Fox overhauls the 32 Step-Cast XC fork and updates three dampers
The 32 SC gets crazy reverse arch.
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It's been a little while since we've heard anything from suspension giant Fox but now the brand has hit out with a bang, introducing an all-new 32 Step-Cast fork that features a fresh reverse arch design as well as three new dampers for the rest of the range.
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The 32 Step-Cast gets a reverse arch
Taking pride of place in Fox's big news is the brand new 32 Step-Cast and it's been built especially for cross-country marathon riding and, of course, it's not without the boldest of claims. Fox says, that it's the 'absolute lightest in XC'.
2024 fox 32 sc hero.jpg, by Liam Mercer
The brand states that the fork with the new X Grip SL Damper which we'll get into more detail a little later weighs under 1,300g and every part of the fork has had every frame shaved.
The biggest and most drastic change is the new reverse arch. Such a change has been made to boost torsional stiffness by 40%, says Fox, while keeping weight as low as possible. It's also graced with a new 7000 series aluminium crown that's been shaped to maintain strength while keeping grams to a minimum.
2024 fox 32 sc side.jpg, by Liam Mercer
Coming with zero offset, the fork uses angled stanchions to reach a 44mm rake. It's then only available with 100mm of travel, and for 29in wheels.
It comes with a three-position lockout that's adjustable through a handlebar remote or a compression dial on the fork. The damper has then been tuned to provide the best feel in endurance MTB, optimising small bump sensitivity with a supple start of the stroke that the brand says staves off fatigue and helps the rider go faster for longer.
As for the details, the new 32 Step Cast can run up to a 180mm brake rotor, uses Fox's Float EVOL air spring, and a 1.5in tapered steerer. There's then a Kabolt SL 110 axle.
Big gains for the gravity dampers
For those riders who demand the most reliable fork performance in the steepest and most severe terrain, Grip X2 is a significant upgrade over Grip X. And it’s all about valaving size and flow control.
2024 fox grip x2 damper.jpg, by Liam Mercer
The Grip X2 damper has more than three times the number of valves Grip 2 had (24 up from 7) and it features a wider 24mm valve base, as opposed to the Grip 2’s 20mm. All that valving delivers the responsiveness and control that gravity riders expect, with four-way adjustability.
Fox’s Grip X2 has high/low-speed compression and high/low-speed rebound adjustability and is available for Fox’s 34, 36, 38, and 40mm stanchion forks.
Lighter trail dampers
All-mountain and trail riders wishing to upgrade their fork performance with Fox, are served by the new Grip X damper. What are its benefits over the Grip 2? It’s 120g lighter and the compression adjustment has a ‘firm’ mode.
Engage the final compression click, and Grip X settles into its firmest compression setting on those steep, high-cadence climbs to resist energy-robbing fork movements.
The Grip X damper is available for Fox’s 34, 36 and 38-series forks and has three-way adjustability (high/low-speed compression and rebound).
Smart blowoff for XC
Fox’s third new damper release is the Grip SL, designed for riders who live in lockout mode and are obsessive about grams and watts. This damper is for Fox’s short-travel 32 and 34 Step-Cast forks weighing 60g less than the Fit 4.
Recognising that dedicated XC and XCM riders value lockout performance, Fox designed the Grip SL to handle terrain knocks, even if you are fatigued and have forgotten it locked out. This lightweight damper has a smooth blowoff force, which means it will respond to terrain impacts when locked instead of bouncing you around by the handlebars.
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