The spotlight for 2010 Fox forks rested squarely on their newly revamped 32mm family. Forks in similar segment have always been the bread and butter for most fork companies and Fox has refocused on this segment for 2010 to stay relevant, if not to raise the bar. At first glance, the 2010 forks do not look vastly different from prior year model since both shared similar chassis, which was upgraded in 2009. But this is where the similarities end. All RLC model in each series (F-series, Vanilla, Float and Talas) got updated with the new FIT (Fox Isolated Technology) damper. FIT damper is also available on the RL Remote model. The new close circuit damper promised to enhance the forks small bumps compliance. Since less oil is required for the new damper, the new forks also enjoyed considerable weight loss in the process. For the record, the new F100RLC weighs less than 3.2lbs, making it one of the lightest 100mm travel fork available in the market. For the first time since Fox inception, the F-series will be a real contender for the lightest and best performing fork in the market. The R line has been dropped from the aftermarket lineup. The open bath, rebound and lockout adjustable (RL) fork will become Fox’s new entry level fork. Also new for 2010, is the 150 Talas (150mm–130mm–110mm) which has another 10mm of travel added to meet the increasing demand for more travel.

First Impression

Upon closer inspection of the Talas RLC 140 (140mm–120mm–100mm), you will notice various changes to the adjuster knobs. The rebound damping and lockout threshold adjustors have swapped places, with the former now at the bottom of the right leg and vice versa. While some argued that the new layout is more logical as rebound damping would not require on-the-fly adjustment once dialed-in, I personally felt indifferent between the two. The travel adjustor on the left leg has been enlarge and also re-designed with better ergonomics. The bigger knob provided better leverage and I found it much easier to switch between the different travel settings even on the move. The air chamber valve is still located at the top of the left leg. However, to unscrew the valve cap, you will need to change the travel setting to its lowest (100mm). When you do that, the air valve will pop up and allow easy access to the valve cap.

The proprietary FIT damper is actually a technology passed down from the 36 and 40, and has been a proven technology. It has been used on the bigger Fox for the last two seasons and been in development for couple of years prior to its first commercial application. On paper, the closed system is supposed to produce very little friction, if any. The isolated damper is purged of air and this prevented aeration of the oil, ensuring consistent damping performance throughout its stroke. A newly shimmed rebound circuit is also incorporated and enhances the fork’s speed sensitivity. Last but not least, the new forks have modified air spring curve that help it to better utilize its full travel.