SAG FOX 36 Grip X

stefighters

New Member
Aug 28, 2024
42
9
France
Hello.

I have questions about the SAG settings of my FOX 32 Grip X fork (160mm).

The Fox website recommends a SAG of 20% or 32mm.

However, I read everywhere that 25 to 30% are generally the values to consider for All Mountain / Enduro practice (which is my case).

1st question: Should I trust Fox (20%) or increase my SAG to 25 or even 30%?

2nd question: I weigh 85 kilos on the bike. With 80 psi in the fork and 2 Tokens, I get a SAG of 30mm (20%). If I want to reach 25% (40mm), I would have to go down to about 65psi, which seems to me to be a very low value.

What do you think? Thank you for your advice
 

DuncanDoughnuts

Active member
Apr 2, 2018
371
262
Cape Town/JHB/Rippon
I find the 38 with one token works better less sag ... almost as if it's designed to work on that part of the spring curve.

At the moment im 86kg and my current setting is 90psi - feels great at speed on smaller hits and supportive when the weight is over the front.... but low speed climbing does not feel so great on smaller bumps...

Im still experimenting .... got my 36 set up perfectly ... but still messing with the 38
 

Bman

Member
Mar 12, 2021
20
15
Dallas, TX
Depends on how you're measuring it. 15-20% if you're measuring it in the seated attack position. 30% if you're standing into it, putting most of, if not all, your weight on the grips.
 

Bear-uk

E*POWAH Elite
Subscriber
Apr 3, 2020
984
1,332
Harrogate
The only real way to find a good setting is to experiment, because we will all tell you different pressure's and sag figures that suit us individually.
My recommendation is to take the tokens out and run the sag at nearer 30% when sat down.
Try it and see if you can adjust the comp and rebound to suit you.
That will give you your lowest air pressure that will work for you and you might be happy at that.
Then play around with more pressure.
Be aware though that the air spring pressure will alter compression and rebound
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
9,351
9,919
Lincolnshire, UK
I too found the recommendations from Fox gave a ride that was too hard. So I did what I always do with a new bike.

I experimented! I play around with tyre pressures, fork and shock set up. I alter all the settings (one at a time of course) until I am happy. It does not take long at all to get something that is close to what I'm looking for. However, it may take several rides during which I'm adjusting settings before I get happy enough to stop playing and just enjoy the ride.
 

RustyIron

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Subscriber
Jun 5, 2021
1,937
3,047
La Habra, California
I read everywhere that 25 to 30% are generally the values to consider

The thing about the Tik-Tok and Youtube is that everyone gets to share their opinions, no matter how illogical they may be. You bought yourself a good fork, set it up properly. I can't imagine why anyone would advise you to have it sit lower in its travel.
 

stefighters

New Member
Aug 28, 2024
42
9
France
This is why I am asking for the opinion of people who own this fork. Many people have reservations about Fox's recommendations. Nothing beats reality and feedback.
 

RustyIron

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Subscriber
Jun 5, 2021
1,937
3,047
La Habra, California
This is why I am asking for the opinion of people who own this fork. Many people have reservations about Fox's recommendations. Nothing beats reality and feedback.

Then set it up with the sag that Fox recommends. Really, 20% is pretty good for whatever fork you're setting up. Setting sag is a somewhat imprecise exercise, but try to do it with your weight over the bottom bracket. For almost all of your riding, you want your center-of-gravity to be over your bottom bracket to provide optimum traction between both tires.

Here's a little thought experiment consider before following the "30% Sag Interweb Crowd." The paint is obvious if you're good at geometry and math. If not, you'll have to think about it a while before the light comes on.

A. When you've set your sag to 20% and you're sitting on the bike, what's the air pressure inside the fork?

B. When you've set your sag to 30% and you're sitting on the bike, what's the air pressure inside the fork?


Most folks haven't considered this, and it can be a revelation.

C. When your sag is at 20% and you compress the fork, what is the spring rate?

D. When your sag is at 30% and you compress the fork, what is the spring rate?


Lastly, when you're diving into a corner and your fork is compressing, where do you want your ride height? Do you want it down low like the 30% fork, or do you want it higher like the 20% fork?

As you can see, there are some solid reasons why you don't want to arbitrarily let air out of your fork. The same principles apply to shocks. If you consider all the factors, you can take a bike that rides like a box of rocks on a pogo stick, and turn it into something that rides and handles great.
 

