FOX Racing Shox

32 Float 29 100 FIT CTD w/ Trail Adjust Fork - 2014

The switch to 29-inch wheels has made riders re-think suspension travel. Generally, with 26-inch wheels, 100mm is basically an XC race fork. Four inch forks aren't made to soak up big hits, they're made to smooth trails so riders can carry as much momentum as possible. 29-inch wheels, however, already smooth the trail considerably, so it takes less travel to do the same. As far as ride feel is concerned, a 29-inch bike with a 100mm fork is as smooth as a 26-inch bike with a 120mm or even 140mm fork. The Fox 32 Float 29 100 FIT CTD Fork with Trail Adjust is really more of an all-rounder, trail fork than race component. This increase in efficiency is complemented by the simplicity of the adjustments that Fox offers on this fork.

Fox forks have traditionally been featured packed, offering the ability to make any adjustments needed to tune the fork for any trail conditions. The only problem was the difficulty for the average rider to make knowledgeable tweaks to the forks. High- and low-speed compression, lockout threshold, preload, and rebound are all common adjustments, but, for the rider who wants to ride, and not relentlessly and aimlessly tune a fork, this can have a negative effect on performance and user experience.

With CTD, one lever quickly and easily switches the fork's compression to ideal settings for the task at hand. The Climb setting adds plenty of low-speed compression to mitigate bobbing when standing on the pedals. Trail mode offers moderate low-speed compression to balance efficiency with optimal trail manners. It's also independently adjustable with three settings called Trail Adjust; soft, medium, and firm. Finally, the Descend setting features the perfect blend of high- and low-speed compression for plush action on steep and aggressive sections of trail.

While longer travel Float forks, 130mm and above, have been revised to offer a more linear spring rate, Fox felt that a progressive spring is optimal for all-mountain conditions. This helps to prevent bottoming out the 100mm of travel and ensures a more efficient ride for racing. What they have redesigned on these forks, besides the addition of CTD, is the lowers.

The 2014 lowers are now 50 grams lighter than previous year's comparable model. While that may not seem significant, keep in mind dropping mass from the lowers effectively reduces un-sprung weight—which affects the amount of inertia the damper needs to control, resulting in enhanced suspension action. To drop the weight, Fox's engineers retained the Float's respected torsional stiffness by redesigning the brace, dropouts, and wall thickness.

The 2014 Fox 32 Float 29 100 CTD FIT Fork comes with a 1.125 to 1.5 tapered steerer tube and the smooth and durable Kashima coating on the stanchion tubes. You can choose between a Black or White powdercoated finish. Both options come with 15QR thru-axles.