Key points

• New Fox 32, half a pound lighter than predecessor
• Features slimmed down, stepped design
• Proces start from £440

A new 32?

Yep, Fox has just launched a brand new 32 which it claims is its lightest ever cross country fork. Fox supports some of the world’s best cross country athletes, including two time Olympic gold medalist Julien Absalon and current women’s World Cup champion Jolanda Neff, so it’s no surprise it wants to supply them with up-to-date equipment.

How much lighter is it?

The 2017 32  will top the scales with a claimed weight of just 1,355 grams (2.98lb), which gives it a 225 grams (0.49lb) saving over its 2016 predecessor.

How has it managed that?

The major weight saving has come from the fork’s new chassis. This is actually the SC (or Step Cast) 32, and you can see that step towards the bottom of the legs. The step in the chassis allows the fork to accommodate a disc rotor and spokes while keeping the silhouette of the fork narrower. This narrow stance saves weight as there is less material in the leg and crown.

The old 32 (blue) compared to the new one

The design does come with some limitations though. The max tyre size you can use is 2.3 inches and the max rotor size is 180mm for a 27.5 wheel and 203mm for a 29 wheel (but if you’re using it for XC, this is unlikely to bother you anyway).

Watch highlights from Gee Atherton’s Foxhunt

What options are there?

The fork will be optimised for 100mm travel and will be offered in 27.5 or 29 sizing, there will be options for both 110 Boost or 110 Kabolt axle options.

The only other thing you have to choose is the damper you want. The cheapest model comes with the new FIT GRIP damper and will set you back $619, then you can have the FIT4 for $889 and finally the FIT iRD for a pretty serious $1,569. We’re unsure at the moment how this will translate to UK prices due to taxes etc but you can expect to pay in the region of £800-£850 for the FIT4 version.

The forks will be on sale May 2016.