Fox 34 SL Review – Yes, it’s as Good As They Say

The brand new Fox 34 SL is what occurs while you mix three generations of particular person upgrades of an awesome suspension fork with much more superior designs.

No, it’s not lighter than the 34 Step Forged mannequin it replaces, but it surely’s inside a number of grams, and the efficiency is significantly better. Which is saying one thing, as a result of I actually appreciated the 34 SC. Lots. However the brand new 34 SL is healthier. Right here’s why…

Corners like a Champ

Fox went again to a regular “full width” chassis for the SL for 2 causes. First, it permits larger tires than the narrower step-case design, and that’s a welcome enchancment.

Second, it’s torsionally stiffer, which interprets into extra assured cornering. Yeah, the professionals take corners loads quicker than me, so it’s good for them. However I’m loads heavier than them, so it’s additionally capable of deal with diving into a decent nook…

…and preserve me popping out the opposite aspect, on my line, and pointing the place I wanna go. For a light-weight XC fork, that’s nice, and it’s let Fox push journey as much as 130mm for people constructing light-weight path (aka “downcountry”) bikes, too.

I’ve been using mine at 130mm on the brand new Ari Sign Peak, which is designed round 120mm forks, and it’s been superior. A lot in order that I’m delaying my go to to Fox’s NC service middle for the 120mm air spring swap as a result of, effectively, 130mm is superior. However I’ll get there, after which I’ll add a bit to this overview later.

Climbs like a Light-weight

…and that’s a praise. The fork seems like a light-weight XC race fork, however not noodly.

That’s to not say their 32 SC fork is noodly, I don’t know. I haven’t ridden it. Cory has, and he appreciated it superb. Nevertheless it tops out at 100mm journey, and most racers at each stage are on 120mm forks lately.

You may even get it with a distant lockout, if that’s your jam. It’s not mine, and I hardly ever take the fork out of full-open mode. Perhaps on lengthy highway transfers to the trailhead, however not at all times.

I went with the Grip SL damper as a result of it’s lighter. Like, 100g (or extra) lighter than the GRIP X2 with all of the changes.

I like numerous changes, however for shorter journey forks, I prioritize weight financial savings, and I haven’t missed the additional high-speed changes right here in any respect.

The fork nonetheless affords loads of help for seated hammering. Yeah, it bobs a bit when standing and hammering (or simply utilizing loads of physique english), however that’s a tradeoff I’m personally OK with to have an uncluttered cockpit or not have to succeed in down and fiddle whereas I’m using.

As an alternative, I tune my fork with the air spring quantity and stress, and even right here I’m working it extraordinarily delicate.

How delicate?

Fox’s chart suggests about 95 psi for my using weight.

I’m at 85 psi.

I additionally added a quantity spacer. Extra on that in a minute, however simply know this: You may run this fork actually delicate and it’ll really feel wonderful and it’ll nonetheless have loads of help for many of what you’re going to do on a brief journey bike, as a result of…

It additionally Descends Actually Properly.

I put the video overview on the backside of this overview should you wanna see transferring photos, however right here’s the deal:

On the launch in Arizona, I ran just a little extra air stress (concerning the beneficial quantity) to account for the larger drops and tougher hits on the descents. This was with none quantity spacers, so the additional air quantity saved it extra linear, and the additional air stress saved it using mid-stroke the place it must be with out bottoming out on massive hits.

Again residence (not pictured), I added the amount spacer (and I would add one other) so the fork would ramp up quicker on the finish of its stroke to stop backside out, which is what’s letting me run the ridiculously low air stress.

None of that’s unique to the brand new Fox 34 SL. You may tune virtually any fork’s air spring to realize related outcomes.

The place this one actually shines is simply how a lot smoother it’s, which lets these refined tweaks to the air spring actually shine. That is palms down the smoothest quick journey, air-sprung fork I’ve ever ridden, That, too, is saying loads, as a result of I actually just like the latest SID fork, too (full disclosure, I’ve not ridden absolutely the newest mannequin, however have ridden many of the iterations over the previous 5 years).

In the event you like a fork to take in all of the little stuff however nonetheless want it to deal with massive hits, give the brand new Fox forks an excellent, exhausting look. The brand new 36 and 36 SL take the smoothness efforts much more critically, with options that the 34 SL doesn’t get.

These are most likely nice for larger bikes (I additionally haven’t ridden these but). However should you want a 110-130mm fork on your race bike, I’d advocate the 2026 Fox 34 SL. It’s the closest but to creating path chatter disappear, even mitigating these late-season, teeth-rattling braking bumps, which must be the final word litmus check for any suspension fork.