2011 Fox 32 TALAS 29 FIT Terralogic 120 Fork Review

Every year, Fox Racing Shox ups the ante in the fork wars with either refinements or complete re-designs. At this point, their only real competition is with RockShox since everyone else has been reduced to a blip on the radar screen. While there are some good forks out there from other brands, there’s no doubt that Fox Racing has a serious leg-up on the competition due to their unmatched racing heritage and ongoing R&D opportunities in mountain biking, motocross and auto racing. Plus, look around at your local bike shop and most bikes are equipped with Fox suspension forks.

For 2011, Fox is introducing a slew of technology to go along with their entirely-new 29er model. Here are some features of the 2011 Fox 32 TALAS 29 Terralogic fork:

• FIT damper with Terralogic
• Kashima Coat stanchions for protection and ultra-smooth travel
• Travel: 120mm or 95mm via TALAS switch
• Axle: 9mm or 15QR (tested)
• Colors: Black or White (tested)
• Steerer: 1 1/8″ or 1.5″ tapered
• Weight: 4.12 lbs (tapered steerer – tested)
• MSRP: $1095

2011 Fox 32 TALAS 29er Fork Review

As I’ve become more and more familiar with Fox suspension forks, the more invisible they become. Not that I completely ignore them, but they do settle into the background of my mind so I can focus on other things — like enjoying the ride. That can definitely be said about the all-new big kahuna in Fox’s 29er lineup.

The test steed has been the venerable Niner RIP 9. Not only has this bike been the perfect match for this fork (120mm travel front/rear), but it looks mighty sharp when dressed for the ball. The white color lowers (also available in black) match the raw finish and white Niner logos. Ain’t she pretty?

Looks aside, the new 32 TALAS 29 is packed with great features. Tops on my list is the TALAS travel adjustment lever. While dropping the fork by 25mm may seem unnecessary for a bike built to take a 120mm fork, it makes a noticeable difference on long climbs without changing the quality of the travel. On extra-steep singletrack climbs, the reduced front-end height was oh-so-welcome. Not that the RIP is a bad climber (the thing climbs like a beast) and not that the front end wandered any in full-travel mode, but that drop really puts the bike on rails and keeps the front end tracking ultra-straight and glued to the trail. You’ve got to experience it to understand but believe me when I tell you it’s worth it.

The stanchions feature the new Kashima Coat which will become the gold-standard in stiction-free travel and durability alike. Curious about the technology behind this new coating, I dug up some details from Fox:

The Kashima Coat technology has been used for years across the motorcycle and automotive industries in suspension components and clutch and valve train assemblies because of its low-friction and ultra-wear resistance properties.

In the revolutionary Kashima Coat process, lubricating molybdenum disulfide is deposited, via electrical induction, into the billions of micropores on the surface of hard-anodized aluminum. The distinctive gold colored, Kashima coated stanchions maintain better lubrication characteristics, and the lightweight aluminum components treated with Kashima Coat attain a level of hardness and abrasion resistance four times tougher than standard hard-anodized aluminum.

The bottom line is with Kashima Coating, the stanchions are smoother, harder and more durable than any other coating on the market today. All I can say is that I agree. Out of the box, this fork has been the most supple and stiction-free of any recent Fox fork I’ve tested. There was a slight break-in period, yes, but I can confidently say that it has nothing to do with the stanchions. This fork is the epitome of stiction-free travel.

Setting the sag at 25%, the Terralogic in 5 clicks and the rebound right in the middle between slow and fast, I went out to terrorize the trails. As mentioned above, the TALAS system can change your bike into a superhero climber with the flick of a switch, but what about the down? Lets start with the tapered steerer. I’m a huge fan as it noticeably stiffens up the front end for steering precision. Add on top of that the QR15 front axle and the entire package just feels ultra-stiff and solid… definitely the most confidence-inspiring 29er fork I’ve ever tested. It simply laughs at rough terrain and drops that would make other forks whimper and flex.

While 29ers do roll better and provide an extra dose of smoothness, you’ve still got to have good quality squish to connect all the dots for the perfect ride. One of those factors is how well it performs in high-speed stutter bumps. That kind of trail chatter is enough to knock your fillings loose. While it did take a little bit of finagling, I was able to find (with some guidance from Fox’s superstar techs) just the right air pressure and rebound settings for the ultimate in smooth. The 32 TALAS 29er really shines in harsh trail conditions and absorbs big hits extremely-well. No, this isn’t going to be quite as supple as a 160mm travel Fox 36 fork, but it’s pretty darn amazing.

For 2011, Terralogic essentially replaces the “L” in the RLC model. Instead of an outright lockout, Terralogic acts a lot like Propedal in Fox rear shocks by setting a blowoff threshold. This can be dialed-in by adjusting the knob under the right fork leg. On the trail, it works well and remains firm until met with a rough trail. I could see this becoming more and more valuable for racers or extended climbs, but I just brought it in 5 clicks and pretty much left it. I felt it was the perfect balance of efficiency and bump absorption.

Just for kicks, I did some extensive testing of the Terralogic system at both extremes from all the way on to completely off. With it maxed, it still easily blows through the threshold upon hitting any obstacle (large or small), but there ‘s a noticeable blowoff point. In the off position, there was little noticeable threshold. By placing this at the bottom of the fork leg, this indicates that it’s likely a “set it and forget it” type of adjustment — that’s how I used it.

Not a whole lot to nit-pick about on this fork. It will set you back a cool grand, but the quality of travel and stiffness is unmatched. I’ll be comparing this fork to the 2011 Reba 29er in the coming months, so stay tuned.

Good TALAS 29er

• Love having the adjustable travel. Dropping to 95mm is perfect on the RIP 9
• Kashima Coating is smooth and durable… it’s the bomb
• Ultra-stiff and precise tracking
• Excellent quality travel in both big hits and high-speed chatter
• The 15QR rounds out the package for added stiffness and ease-of-use

Bad TALAS 29er

• With all the adjustments, finding the right settings can be difficult (stick with it though)
• This kind of good lovin’ doesn’t come cheap (but oh is it worth it)

Bottom Line: 2011 Fox 32 TALAS 29 Fork

The Fox 32 TALAS 29 Terralogic fork has really surpassed my expectations in stiffness and quality of travel. The new Kashima Coat and Terralogic and TALAS, you have the perfect triple-threat to crush your local trails. This is the fork to beat for your 29er trailbike.

Buy Now: Search for Fox Forks at CompetitiveCyclist.com