The 2027 Fox 40 is here. It has the same goals as ever: low friction, predictable damping, and an incredibly capable chassis, but now with even more refinement. The latest Fox 40 is ready to take on the race track or the bike park. Downhill bikes have long been called the F1 of mountain biking, with the peak of technology and performance being packed into these high-end race machines. The Fox 40 has always been at the pointy end of dual crown performance, with countless race wins and titles to its name. Whenever a new Fox 40 launches, it feels like we’re getting access to some of that performance from the race teams, and the new 2027 Fox 40 is seriously impressive.
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In late February, Mike and I were shipped out to Finale Ligure for the Fox Recon event, where we got to ride tons of new Fox products, including the new Fox 40. In between slideshows and presentations of the latest and greatest Fox has to offer for 2027, we were treated to shuttle laps on legendary trails that were put on the map by the Enduro World Series. I had actually ridden these trails as a part of my Euro EWS road trip back in 2021, so it was great to come back for some more laps and, of course, more gelato. The trails in the area are certainly best enjoyed on an enduro bike, but I can’t turn down DH laps when presented with the opportunity! My only other experience with a Fox 40 was on my original TR11, and that was also my first experience with the downhill bike genre. Having been an enduro bro my entire life, the dual crown world was new to me, and that 40 was the perfect introduction to the DH world. There are not too many damper adjustments to get lost in, and a huge air spring to take all the hits. Since then, I’ve had a couple of RockShox Boxxer D1s, and now I’m back on the Fox 40. But this time it’s clad in Kashima and has plenty of clickers to play with. I had a unique experience setting up the Fox 40, with Jordi Cortez helping set sag and get some good baseline settings. That’s an experience I could have only dreamed of, and while it doesn’t guarantee a perfect setup, it does give a guy some confidence that he’s starting in the right direction. That being said, the jet lag-induced lack of sleep and half a dozen cups of coffee made a confident little jitterbug out on the trails. We started with Ca Bianca, a mellow trail that was a perfect shake down for a post-bike build lap, and thanks to Fox’s mechanics, nothing came loose. While this trail didn’t have anything to truly test the 40, it was made immediately clear that there wasn’t much friction to speak of in the system. There was never a sensation of “breaking into” the travel, and there wasn’t any stiction to overcome when you touchdown from a jump or find a bit of chatter. Sublime! |
2027 Fox 40 Specs
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If you’re familiar with the Glidecore air spring in the Fox 36, then you’re familiar with the scaled-up version for the new Fox 40. The idea is that it uses an elastomer to separate itself slightly from the fork chassis, allowing the air spring to maintain alignment while the fork is flexing. A sideloaded air spring isn’t going to work as well as a perfectly aligned air spring, and this Glidecore air spring will stay straighter more often, meaning a more predictable fork when the going gets tough. As a cherry on top, the post mounts that your brake caliper mount to are now 200mm direct mount, and to celebrate that, I’m using a 200mm HS2 rotor. Most folks will opt for a 220mm or 223mm rotor for the application of DH racing, but the 200mm standard makes using a 220mm rotor just a little easier.
Now, back in the PNW, I arrived with ambitions of taking the downhill bike out every weekend (and maybe even after work now that there’s sunshine until 7!). I recently snuck out for a day of shuttles in coastal Port Angeles, courtesy of MicroShuttles, and while there was a confusing mixture of snow and rain all day long, the laps were all time. On tracks familiar to me, I was able to get a better understanding of how the new 40 performs- and perform it does. It’s hardly surprising that the fork Jackson Goldstone used to dominate the second half of the Downhill World Cup season is a fantastic piece of equipment, and I had a great day enjoying the performance he had a hand in developing.
Similar to my first impressions, the small bump sensitivity is unmatched. Skipping through undulations in the trail is reminiscent of a cold, dry, untracked pow day when the consequences are low, and the vibes are high. Pillowy is the first sensation that comes to mind on the new 40, followed closely by composed. While the air spring delivers that incredibly supple off-the-top sensation, the GRIP X2 damper is there to control the motion, acting as a bouncer to fend off unwanted disruptions. Oh, you wanted to bounce this dude off line? Sorry, back of the line.
Proper downhill tracks are where the 40 shines, and the woods of Dry Hill supplied exactly that. Deep ruts, steep chutes, and relentless compressions tested my personal fitness and preparedness for the upcoming downhill race season. I know that I’m not as prepared as I’d like to be, thanks to very limited bike time recently, so I took this Fox 40 testing session as an opportunity to crank out full runs and build intensity. Typically, those first full runs of the year have my body aching, wanting to pull over before the final sections of track, but the composure of this fork helped me keep the train rolling all the way to the bottom for lap after lap. I know I shouldn’t be capable of that kind of repetition right now, but I believe the composure of the 40 helped me stay strong from top to bottom.
As the pace built, so did the compression in the GRIP X2 damper. I started in the middle of both circuits, and after repetitively finding a few big impacts that had me wishing I spent more time in the gym over the winter. I closed off HSC a few clicks, and the fork was there to help me stay strong and higher in the travel. Through the undulating pumping sections that build speed and necessitate accurate bike placement and timing, adding low-speed compression kept the 40 from feeling wallowy and imprecise. At the top of the track, a particularly devious chute with a big catch berm at the bottom had me falling to the back seat. I slowed my HSR a couple clicks, which kept my front end settled while deep in the travel, allowing me to maintain form into and out of the corner.
I don’t have nearly enough days on the new Fox 40 yet, but it’s already gotten me closer to DH nirvana than ever before. I’ll continue my testing over the coming summer months, and I expect it to continue to impress. Hopefully, there’s a 2027 DH suspension shootout sometime in the future, but for now, I’m going to keep doing my best Jackson Goldstone impression with the fresh 40 strapped to the front of my DH bike.
