Fox 38 front fork

[RodC]

Ah I see now. I guess I wasn’t really sure when I was reading and looking at those pictures you posted.

I’m heading out for just my 3rd trail ride this morning on this fork. I’m still running the reccomended settings cause I haven’t really found a need to change it yet. However this next trail I’m going to has more variety and speed. So i might make some small changes.

It’s really amazing. Maybe it’s the jump from the Gold 35, but it feels awesome.
In fact I’m surprised also on the change from 51mm to 44mm and I like it better; I’ve read it will requiere more body English on technical sections, I’ve found the opposite I like it.

 

[TrackRat]

Have been thinking about doing the same. couple of questions... what is the prevailing thinking around the right choice for offset? Also is consensus to go with the 38 over the 36 Ebike shock?

 

[Gary]

There's no right choice. Only preference
Changing fork offset length affects the bike's steering by increasing or decreasing trail* (caster)

*Trail is a combination of the head tube angle, wheelsize and the fork offset and can be thought of as the distance your tyres contact point trails behind the steering axis.
The short explanation is a small amount of trail equals a 'fast' handling bike, while greater trail equals a 'slow' handling bike.
The right choice for you will depend on how you like your bike's steering to feel.
eg. Slow but super stable? Quicker turning but less stable? or somewhere inbetween?

whatever offset you choose you'll adapt to it anyway.

I have 10 bikes none of them have the same fork offset/trail. it doesn't cause me any drama whatsoever switching from one bike to another.

 

[RodC]

Have been thinking about doing the same. couple of questions... what is the prevailing thinking around the right choice for offset? Also is consensus to go with the 38 over the 36 Ebike shock?

I can only speak for myself.
I was looking a fork with 160mmtravel.
I feel the 38 it’s a perfect match for my ebike, IMO much Sturdier than the 36e (ebike) 160mm.
I weight 95kg

The 2021 36’s don’t come at 160mm.
The 2021 38ebike comes only at 180mm.

About rake, I was thinking to stay with the OEM 51mm. After all these guys at Specialized must have designed it that way after many testing.

Anyhow, the only available fork in stock was the 44mm... LOL you know how this works, if it’s on sale or just the only one available, all that time reading reviews and learning about stuff goes to hell.

I’m glad I went for the 44. It feels great and good control.

 

[Tyrrell]

No 38 is complete without the obligatory Fox Mudguard

 

[RodC]

No 38 is complete without the obligatory Fox Mudguard View attachment 34617

Its the only reason I got the 38 ... the mudguard!

LOL ... JK

 

[RodC]

Jealous.
on today’s ride I was going down some sets of stairs to a landing to more stairs to more landings and just watching my 34s flex all over. Bike would feel way more solid with some 38s.

So, you looked down and wanted something ticker? hahahhaha

 

[RodC]

 

[RodC]

That’s who I was talking to trying to order one. Not available until mid to late September. They did offer 10% discount tho via gift card of course.

Good to see they used a full sized man to review The fork.

I got mine from these guys Pro Bike Supply
really great support and attention.

 

[jcmonty]

Folks looking at the 38 should take a look at the Manitou Mezzer. with 37mm stanchions Great air spring (dual air chamber allows for adjusting initial stroke and midstroke separately) and damper works well. Plus, it has a hydraulic bottom out. It's gotten a lot of good user reviews. I have one on my Levo SL, and it's fantastic. Obviously less popular than fox and rockshox, but IMO, it's another option that's just as good if not better depending on how you define performance.

Edit: I like it better all around than my Lyrik with a HC97 damper and DSD Runt (second air chamber), which was my benchmark on fork. Lyrik at 180mm vs. Mezzer at 160mm may be a bit more supple of the top, but Mezzer beats it anywhere else.

 

[jcmonty]

That hydraulic bottom out sounds awesome!
if I change my fork to something that doesn’t look like the FOX then the wife gets to buy new shoes, purse or sunglasses...... that shits retarded so better to stick with the same look.

Haha fair enough.. if you are running Fox performance (black), it could work if you strip the decals

 

[mazukea]

No 38 is complete without the obligatory Fox Mudguard View attachment 34617

I actually paid $1200 for the mudguard and they gave me a free Fox 38! Deal!!! ??

 

[mazukea]

Y’all are lucky.
The 38s are not gonna be shipping again until mid to late September.

I bought my Fox 38 and mudguard from Dirt Merchant Bicycles. He is a small time bike shop that sells most of his product through Pinkbike. That’s where I found him. I searched fox 38 in the buy and sell section and his ad came up. Very easy to work with. He was able to get me the Orange fork and changed out the 180mm air shaft to 160mm before sending it to me for a very small fee.

 

[mazukea]

I still haven’t hit a jump or drop big enough to bottom out the fork. I have come pretty close but the three volume spacers are working very well for my weight (170lbs).

