With stiffness claimed as being close to the 40 downhill fork but in a single crown, inverted chassis, are the new Fox Podium forks the real deal?
Can you have your inverted fork cake and eat it? Fox seem to think so with their new Podium fork. Aimed at offering unmatched performance under load, the Podium introduces new features mixed with some Fox staples.
Key features:
- FLOAT EVOL GlideCore air spring
- 29″ only
- 170mm and 160mm travel
- Custom Grip X2 damper
- HSC – LSC – HSR – LSR
- 20 x 110mm Boost Boost
- 58mm and 68mm crown diameter options
- 44mm offset
- 1.5″ Tapered steerer
- Kashima coated stanchions
- Bleeder valves
- Floating axle
- 200mm direct Post Mount, 230mm max
- From 2695g
- £2,199.00 RRP
- RideFox.com
High performance, unsurprisingly for a fork called Podium, is the main aim of this fork. Fox are touting this as having fore-aft stiffness akin to their 40 downhill fork, this area being the historical weak point of inverted forks. Large 47mm upper legs house the lowers with 175mm bushing overlap which is only 7% less than the 40 and 32% more than the 38. Aiding stiffness is a 20mm axle.
The classic Float EVOL air spring is replaced by the new Float EVOL GlideCore air spring. This air spring has built-in lateral and axial compliance that is designed to reduce stiction or any binding, the net result being better small bump sensitivity and more control when a trail gets rowdy. With bushing to axle distance becoming shorter deeper into the travel, the Podiums should get smoother the harder you ride.
A Grip X2 damper provides 4-way adjustability but comes with a custom tune to make the most of the reduced friction in the system and the lower unspring mass of the inverted design. Seals benefit from full oil immersion so are continuously lubricated for better smoothness. Bleeder valves are present but the bypass valves go as they’re not needed on the inverted design.
At £2,199, they’re anything but cheap with similar weight and price to the Fox 40 Factory. A Fox 38 Factory is 500g lighter and around £750 less of your heard-earned pennies. The proof, therefore, will be in the pudding. It’s unlikely that these will be fitted to any but the priciest of complete bikes either.
