What if Fox took all of their DH, enduro and XC tech and put it on a light air shock body? You’d get this, the new 2018 Fox Float DPX2.
Starting with their EVOL air shock, which gives it a larger air volume for plush small bump performance, it then adds the external oil reservoir to add fluid volume for better cooling and big hit performance. Inside, it keeps their DPS valving to create the three distinct Open, Medium and Firm settings. Details, pricing and more below…
DPS works by having a separate circuit for the Closed setting to keep it extra firm, stopping just short of full lock out. Open and Medium share a circuit, using a shim plate to restrict low speed flow in the Medium setting. Same concept as before, but it’s executed differently here.
Inside the Base Valve are the Open and Closed main controls, with distinct ports for each. In open, oil flows through a needle-controlled valve.
In Firm, oil is shuttled past Reed Valves, which are like shims except they’re anchored at one end like a flap rather than a circular shim. They work similarly, using their inherent shape to keep a port closed until oil pressure is enough to push them open. The Refill Ports are used to divert excess oil flow during both compression and rebound into and out of the X2 reservoir, while the rest travels through the normal paths and circuits. Check this video to see more about how that recirculating system works (explained in the first 50 seconds).
On the Factory model, which will be your aftermarket option, it keeps the same 10-click Open mode micro adjustment as on the forks, but it’s a tooled adjustment accessed in the center of the blue knob.
Side mounted knobs for both compression and rebound look much easier to reach and use than under/over mounted versions that can be hard to see without flipping your bike over. Wishing these were on every shock.
The X2 reservoir is smaller and positioned better on this than the Float X, helping you fit larger water bottles inside your frame. It’ll be available in standard and metric sizing, with regular and trunnion mounts. Retail is $549 for the Factory model with Kashima coating, other versions will be found on OE.
