All-new Fox 36 SL goes up to 140mm travel and weighs under 1,800g, for riders looking to ride hard without the excess baggage

Danny Milner

Lightweight SL version of the Fox 36 pares back the grams for shredding on a diet.

Fox has applied numerous weight-saving measures, first seen on the 34 SL launched recently, to its most popular fork to create the 36 SL. At under 1,800g, it claims to offer riders ‘the confidence to go big’ without the excess baggage.

Fox 36 SL MY26

The SL version of the Fox 36 saves 165g over the standard version.

Fox 36 SL need to know

  • 120-140mm travel only
  • Grip X damper
  • 20% stiffer than Fox 34 but just 100g heavier
  • Claimed weight of 1,755g (29in, 140mm, Grip X)
  • Generative arch and crown design
  • Increased bushing overlap for smoother, stiffer performance
  • Compliant air spring reduces friction under load
  • Bypass channels move to inner leg
  • Prices in the UK are £1,259 for the 36 SL Factory Grip X, £1,129 for the 36 SL Performance Elite (Grip X), and £809 for the 36 SL Performance (Grip 3-pos)
Fox 36 SL MY26

Additional material has been removed from the crown and lowers in the quest to save weight.

36 on a diet

This special SL model saves around 165g over the standard MY26 Fox 36 that you can read about in this news story, and weighs in at a claimed 1,755g. That’s 115g lighter than the RockShox Pike Ultimate we tested recently, and just 100g heavier than the Fox 34 Grip X. According to Fox, that extra 100g gets you a 20% increase in torsional stiffness, making it a better candidate for aggressive riding duties when weight is a priority. It won’t be available to buy aftermarket, but bike brands can choose to spec the 36 SL with the Grip SL damper for further weight saving. This brings the fork weight down to 1,655g according to Fox.

Fox says that every part on the 36 SL chassis is different to the standard 36, with a lighter steerer tube, shorter upper tubes, refined lowers, unique crown, and Kabolt SL axle to name just a few of the changes.

Fox 36 SL MY26

The 36 SL only comes with the Grip X damper aftermarket, but OEM customers can also spec the Grip SL damper to bring the weight down to 1,655g.

New chassis improvements

As with the standard 36, numerous updates to the inside and outside of the chassis bring improvements in stiffness and reductions in friction. Starting with the new generatively-designed crown and brace, with a wraparound design that is said to increase stiffness by 20% over the 34 chassis.

Inside the lower legs, the bushings have been spread 20mm wider than the 34, which helps keep the fork sliding smoothly even under heavy cornering and braking loads. Fox has also added its latest Glidecore compliant air spring shaft, which allows the piston to move freely when the air shaft is not perfectly aligned, such as when steering, traversing rough off-cambers, or braking into steep corners.

Fox 36 SL MY26

Bypass channels have been moved to the inner leg to keep more meat behind the bushings at the rear for improved fore-aft stiffness.

Moving the bypass channels on the lower leg from the rear to the inside reinforces the casting against fore-aft loads, while a smaller bleed port makes it easier to release trapped air.

At the crown, the air spring top cap now unscrews using a Shimano cassette tool, just like RockShox forks.