 

[RodC]

You know that tells us nothing Other than you set up your pressure correctly for the trail you rode....
actually the 38 uses the same air piston as the fox 34 And the new 36 air piston is bigger.. It’s the stiffness of the 38 is what’s desired. For 200lb dudes riding super rough trails and of course very large jumps which is the benefit over a 34/36. It’s actually harder to bottom out a 34 because of the binding from the excessive flex.....

im a 200lb dude and have an ebike which is heavy, so I need a 38

 

[RodC]

I’m a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude.

I Don’t doubt it. My 34 literally moves forward and backwards about an inch riding LITTLE ROCKS and roots. haven’t looked while doing anything big yet but you can just feel it get pushed back then spring forward repeatedly. I really want something solid. Pretty sure specialized picked a bad shock to run at 150mm travel unless someone 120lbs is riding it.

realistically the 36 or lyric or Öhlins would be just fine especially because the 36 has the larger air chamber but the 38 will for sure be solid. I’d bet that the 2022 has a 36 air setup. Gotta have something to market next year.....

that movie made me laugh a lot.

 

[skypickle]

I've been hearing complaints about the Fox 38 creaking. Something about the press fitting of the crown to the stem.

 

[ebikerider]

I've been hearing complaints about the Fox 38 creaking. Something about the press fitting of the crown to the stem.

Same issue almost all single crown forks have. The Mezzer is the only one I know of so far with zero issues in that department.

 

[Tooks]

I can’t remember ever hearing a creak from the crown/steerer interface on any fork I’ve owned?

Whenever you beef anything up to stop flex or increase stiffness though, you just move the stress points somewhere else, or create a new weak point if you prefer.

I do fancy a set of 38s, although they’d undoubtedly be overkill for my riding style/trails. My 34s will have to do for now.

 

[Paulo2020]

Well I got good news and bad news.
Good news is that the SWAT top cap/tool fits the fork! Just make sure that you turn the bottom
piece so that it sits nicely in the oval shape.
The bad news for me... I need new end caps for my stock Roval wheels. The fox has a smaller diameter drop-out. About 19mm. The end caps that came on my wheels are 31 mm. I believe this is because I had the Rockshox front fork. So if you are going from a Rockshox fork to the Fox fork, you may need new end caps like me.

can you say wat reference is needede?my bike shop don´t know..
my bike is levo expert 2019.

 

[Smeer]

Finally my fork and shock arrived yesterday.
shock installed. No problems.

And because such is life in the fkn tropics, the end caps I bought (S19590001) are not compatible with my wheelset. Lol.

View attachment 34357

These below, are the originals. The diameter Of my bearing is bigger.
anyhow I noticed these can be split. And the inner diameter is correct (I think) for the Fox Fork.

View attachment 34358
I’m an animal and was mad at the notice, I made some scratches on the caps.

View attachment 34359

View attachment 34360

View attachment 34361

Hi RodC! I know this thread is a couple months old but I was wondering, did you need the new caps to get the fox fork on? Or were you able to fit it on without any additional tools / components?

I also have a base model, 2021 version and want to put a fox 36 on... though my bike show mentioned those darn RS caps being an issue.

 

[JetSedgwick]

I'm having my 38 installed this week...useful thread.

 

[mazukea]

I'm having my 38 installed this week...useful thread.

you are gonna love it!

 

[JetSedgwick]

my motor blew up yesterday...so that

 

[RodC]

Hi RodC! I know this thread is a couple months old but I was wondering, did you need the new caps to get the fox fork on? Or were you able to fit it on without any additional tools / components?

I also have a base model, 2021 version and want to put a fox 36 on... though my bike show mentioned those darn RS caps being an issue.

sorry. I’ve been away.
I split the caps, and it’s was perfect.
these caps, the ones that came with the bike, is the ones I used.

 

[Vilt]

My 2019 levo came with these.

You can take the torque caps off and be left with "normal" caps that fit the fox 38, I guess. (Mine is in the mail.)

(The ring I'm holding is the torque-cap.)

 

[RodC]

My 2019 levo came with these.

You can take the torque caps off and be left with "normal" caps that fit the fox 38, I guess. (Mine is in the mail.)

(The ring I'm holding is the torque-cap.)

View attachment 43530

Same as mines

 

[Smeer]

Same as mines

Mine are one solid piece, not something you can separate! Such a shame.

 

[Rosemount]

You could get them spun down in a lathe, I dont have your patience?
Anyone seen new model emtb that run the 38 as std figment?

I did that .
Went to an engineering shop and got the diameter reduced on a lathe .

 

[localone]

I have 160mm 38, 3 spacers inside. How many do you have? I am 100kg and is is imposible ti get 160mm