FOX Racing Shox

40 FLOAT 26 203 RC2 FIT Fork - 2015

Slap the name "FOX" on the lowers of any dual-crown fork, and you've got the attention of any hardcore downhill or gravity rider. Why? Because the name means no-holds-barred performance and durability, and its heavy-duty dual-crown models are some of the winningest downhill forks of all time. FOX knows this, but the engineers aren't resting on their laurels; the new 2015 FOX 40 FLOAT 26 203 RC2 FIT Fork showcases improvements like better stanchion coating and a new propriety oil formula to make the best even better.

First, let's get into what makes the FOX 40 series so great. For one, its air-spring. If you've ridden coil-sprung forks, like most dual-crown or gravity-oriented forks out there, you've most likely found yourself in between spring rates. By this, we mean that you're either using excessive damping to compensate for a spring rate that's too soft, or getting jack-hammered by an over-sprung fork in order to keep your front end riding high in the travel. With an air spring like on this fork, that's no longer an issue. Instead of your suspension setup being limited by available spring rates, you're able to select the precise spring rate that matches your weight and riding style. Better yet, there's an easily adjustable bulkhead under the spring side fork cap which enables you to adjust the volume of the air spring in just a couple of minutes. This means that you're able to maximize the air volume for a linear feel that's almost indistinguishable from a coil spring. This feature also means that you're able to reduce the air volume for a more progressive ramp-up in the bottom of the stroke. Additionally, the large volume of the air spring means that the FLOAT spring utilizes extremely low pressure, between 45 and 80 PSI, which minimizes both friction and wear on the system.

Spring mechanisms aside, as mentioned, FOX further refined the 40 for 2015 in the other details. The new 40 FLOAT’s stanchions and internal sliding components are treated with a refined Kashima coat, which further reduces friction as compared to the previous Kashima coat. Essentially, the gold outer layer remains the same — what has changed is the base anodizing, which results in an even smoother surface than before. This is in addition to a new, lower-friction lubricating oil, which adds to the dramatically smoother ride. In addition to the friction reducing benefits, Kashima coating is harder than standard stanchion coatings. This equates to a longer wear life, as well as more supple suspension action.

Still, the basic 40 chassis carries over from the 2014 model year, which is fine with us. This refined, World Championship-winning chassis has been scrutinized by FOX’s RAD program to remove any unnecessary weight from the lowers, crowns, and stanchions. A replaceable threaded insert at the brake mount and dropouts makes stripped threads and broken bolts manageable instead of catastrophic. And, perhaps the coolest upgrade over the previous generation 40 is a bleed port on the back of each seal on the lowers, which enables you to equalize pressure that's built up in the lowers. Pressure buildup comes from a combination of temperature and altitude changes, and that excess pressure causes friction at the seals. Having the ability to equalize that pressure at the top of a run with just a quick push of a button ensures that your fork is as supple as can be, every time that you drop in.

The FOX 40 Float 26 FIT RC2 Fork is compatible with 26-inch wheels only, has a 1.125-inch (1 1/8") steerer tube, and uses a 20x110mm axle. It comes in the color Black.