Just read this on MTBR from one of the frame manufacturers sales reps:

“Fox’s 2013 lineup goes all-in on the 34mm chassis for 26 and 29. There will be no 36 chassis 29 fork. The 36 Van also makes a mysterious exit from the lineup.”

Anyone know any more? Might be some bargain 32’s on sale soon if it’s true.

all running 34mm means less parts across the ranges.
in theory.
Should make manufacturing cheaper.
Which makes a lot of sense.

I’ve thought for a VERY long time that (in particular) Rock Show and Fox have had too many models. One advantage of the more stringent times we are in means that companies look at what they are doing and perhaps realise their mistakes.

I personally think one of the problems is product identity. If you use the same sliders, stanchions etc across your range how do you distinguish your cheapo end from your premier? Surely the functionality is really internal in a fork. But will people pay £900 for an all singing all dancing if a more basic model looks almost the same for £400?

IMHO

German:A will be making their 36 chassis, carbon lower, tapered steerer 29er fork, probably available late 2012

If you use the same sliders, stanchions etc across your range how do you distinguish your cheapo end from your premier?

I don’t think Fox’s 32/36mm split was anything to do with quality, just designed for a different purpose – i.e. 32mm for general trail riding, 36mm & longer travel for more aggressive ‘all-mountain’ type stuff …

Rock Shox are pretty bad for making everything look the same (pretty much all their 32mm forks), but whenever they come up everyone ends up talking about the internals; BB vs. MoCo, or even Fox FIT vs open-bath, etc.

X-Fusion are doing a 34mm stanchion fork for next year too, think it’ll be 140mm and 160mm (internally adjustable).

I’d be interested in one of them, or indeed a Fox 34 with 160mm travel and a 20mm axle.

They will probably only do 15mm axles though, the swines.

Bit obvious really – the 32 FOX stantioned forks are getting a bit noodly at 150mm, and the 36 stantioned forks which were originally 160mm have been pushed to 180mm.

Meet in the middle for a heavier than 32mm but not as heavy as a 36mm… TADA… 34mm, and 140-160mm length, then keep the 180mm for the 36’s – odd about the Vanilla… is air now really as good as coil?).

BIG QUESTION – is what is this going to do to the crown height? 32mm stantioned forks have a lower crown height than the much stiffer 36mm… so will the 34’s be somewhere in the middle or go with which of the others?

Who am I to care? It’s not like I buy new forks anyways… it’s all for keeping up the Jones’s types… I just bought some 2010 forks and they are ace 🙄

The 36 Van has always been the heavy duty freeridey type fork. I would not be suprised to see a 40 Van single crown.

There will be no 36 chassis 29 fork.

Guess this means no 160mm 29er fork for 2013?
With so many 140mm rear 29ers appearing I’m not sure why they won’t make one of these.

A 29″ wheel and then a 160mm fork. The ground will seem a long way down.

Chapaking – pretty sure that the 160 travel 34 is a 15mm axle. Saw pics of it somewhere, will try to find them.

EDIT – see Here and Here

Looks like a 34mm 160 26er amd 29er forks in there. 36mm forks remain, including the Van. 32mm series still there too.

Pictures of complete 2013 lineup here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chirosangaku/sets/72157628480974763/

Cheers Infidel!

Shit the bed!!!
Fox are doing stuff?? When will the madness end???

Some of the Phrases I have enjoyed thus far in this thread are:

“All in”
“Rock Show”
“Product Identity”
“Who am I to Care?”

Carry on…

But that flickr links shows loads of 32mm :confused:

doof_doof – Member
Looks like a 34mm 160 26er amd 29er forks in there. 36mm forks remain, including the Van. 32mm series still there too.

Pictures of complete 2013 lineup here:

Cheers Infidel!

No 36 160 Van, just a 180.

Insider secret from Mojo….They are actually still 32MM tubes, just given a thicker coating to last a bit longer 😆

Insider secret from Mojo….They are actually still 32MM tubes, just given a thicker coating to last a bit longer

Wouldn’t shock me…