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Prototype Fox Adventure Cross suspension fork for gravel bikes pops up again

fox ax adventure cross gravel road bike suspension fork spy shot
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fox ax adventure cross gravel road bike suspension fork spy shot
Photo: McGovernCycles on Instagram

Just shy of two weeks ago, we caught our first glance of a prototype Fox AX “Adventure Cross” suspension fork aimed at the gravel and off-road drop bar set. Now, we’re getting a full look, courtesy of frame builder Chris McGovern’s Instagram. The difference is, that first one was clearly labeled as a prototype, but this one’s missing that sticker, suggesting it’s ready to roll.

Zoom in and you’ll see it’s sporting a 15×100 axle and the same indented lowers as their 32SC Step Cast XC fork. Travel, we’re guessing, maxes out at 60mm, but there’s no telling for sure just yet. A fork like this certainly seems aimed at a more aggressive “adventure” ride and bike than a pure gravel bike, and maybe even the touring crowd. Based on the comments on this photo, McGovern’s planning a suspension corrected adventure gravel road frame for it. While we’re waiting to see, check out our pre-NAHBS interview with Chris, here.

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Andrew Spaulding
7 years ago

No one asked for this. If I wanted suspension on my gravel bike I would have put drop bars on a 29er mountain bike. Will anyone really want to add an extra kg of weight for 60mm of travel? Do the math.

D-Con
D-Con
7 years ago

Idunno – I’d take a properly damped fork that goes where it’s pointed over a lauf any day.

Come out to the desert where we have thousands of miles of washboard and a fork and Thudbuster will start to sound really good pretty quick.

Jeb
Jeb
7 years ago
Reply to  D-Con

That’s what 40c tires at 40 psi are for. Otherwise , get a MTB.

F. Brian Hidy
7 years ago
Reply to  Jeb

They just want a piece of the Lauf Grit/Left Oliver pie. If it doesn’t sell, you can say I told you so. If it does here’s betting no one hears a peep from you haters/omniscients.

Itsjustafork-calmdown
Itsjustafork-calmdown
7 years ago

Plenty of people have asked for this. You just don’t know them.

2pacfan187
7 years ago

If they did ask for it, it’d be with a straight steerer, like a lot of gravel bikes still might have.

sad
sad
7 years ago

i wonder if its that light yet still laterally stiff that it makes sense.. else id probably be ok with their 100mm 32

Fritz
Fritz
7 years ago

Looks too clunky … a skinny Rock Shox RS-1 for gravel would be cool, otherwise I prefer the Lefty Oliver or Lauf Grit.

joe
joe
7 years ago

Please try to get a weight on this.

Jay
Jay
7 years ago

Yes indeed weight please..!

arp
arp
7 years ago

There will inevitably be haters, but I’m surprised this didn’t come out sooner…and from Rox Shox. It won’t be for everyone, but no bike or component is. It is a naive statement to say “just get a mt bike”. Sure, you can ride any bike anywhere, but the geometry for most mt bike, even hard tails, are not ideal for road riding. Plush most of them don’t have the same provisions people are looking for in an adventure bike like multiple accessible water bottle mounts, rack mounts, fender eyelets, etc. Speaking of, that is one thing this will need is fender mounts for it to truly be successful. And light. I suspect this will be like fat bike suspension forks. Some bikes have them, some don’t. It’s just another option that may make sense depending how you ride.

derf
derf
7 years ago
Reply to  arp

it did, it came out in 1991, at Paris-Roubaix with rockshox and Greg Lemond and Team Z

arp
arp
7 years ago
Reply to  derf

I’m well aware of that. And I remember Road Bike Action claiming the suspension forks were here for road bikes on their cover sometime in the early 90s. That said, there is no denying there has been a heightened focus on expanding the design focus (or narrowing?) of “road bikes” and a modern well thought out and executed suspension road fork has a ripe market . I’m not saying THIS is that fork until more specs and reviews come out, but it will spur bike mfgs to integrate it and which will start things down the road to refinement.

arp
arp
7 years ago

corrections: “bikes” not “bike” and “Plus” not “Plush”. Jeesh, teach me to type.

Matt
Matt
7 years ago

Is it just me or do the number of haters in the cycling community grow each year. It’s a new product that doesn’t make another product obsolete, I thought people would be all over this. Horses for courses…

Marin
Marin
7 years ago

I’m surprised it’s not step cast like new 32s.
100mm 32 SC is around 1300gr so this could be lighter, not that much over rigid forks that weight around 400gr considering the benefits.
However, it’s a very niche product. Reasonable people would rather get hardtail with 80-100mm fork and one wheelset for road/gravel mix and one for proper offroad tracks that gravel/adventure bikes have no place on.

SJC
SJC
7 years ago
Reply to  Marin

“I’m surprised it’s not step cast”

But it is… From the article: “Zoom in and you’ll see it’s sporting a 15×100 axle and the same indented lowers as their 32SC Step Cast XC fork.”

