Fox Factory 38 GRIP X2 Fork Review | Maximum Performance

Watch the video on the GRIP X2 Fox 38

The Fox 38 came out in 2020 and ever since, 38mm stanchion forks have become the standard for anyone considering themselves an aggressive rider, and the smaller stanchioned 36s and Lyriks have fallen from the spotlight that they had a stranglehold on for generations. Now it’s hard to get your hands on a fork with 170mm travel that doesn’t have 38mm stanchions, with everyone elated about the increased stiffness and confidence they’re experiencing with this new generation of burly enduro forks. When the 38 was first released 4 years ago, it planted itself as the benchmark heavy duty single crown fork, and has been many rider’s favorite fork since its release. Nobody ever thought that the previous 38 wasn’t enough, so what’s changed this year with the updated Fox 38? The Fox 38 chassis is sporting some updated bushings, it uses the same air spring, and the biggest evolution is in the GRIP X2 damper. Oh, and of course that flashy paint job.

The Podium Gold forks are flashier than the other color options, but have identical internals and performance

The GRIP X2 damper has all the same adjustments as the previous generation GRIP2 damper, with high and low speed compression and high and low speed rebound, meaning you can really get into the weeds with tuning this damper. Fox supplies recommended settings for air pressure and both rebound circuits, but you’re on your own with figuring out the compression. Those recommended settings were almost spot on for me, and after riding the fork for a bit I added a volume spacer, dropped a couple psi, and sped up my low speed rebound a couple clicks. I settled with my high speed compression mostly open and low speed compression mostly closed, and dialing in the GRIP X2 equipped Fox 38 was way easier than I expected, after struggling to set up my old GRIP2 38 a couple years ago. With all those dials, you can definitely still mess it up more than you can a RockShox ZEB, but if you’re looking for an easier to set up damper, Fox does offer the more trail oriented GRIP X damper with just one rebound knob.

Mike and Tor riding the 2025 Fox 38's in the Squamish dust

To dive a bit into the tech of the new GRIP X2 damper, it shares almost the same architecture as the GRIP2, with some relatively small changes that make for big improvements on the trail. Most importantly is the much larger 24mm base valve, which is going to allow more oil to flow through the damper when it’s wide open. That means you can expect less compression damping compared to the GRIP2 when the GRIP X2 is wide open, and there are also 23 shims in the shim stack, up from 7, to control the oil flow and shut down the damping when the circuits are closed. One of the goals Fox had with this new design is further separating the high and low speed compression circuits to keep them from influencing each other, as well as increasing the total range between open and closed. So if you’re on the old GRIP2 damper and either wish it had more or less compression damping, the GRIP X2 is going to offer that wider range you’re looking for. In addition to that, the updated bushings are completely smooth, while the outgoing generation had little channels running through them to let oil flow across the surface. With a bit of high tech FEA analysis, Fox decided those channels were causing more friction than they were remedying, and have given them the boot this year.

When compared to the GRIP2 damper, the GRIP X2 feels marginally more refined in every way, but doesn’t necessarily stand head and shoulders above the old damper in any way either. The GRIP2 was the pinnacle of performance for years, and the GRIP X2 feels very familiar, while maintaining a higher rider height and switching directions between compressing and rebounding more smoothly. Another welcome change is more noticeable differences between each click of a compression dial, and thus an overall easier to tune fork. I consider this an evolution of an already fantastic damper, rather than a revolutionary new product the mountain biking world has never seen before.

After snapping the chainstay on my downhill bike, I rode my Fox 38 equipped trail bike at Whistler for a few days, and was blown away at how capable the single crown bike was when compared to my downhill bike on Whistler’s toughest double black trails. We were planning on shooting a “Do you still need a DH bike in 2024?” video in the bike park, and while the frame failure derailed those plans, I have an answer for you. 38mm stanchioned forks have changed the game, and while there really is nothing like a proper downhill bike, the lines are more blurred than ever, with the performance of single crown forks getting dangerously close to their dual crown siblings. Riding the trail bike in the park was surprisingly viable, and while I can’t say I didn’t miss the dedicated park bike, I don’t think downhill bikes are truly necessary with the progression enduro bikes have made over the last five years.

Stiffness and compliance are waging a war in not just forks, but also frames, wheels, handlebars, and just about every other component on your mountain bike, but it might be most noticeable on the prongs flanking your front wheel. Without a doubt, I can say that the Fox 38 is the stiffest single crown fork I’ve ridden, topping its closest competitor, the RockShox ZEB. That increased stiffness is most noticeable in high speed obstacle filled corners, where I’m side loading the fork and taking compressions, and the 38 is far happier keeping its line rather than getting bounced around when compared to a thinner stanchioned 36 or Lyrik. Also I can’t be the only one that still finds the joy in running straight into curbs when I get a new fork, and the 2025 38 passes the curb test with flying colors.

There is definitely a thing as ‘too stiff’, and that line is in different places for different riders. For me, if I’m out for a ride with friends that aren’t looking to push the pace and race the descents, I find myself wishing for a more compliant fork that doesn’t send every vibration up my steerer tube and down the handlebars to my mitts. How much stiffness is optimal for a rider depends on their weight, how they ride, and of course personal preference, and the Fox 38 is about as stiff as a single crown fork gets, perhaps a bit too much for some riders.

Anyone looking to make their enduro bike as capable as possible should look no further than the Fox 38. The faster you ride, the happier this fork is, and with the highly tunable GRIP X2 damper, every rider can find a comfortable setup for the terrain they’re going to tackle. When decked out with the limited edition Podium Gold colorway, it’s also got the looks to match the top of the line performance.

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