Fox Shox Float 36 GRIP2 Damper Upgrade [Rider Review]

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

Fox's GRIP2 damper is the cutting edge of suspension damper technology. With low speed and high speed adjustments of both compression and rebound, this allows riders to completely dial in their suspension for maximum performance. Our friend Don recently installed one in his fork and loves the upgrade. Read on for more!

Overview

Over the past year, I have slowly but assuredly been upgrading parts on my 2019 Stumpy EVO which came with entry-level parts including the fork, Fox 36 Rhythm. I have put on over 1200 miles on this bike on mostly cross country riding and have also entered 3 virtual races in the four corners region of the South West. I love this bike! I am always trying to push myself on more technical terrain and on descents as our area here in Monument Valley does not have dedicated bike trail systems, you have to tread your own path.

For Christmas, I asked my wife for some parts that would give my fork an upgrade. After doing my research (mostly watching YouTube videos) I figured the best option without breaking the bank was to change out the damper. I without reserve called on Worldwide Cyclery to order a GRIP2 damper and a new dust wiper seal kit. I was a bit lost and apprehensive about spending the money on the damper as I was concerned about ordering the wrong size or if there was a different damper for the Rhythm fork as opposed to the Elite fork. Rest assured the tech I contacted sent me a link as to the correct damper that would work seamlessly. Of course, I had to wait until after Christmas to get the damper installed, it seemed a lifetime.

Finally, I got the damper and took it to our area bike shop “Kokopelli Bike and Ski” in Cortez Colorado. This is a two-hour drive for us. I showed the tech my parts and he said it would take a couple of hours, he said that it would be easy as the damper was already built up. The swap out was flawless he said, “Everything just dropped right in”. Great news!! My worrying about the damper not fitting, gone!

I immediately hit the road, wanting to try out the new damper. I got home, tuned the GRIP2 as recommended by Fox, to all the knobs right in the middle of the click settings. BTW, the damper has high/low-speed compression and rebound adjustments. I should also mention that I bumped the travel from 150mm to 160mm. My first impressions were nothing but great!

I could feel the plushness and smoothness of the stroke over every bump and rock I would roll over.

I did my “go-to” trail for a good testing. The trail has a good variety of climbs, descents, rock gardens, and a staircase to ride down. Without missing a beat, the new upgrade took each turn in stride. I did not have trouble climbing with the new travel length nor did I notice any extra bobbing. The fork felt extra smooth going over some moderate drops and I rolled down the staircase smoother than expected. With more time on the bike, I am sure that I will be able to dial the setting to my liking. The initial setting recommended is a good starting point.

Final Thoughts

If you are thinking about the upgrade, do not hesitate, this is by far my best upgrade without buying a new fork. The damper was a little under $350 as opposed to buying a Fox factory for $1100. The tech team at Worldwide Cyclery is A1 spot on at making your purchases easy and taking care of making sure you are buying the right product for your bike. I would recommend them any day and over any other competing store.