OldTimerCat1
OldTimerCat1
7 years ago

Ahahaha. Perfect.

Now all of the wannabe MTBers on these “gravel” bikes will be exposed for what they are. Time to stop pretending you have an “all” road bike.

I can’t wait to see these “anti-luddites” out there on the road on their “gravel” bike with a full suspension fork. They can race the guys with the future shocks up the hills, it’ll be great.

WhatchyouKnowAboutEthic
WhatchyouKnowAboutEthic
7 years ago
Reply to  OldTimerCat1

Another perfect example of someone that thinks that just because they don’t do something, everyone else is wrong for doing it.

People on gravel bikes aren’t out there trying to “be mountain bikers”.. They are riding purpose built bikes that create a balance of efficiency and versatility that a mountain bike often can’t offer.

We’re all out there chasing the same stoke. Get over yourself, don’t buy this fork, and go have fun on your almighty & pure road or mountain bike.

Chader
Chader
7 years ago

Well said.

lop
lop
7 years ago
Reply to  OldTimerCat1

What on earth are you even talking about?

dontcoast
dontcoast
7 years ago
Reply to  OldTimerCat1

Hey “old timer cat 1″…. most old timer cat 1 dudes I know can smoke the majority of riders on a modern gravel bike… which is kinda like a norba/cunningham era mountainbike, except tubeless 29er with discs…so, yeah, gravel bikes are mountainbikes.

I’d say no-one is riding park or chunky steeps with them, except Barelli did exactly that and he’s a full suspension enduro bro.

It’s the rider, not the bike, so stop s***ting on other rider’s stoke. You are what’s wrong with riders.

dontcoast
dontcoast
7 years ago
Reply to  dontcoast

And don’t get me wrong, I personally would rather keep a light CX/Gravel rig for all day exploring (with lots of pavement AND singletrack) and a nice AM/Trail Squisher for getting loose on blown out steep stuff, than run this on *my* bike.

Which has nothing to do with the fact that people with hurty wrists, less confidence, a fetish for fancy new bike bits or whatever other reason they have will be happy about this…and I’m stoked for them.

satisFACTORYrider
satisFACTORYrider
7 years ago

take a knee, oldtimer.

ascarlarkinyar
7 years ago

This will do little to nothing on washboard gravel roads. Big tires and adjust psi is all that is needed. I had a lauf for 2 years and it did not do any more than my 42c tires could have.

If you need more, then you should have brought your mtb. The right bike for the right conditions.

Flatbiller
Flatbiller
7 years ago

My circa-2000 RockShox Ruby Metro called, it wants its market back.

the biz
the biz
7 years ago

I’d like this for a touring equipped mountain bike.

Simon Says
Simon Says
7 years ago

Uh, so about the general feeling of surprise that Rock Shox isn’t making this…

https://www.sram.com/rockshox/products/paragon-gold-rl

They are, at least kinda, and they have been for a damn long time. Still, cool idea coming from Fox and it’ll be interesting to see whether it takes off. If the response in regards to Canondale’s Slate bike is anything to go by, we could be seeing the start of gravel/all road suspension arms race.

fred
fred
7 years ago
Reply to  Simon Says

Wow, and it is $255! How many times this cost will the fox be??

arp
arp
7 years ago
Reply to  Simon Says

1827g. Ouch.

nunyab
nunyab
7 years ago

The whole “gravel” thing is getting ridiculous. How is a “gravel” bike with a suspension fork any better than a 29 hardtail or any different for that matter. The industry is getting into a tailspin of looping back on itself. The gravel bike is what was an MTB just a few years ago but with a drop bar. How much longer until gravel bikes are full suspension and using 2.5″ tires with dropper posts. If you’re gravel roads are so bad that you need this, then you’re riding the wrong the bike for the course.

Tomi
Tomi
7 years ago

Aren’t they just reinventing the “trekking” bike ? Last time I checked there were lots of 28″ road bike with suspension and wide tires in the market.

Beat_the_trail
Beat_the_trail
7 years ago

I could see this fork getting traction for high end hybrids or bikes like the Trek DS series. For my road/CX/commuter, I don’t think I need 60mm of travel, even though I ride some single track on the bike at least weekly.

Heffe
Heffe
7 years ago

This is cool but I’m more interested in something minimal like the redshiftsports.com ‘shockstop’ stem.

Dockboy
Dockboy
7 years ago

I could see the use of this on a bike that sees mostly rough roads but an occasional trail with decent roots and rocks. That’s my cross bike. I commute on it, and when I sneak in a post work ride some extra suspension could open up a couple new routes that I would normally reserve for my mountain bike. I wouldn’t mind the extra weight on my otherwise short commute.
It isn’t for everyone, but there is a use to it.

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