are no numbers to quantify this why make me suspect the weight saving is negligible at best. It would be interesting to see a blind test to see if anyone can actually feel the difference
It isn’t a ‘new for this fork’ axle standard, 20x110 boost has been around for a few (7+?) years now.
I can't see it likely theres a lighter version for regular mtbs in the works ether as the design doesn't really lend itself to that- RS1 ?
Intends forks are over a pound lighter, and a couple of models are cheaper
The reviews talk about the benefit of less inspiring weight but there are no numbers to quantify this
Surely in a conventional fork you have the advantage that the oil is all up top in the stanchion and the rebound damping rod pushes through it. In a USD fork the oil would move with the stanchion? Unless they've gone back to* a closed cartridge setup?
*It's been a while since I pulled apart a high end fork, do they still use the stanchion as the damper?
20mm front axle, the standard that shouldn't have been dropped in the first place.
20mm front axle, the standard that shouldn't have been dropped in the first place.
It never was on DH forks. They just gradually moved to "20mm boost" which is the same as the old 20mm but with a 'boost' hub shell rather than longer spacers, old hubs still fit they just needed a spacer behind the disk.
Technically I think that probably makes old Marzocchi forks forks with their proprietary 20mm + IS mounts current again (apart from being IS) as you had to use them with a specific thick IS adapter to move the caliper in towards the wheel 😂. So really this is just Fox/Marzocchi going back to the 90's!
If the new forks are better I’m surprised that there aren’t any fox edr riders using them this weekend. Even rude is using the standard offering.
That depends what it’s “better” at.