Fox 36 Factory GRIP X Fork Review

In April of last year (2024), Fox released their all-new line of fork Grip dampers that’s designed to take the brand’s already top-tier performance to the next level. Whereas the previous selection of forks was split between their Fit4, Grip and Grip2 dampers, the next-generation lineup has three new distinct dampers—Grip SL, Grip X and Grip X2—each designed for different types of riders and riding styles.

The two gravity-focused dampers are the Grip X and Grip X2, but this review will focus solely on the Grip X in the 36 Factory fork. They are quite similar, but there are some internal differences that set the two apart and allow them to excel at what they are intended for. The Grip X2 damper is the race-focused option, and is used for hard-hitting gravity and enduro riding and racing, whereas the Grip X is the trail and all-mountain damper that prioritizes both uphill and downhill performance.

Tech features:

With their new Grip X damper, Fox builds on the Grip X2’s descent-focused design to make it more versatile and slightly more lightweight for riders who want a true all-mountain platform that climbs with efficiency and descends with poise. With a new larger Base Valve (24mm compared to 20mm) that reduces overall damper pressure and increases the oil flow throughout the system, the Grip X offers downhill performance close to the X2 damper but sheds some weight and has a more simplified setup.

Fox says that they wanted to incorporate more damping into the fork without increasing its harshness or losing grip. They say that the increase in oil flow, reduced overall damper pressure, and redesigned shim stack lets the damper have more of an effect on the suspension, but it still retains high sensitivity through the beginning of the travel. Essentially, it builds damping in a more usable manner.

The Grip X damper features three-way adjustability. While it loses the high-speed rebound adjustment (high-speed rebound is tuned from the factory), it keeps the independently adjustable high- and low-speed compression and 16 clicks of low-speed rebound. This change alone cuts a claimed 70 grams because of a different and slimmed-down mid-valve, making the Grip X damper a claimed 120 grams lighter than the Grip X2.

The air spring and chassis remain essentially the same as the previous-generation forks, except for a re-engineered bushing design that Fox says allows for reduced friction and improved oil flow. The new design is the same size and has the same overlap as previous forks, so the whole damper and bushing system can be dropped into Grip2-equipped forks for a cheap upgrade.

The high-speed compression adjustment has a clever feature for those who want to prioritize pedaling efficiency. In the first half of its 165-degree sweep, it works like a regular high-speed compression knob. After the halfway point, it starts to add some low-speed compression to create a pedaling platform. The final click (at about the 5 o’clock position) shuts off the low-speed compression completely, providing a firm platform for maximum pedaling efficiency while also having a blow-off feature to handle unexpected heavy hits. Additionally, the high-speed compression dial has a small tab so you can quickly see where your compression settings are at.

The low-speed compression adjustment remains independent (aside from the latter half of the high-speed compression sweep), ensuring your desired settings remain in place and contribute to the simplified setup.

Field test results:

We did the majority of our testing of the 160mm Grip X-equipped 36 fork on our Evil Offering trail bike, though we did spend a little time with it aboard the new Giant Trance X Advanced (reviewed on page 30). Fox sent us the Podium Gold anniversary edition of the new 36, which wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, that is available for purchase in very limited numbers, but they also offer the new forks in their classic gloss black or orange colorways. Initially, we tried to mirror the settings we would typically ride on previous-generation 160mm Fox 36 Grip2 forks, setting the air pressure to 83 psi with two volume spacers installed. However, after our first ride, we ended up dropping the air pressure down to about 80 psi, but we kept both volume spacers in the air chamber.

Climbing:

Although the new Grip X damper allows the rider to firm up the fork into a stiff pedaling platform, we really only took advantage of the lockout feature on long, meandering fire and access roads. Combined with a rear shock lockout, it turned our 160/140mm into a rocket ship and was a nice feature when climbing those boring paved roads. However, most of the time, climbing was done with high-speed compression two or three clicks from fully closed. This gave us a solid and efficient platform to put down power while still having a little bit of cushion off the top.

The fork stayed high in its travel throughout our climbing efforts, even when we were out of the saddle with more weight over the front wheel. There was enough damping to minimize small bumps and keep things comfortable, yet it still smoothly ramped up to a solid platform to prevent it from diving. There is a noticeable amount of low- and high-speed compression added as you increase the compression through the last few clicks, so you can really take advantage of a stiffer front end to tackle climbs if that’s your preference.

Descending:

With the external tab on the high-speed compression knob, it was easy to dial things in on the Grip X damper when it was time to head down the trail. We left the low-speed compression where it was at four to five clicks from closed and backed off the high-speed compression to three to four clicks from fully open.

Dropping in, we immediately noticed how plush the new damper felt off the top and through small bumps, yet it still stayed fairly high in its ride height. We were able to run 2–3 psi less than in Grip2-equipped forks, which allowed the fork to be more sensitive and grippy through the beginning of the travel. Especially in rough or blown-out corners, we noticed how this increased sensitivity allowed our front wheel to track better and let us take those corners with more confidence and speed. It also led to less trail chatter getting translated to our hands through those washing-board sections that normally test your grip strength.

However, this off-the-top sensitivity didn’t mean the fork blew through the remainder of its travel. As we progressed into the mid part of the stroke, there was a sensitive yet supportive feeling from the fork that kept it from diving forward under braking without feeling harsh. The main thing we noticed was that it sat a bit higher in the travel, but it didn’t feel like the fork was overly stiff; the damper still did an excellent job of soaking up bumps and impacts. It gave us confidence-inspiring support and a stable platform through high-speed corners, letting us push into berms without having our weight pitched forward. Mellow rock gardens and jumps were also met with a supportive platform, but the damper did an excellent job of letting our front wheel still hug the ground and smooth things out to let us carry more speed.

Big impacts and botched landings were also taken in stride. The latter half of the travel had a smooth, consistent and supportive ramp-up that helped take the edge off harsh impacts or when we were really pushing into a technical section. Both the low- and high-speed compression knobs added a considerable amount of damping as they were ramped up, but it still felt smooth and consistent towards the end of its travel. We had a few sketchy moments where we used all 160mm of the fork, yet the Grip X damper took it in stride without giving us a pronounced bottom-out feeling or making the bike feel caught up through big impacts.

Overall, Fox hit all the marks when developing the new Grip X damper. It complements the 36’s chassis and intention to near perfection as a versatile and high-performing trail and all-mountain fork, and the simplified adjustments let you easily dial in your settings to maximize your suspension’s performance.

Compared to previous-generation Fox forks with their Grip 2 damper, the off-the-top feeling of the Grip X damper is noticeably more sensitive and lets your front wheel track the ground a bit better, along with more pronounced damping as you move through the compression adjustments for big hits. It also gains climbing efficiency with the lockout feature, making it more versatile for long days in the saddle and appealing to riders who want a stiff bike when heading up the trail. If you want a fork that you can efficiently log backcountry miles on while still being able to take burly descents with confidence, then the Grip X-equipped Fox 36 might be the golden ticket (no pun intended).

HITS:

• Excellent small-bump compliance
• Excellent mid- and end-stroke support
• Simple & effective rebound adjustments
• Easy-to-access Super Firm mode for grinding climbs

MISSES:

• None

Weight: 1,988 grams
Price: $1,149
Contact: https://ridefox.com/