Sea Otter 2013: Fox 2014

Fox has just unveiled its new TALAS platform for 2014, along with a Float X rear shock.

The Float X rear shock is a piggyback design for longer travel bikes. It’s designed to handle more oil-flow and the greater suspension movement of longer travel bikes. There’s a new CTD control (Climb, Trail, Descend – Fox’ simple to use compression adjustment for going up, along and downhill). The rebound knob is recessed to keep it out of the way, but it can be moved with pointy fingertips or, more likely an Allen key. Fox maintains that most riders just set it up once and leave it be anyway.

Moving to the front of the bike, Fox has revamped its travel-adjust fork platform, the TALAS. Previously, TALAS forks got a bit of a hard time compared to its Float forks as it didn’t perform as well. This should change now as there’s a full Float-style damper in there, with the TALAS operating independently over the top of it, moving oil from one chamber to another to lower or raise the fork. There is a CTD compression tune and the fork has been tweaked to be more supportive in its stroke, with a firmer feel as requested by many riders and a progressive air spring curve. here are fewer seals now and the fork should feel a lot more like Fox’ Float forks. This will be a change for all 2014 TALAS forks. Needless to say, the forks will come in 27.5in as well as the other two sizes.

Talking of 27.5in forks. The new wheel size will be catered for with Fox’ 32 and 34 platforms (though not the 36 yet). A version of the 40, too, has been tested. We’ll look forward to see what people are running at the first World Cup in June.

The RRP for the new Float X shock will be £515, the new TALAS comes in all the chassis platforms so the prices will have a wide range from £810 for the 32 140 to £1030 for the 36 180 TALAS. UK importers, Mojo.co.uk is hoping to have 2014 stock by the first week of June.