BAh30

New Member
Oct 30, 2024
57
52
Alameda, Ca USA
Hello.

I have questions about the SAG settings of my FOX 32 Grip X fork (160mm).

The Fox website recommends a SAG of 20% or 32mm.

However, I read everywhere that 25 to 30% are generally the values to consider for All Mountain / Enduro practice (which is my case).

1st question: Should I trust Fox (20%) or increase my SAG to 25 or even 30%?

2nd question: I weigh 85 kilos on the bike. With 80 psi in the fork and 2 Tokens, I get a SAG of 30mm (20%). If I want to reach 25% (40mm), I would have to go down to about 65psi, which seems to me to be a very low value.

What do you think? Thank you for your advice
Begin with the prescribed fox sag values and set the rebound and compression at 1/2 buy counting off the total number of clicks and dividing that by half. Do the same with the rear shock. This produces a baseline of which you can make small changes here and there w/o having to start all over again if its not what you want and its goal is to get the front and rear are balanced so that you have the best handling results you can.

Cheers
 

stefighters

New Member
Aug 28, 2024
42
9
France
A. When you've set your sag to 20% and you're sitting on the bike, what's the air pressure inside the fork?

SAG 30mm / 80Psi = 19% (prescribed fox sag)

B. When you've set your sag to 30% and you're sitting on the bike, what's the air pressure inside the fork?

SAG 40 mm / 65 Psi = 30% (65psi seems excessively low)

I've had this fork for 2 weeks and so I haven't mastered it.

I know I have to test and ride. But I would like to start on a solid basis.
 

Bear-uk

E*POWAH Elite
Subscriber
Apr 3, 2020
984
1,332
Harrogate
A. When you've set your sag to 20% and you're sitting on the bike, what's the air pressure inside the fork?

SAG 30mm / 80Psi = 19% (prescribed fox sag)

B. When you've set your sag to 30% and you're sitting on the bike, what's the air pressure inside the fork?

SAG 40 mm / 65 Psi = 30% (65psi seems excessively low)

I've had this fork for 2 weeks and so I haven't mastered it.

I know I have to test and ride. But I would like to start on a solid basis.
And 65 PSI is quite possibly too low.
But that's why I suggested 30% as your starting point.
So now ride it and start adding more pressure and adjusting comp and rebound until your happy.
Preferably on the same section of track so you can feel what's working and what's not.
The damper side of the forks need assistance from the air spring side to help the rebound and compression work properly without the adjuster knobs being fully open or closed trying to compensate for not enough air pressure.
Eventually fine tune bottoming out with token's.
 

BAh30

New Member
Oct 30, 2024
57
52
Alameda, Ca USA
A. When you've set your sag to 20% and you're sitting on the bike, what's the air pressure inside the fork?

SAG 30mm / 80Psi = 19% (prescribed fox sag)

B. When you've set your sag to 30% and you're sitting on the bike, what's the air pressure inside the fork?

SAG 40 mm / 65 Psi = 30% (65psi seems excessively low)

I've had this fork for 2 weeks and so I haven't mastered it.

I know I have to test and ride. But I would like to start on a solid basis.
the more sag you have, its likely that youll have to use more rebound/comp b/c the fork will be riding further into its travel. If not then theres a chance the fork will bottom on bigger hits.
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,803
5,253
Weymouth
Hello.

I have questions about the SAG settings of my FOX 32 Grip X fork (160mm).

The Fox website recommends a SAG of 20% or 32mm.

However, I read everywhere that 25 to 30% are generally the values to consider for All Mountain / Enduro practice (which is my case).

1st question: Should I trust Fox (20%) or increase my SAG to 25 or even 30%?

2nd question: I weigh 85 kilos on the bike. With 80 psi in the fork and 2 Tokens, I get a SAG of 30mm (20%). If I want to reach 25% (40mm), I would have to go down to about 65psi, which seems to me to be a very low value.

What do you think? Thank you for your advice
all of that sounds fine to me, maybe if anything air pressure for your weight is a little low especially if you intend doing jumps and drops etc. With Fox forks the air spring tends to dominate in my experience. If set too low it is difficult to get a good balance with the rebound and low speed compression settings.
 
Last edited:

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