While the 36-series Fox forks have received some small incremental improvements over the last few years, they had yet to receive any ground-breaking improvements to really set them apart from the masses. That all changed with the Fox 36 GRIP2 fork, which is sporting Fox's FIT GRIP2 damper.

FIT GRIP2 Damper 
Those of you familiar with the 2018 Fox fork lineup may recall the GRIP damper being associated with the lower-tier forks - and you would be correct. This is a case where technology has trickled up instead of down. Fox's no-nonsense GRIP damper was based off the technology used in motocross, and quite simply, it was reliable, bombproof, and worked very well. So much so that Fox decided to scrap their tried-and-true RC2 damper that they've been using in their forks for over a decade. The GRIP2 is based off the GRIP damper, but improved and tweaked in several ways. Most notably, it features 4-way adjustable high/low speed compression and high/low speed rebound. This is a first for any Fox fork. Previously, the RC2 damper featured 3-way adjustability (high/low speed compression and low speed rebound). That means the GRIP2 is the most adjustable damper Fox has ever produced. Just how adjustable you ask? Well, we've got 15 clicks LSC, 27 clicks HSC, 16 clicks LSC, and 8 clicks HSR. That gives a very broad range to tuneability to accommodate just about any rider preferences. For some, it may seem a bit overwhelming, but don't worry, Fox has suggested base settings printed on a sticker on the back of the fork to help you out.

Fox has improved oil flow with the GRIP2 damper with a new CNC-machined high flow aluminum main piston. Friction has also been reduced with a new IFP seal and main shaft seal. Reduced friction equals improved small bump compliance, and a more buttery feel overall which is never a bad thing! 

With the added ability to adjust high speed rebound on the GRIP2, Fox is using their Variable Valve Control (VVC) which acts in a similar fashion to adding/removing shims from your shim-stack versus just adding or reducing preload. VVC uses a leaf spring to alter valve flex in the high-speed rebound circuit. The adjuster provides the same effect as revalving high-speed rebound, but without the need of damper disassembly.

EVOL Air Spring
The EVOL air spring remains mostly the same for 2020, though Fox did tweak it to provide a slightly more linear spring curve gives EVOL forks plushness off the top, extra mid-stroke support, and more tunable bottom-out progression, allowing riders to tap into the ideal pairing of front and rear-end feel. EVOL also increases negative air spring volume, specifically positioned and sized for optimum small bump sensitivity.

Performance Elite
The Performance Elite series forks feature the same internals and are functionally the same as the Factory-series Fox 36, but with anodized black stanchions instead of Kashima coated stanchions. The black anodized coating is not quite as slippery-smooth as the Kashima coating, and it's also not quite as durable. That said, we'd be hard-pressed to notice any difference between the two on the trail!

44mm Crown Offset
For 29" wheeled bikes requiring or recommending a 44mm crown offset.