FOX Racing Shox

40 Float 26in FIT RC2 Fork

When tasked with redesigning its legendary 40 downhill race fork, Fox Racing Shox left no stone unturned. As a result, we've all been graced with the presence of the new 40 Float FIT RC2 Fork. 2014 marks a decade since Fox started developing race forks for World Champions and World Cup title holders, and that experience helped to produce a fork that shaves over a pound (yes, you read that right) over the previous model. But weight loss isn't the most significant improvement. This is the first of Fox's production downhill forks to feature an air spring. Fox tested countless air sprung setups for over two years on the World Cup stage, and didn't rest until the 40 Float outperformed its coil-sprung predecessor in every regard. The result is a competitive advantage for the world's fastest racers. So what's your excuse?

Why would Fox go to an air spring when coils have worked well enough for so long? The simple answer is tuning options. Down-hillers tend to be split into two camps -- those who don't care about their suspension so long as it moves, and those whose critical approach to bike setup borders on insanity. If you're reading this, odds are that you're in the latter camp. And, if you've ridden coil-sprung forks, 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, 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.

But, tuning options are meaningless if they don’t translate into faster lap times. That's why Fox pulled out all of the stops, developing a range of custom seals, and employing its Kashima coating on the inside of the stanchion. The combination of these features almost completely eliminates friction in the spring. Basically, if you're worried that an air spring will sacrifice suppleness, as compared to a coil, you're able to set those fears aside. 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.

The 40 chassis also sees significant improvements in the form of lightened lowers, crowns, and stanchions. Those of you who've ever had a bolt stuck in your fork lowers will appreciate that this version of the 40 employs replaceable threaded inserts at the brake mount and dropouts. Essentially, this makes stripped threads and broken bolts manageable, instead of catastrophic. However, perhaps the coolest upgrade 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 FIT RC2 Fork is available with 26-inch wheel compatibility, a 20x110mm axle, and in the colors Black or White.