Fox Podium. Any downsides to upsidedown?

Throughout my many years riding and racing bikes, I've had the privilege of testing some of, if not all of the greatest suspension forks on the market and when it comes to understanding suspension technology, nuance and performance I stand by my convictions as someone who can feel the difference between two forks and as someone who can push the products enough to really highlight any weaknesses and really drill down into what makes a suspension fork great.

Up until now I had held the Ohlins 38 for at the top of the pile for all out performance and sheer out of the box perfection but then Fox released the Podium.

"your not Jeremy McGrath mate"

I am Jeremy McGrath! At least in my head I am. Its hard to not make 2 stroke noises from behind the bars when you are looking at the the massive 54mm uppers and the 38mm stanchions which just scream "Moto" alongside the carbon stanchion guards with a little hint of the Kashima stanchions peaking out from beneath. Just beautiful! 

Silky-Smooth Performance

If you've ridden Fox forks before you are probably underwhelmed by the "off the top" suppleness compared to say a Rockshox fork and after 2 seconds on the Podiums it was clear this is not the case on these new Fox creations.

This level of sensitivity and small-bump compliance is a game-changer! The Podium's ability to soak up the smallest of impacts and vibrations is very a very welcome change and something that hindered the Fox 38 and even the Ohlins 38.

Stiffness - the big(ish) debate

Fox tested this fork over and over to get the stiffness just right. In fact they tested over 20 different axle combinations to get the chasis compliance spot on and that ended up being a 20mm steel axle. A perfect blend of radial and torsional stiffness that gives the fork a more forgiving and comfortable feel than a Fox 38.

The biggest benefit of an upside down fork though is the lack of "bushing bind". Bushing bind is what happens to your traditional fork at mid travel and is simply the flex in your fork casuing the bushes to dig into the stanchion of the fork slowing its compression. This results in a mid stroke spike of force into your body giving you a nervous feeling on the front wheel and more fatigue.

The Podiums simply dont do this with a huge bushing overlap that keeps the stiffness of the fork throughout the stroke and means you get full control and confidence all the time! 

The main take away for me here was that my hands didnt hurt after a few hours of hard riding and I could really push on the fork and keep consistant grip on the front tyre.

In fact my riding style has adapted to lean more on the front wheel since riding this forks. I can trust them more because they are so consistant.

As an 80kg rider I would consider myself on the lighter side so I didn't feel much or any of the flex I have experienced on a Fox 36 or the 36mm Intend upside down fork which both have me wrestling the handlebar to keep front wheel traction. Not on the Podium! Pure front end dreamy calmness. 

If you are 90kg+ you may start to feel the extra torsional flex of this fork but again this can be a good thing especially if you're out all day on your bike or you ride super gnarly rocky tracks and want to minimise inputs into your hands.

More weight but in the right places

They weight more. They weight more than any other fork on the market. They are 150g lighter than a Fox 40 but who cares? Ritchie Rude cares because hes got 3000m of climbing to do whilst doing WC DH laps at the EDR so weight matters but none of us are Ritchie. Are we?!

This is performance weight. Your bike has got lighter and lighter and lighter over the years so lets start talking about putting weight back on for performance gain. Ochain is a great example. Yer its heavier but you will go faster!

Honestly I didn't notice the weight difference much atall going from a Fox 36 which is a 700g difference to the podium.

All the usual damper bells and whistles

The fork comes equipped with high-speed low-speed compression, high-speed low-speed rebound, [and] volume spacer tuining – all of which allow you to fine-tune the suspension to your specific riding style and terrain.

The new GripX2 damper is vastly improved over the old damper and the adjuster range is way more useable.

I was running 2 volume spacers in the fork with very open compression and rebound settings at 30% sag to match the Unno Burns 35% rear sag.

The main take aways from the damper is how much more controlled it is without running lots of damper clicks. There is a more hydraulically controlled / Ohlins like feel from the damping with bigger hits being dealt with by the HSC valved in a smooth manner with no weird damper spikes or loss of control like previous Fox dampers have suffered with.

I was also able to run a sensible amount of rebound clicks. The new rebound damper tune feel much more open than the Grip2 damper meaning I can dial faster low speed response whilst maintaining good HSR for those bigger hits.

Climbing Performance: A Surprising Advantage

While the Fox Podium is primarily designed for descending prowess, its smoothness off the top aids comfort on the flat and on climbs smoothing out vibrations and small bumps giving you more control and comfort on climbs.

The fork is heavier of course so that may factor into your decision but I didnt notice the weight difference atall and the added comfort was very welcome for my agings wrists! 

This added smoothness will be very welcome on an ebike where you are hitting climbs much faster and need way more control on the ups.

Compatibility and Considerations

When it comes to the Fox Podium, there are a few key compatibility and consideration points to keep in mind:

• Axle Standard: The Podium utilizes a 20mm bolt-through axle, which means you'll need either a hub that accepts adapters or a new front wheel to accommodate this standard.
• Crown Width: The Podium is available in two different crown widths, so you'll need to ensure you select the appropriate size for your bike's head tube.
• Offset: The Podium is offered in a single 44mm offset, which may or may not match your bike's geometry. It's important to double-check this specification before making a purchase.
• Travel: The Podium is available in both 160mm and 170mm travel options, so you'll need to choose the version that best suits your riding style and bike setup.
• Idiosyncrasies: The leg lubrication inside an upside down fork sits on the outer seal. This gives the fork better lubrication but it does mean you have to keep ontop of wiping the stanchions. Also the axle is a double pinch bolt floating axle so read the instructions on how to best tighten the axle down. We have found compressing the fork 20mm into its travel and then tightening the axle gives the most parallel alignment and the smoothest action. *these are a performance component so come with all the care and setup you need to deal with to get the best performance.
  

While these considerations may require some additional research and planning, the benefits of the Fox Podium are well worth the effort. By ensuring a proper fit and setup, you can unlock the full potential of this suspension masterpiece and take your riding to new heights.

Conclusion: A High Performance Suspension Masterpiece

The Fox Podium is a performance item. It will make you faster, it will give you more control and it will make you and your bike look flippin awesome! Just look at them!! 

Yes its heavier and yes you have to look after it, set it up right and clamp the axle correctly buts if you want the very best performance fork on the market thats the price you pay! 

And talking of the price you pay! We have just started a Fox Podium sale aswell as adding them to some key bikes as a stock upgrade! 

Check out the Santa Cruz Bullit Custom Podium edition aswelll as our Fox Podium fork sale!