FOX Racing Shox

34 Float 27.5 150 CTD FIT Fork

In the rush to pick up an all-mountain bike with 27.5in wheels, many enduro aspirants may have opted for a less expensive build kit with a shoddy fork, intending to upgrade to race kit later. Well, later is here, and the season is in full swing, so spec your rig the way you preferred your old 26in machine with FOX Racing Shox's 34 Float 27.5 150 CTD FIT Fork.

Despite the change of wheel size, the big star of the 34 Float is still its Climb Trail Descend (CTD) damper switch. Compared to the previous model, the medial Trail setting has been given an additional four tuning options, bringing the total from three to seven. That translates into more fine-tuning of your low-speed compression, to perfectly balance support and suppleness and maintain top speed over terrain ranging from rooty berms to the occasional rock garden. As ever, Climb mode provides the most damping for a near locked-out feel for dropping the hammer and the Descend mode provides the lightest compression damping for a plush ride for dropping in.

The 34mm stanchions are nice and substantial, and the massive tapered steerer tube and 15mm QR thru-axle add to their stiffness, even when faced with hard braking and rough terrain. They may not be the ideal choice for a lightweight XC machine, but these oversized dimensions ensure the fork's chassis is equal to its own travel.