[Dirk77]

Looking to upgrade the fork on my 2014 kona carbon operator. I have the Fox rc4 rear on it.

Both forks have received refinements for 2015.

Haven't found any reviews on the 2015 Fox 40 and nothing but glowing reviews on the 2015 boxxer/charger wc and no reviews on the New boxxer team coil/charger.

I'm not super brand loyal. I have 3 Fox shocks at the moment, no major complaints. I've had a rockshox lyrik that was great.

For Service intervals,looks like the boxxer wins.. also for simplicity and price the boxxer team wins.

Have you guys ridden both or one?
What's your thoughts?

 

[Jm_]

The fox has more kashima.

 

[Dirk77]

Boxxer has moar shimz!

 

[kidwoo]

zoke has moar pluhsh™

 

[Da Peach]

What about a nice Suntour RUX?

 

[ChrisRobin]

Hanebrink.

 

[tacubaya]

I have a customer that rode 3 months a Float 40 2014 until the FIT sealhead started to leak, so in the meantime he is riding a Boxxer coil from a friend of his that I converted to Charger. I asked his opinion and he says they are basically at the same level of performance.

 

[TrumbullHucker]

im feeling ( and this is a total guess ) that the technology that is put into high end 2015 DH forks ( 40, vs boxxerWC) will both feel amazing
i would choose boxxer just because im using the 2015 charger, and the maintenance of my '11 is easy

i would love to try out a 40 for a day though

 

[kickstand]

Having owned a fox 40 coil, a fox 40 float, and ridden a boxxer world cup air, I can say with confidence I am not good enough to notice the difference between any of them, but the fox looks neater in my opinion.

 

[Mo(n)arch]

The Boxxer should be 300-400grams lighter than the 40s.

 

[Udi]

The Boxxer should be 300-400grams lighter than the 40s.

2711-2585 = 126g

Having ridden both back to back on the same track, I think the Float feels better than the 2015 Boxxer (blackgold / charger), possibly thanks to the coil negative in the Fox = less sliding seals. The rate also feels more linear, likely for the same reason. I think a team version of the Boxxer would be very nice.

I think they're both inferior to their coil siblings (not a huge fan of the Float spring either), given the choice I'd throw a spring leg in either fork and be quite happy. They're both better air forks than those of the past, but given how light bikes are these days, I'd fairly happily make the weight sacrifice for coil front and rear for DH.

 

[Dirk77]

Thanks for comments. Big purchase for me..

That Damn Fox 40 looks so good..

The boxxer team is coil and charger.. and cheaper than the 40. I'm 195lbs would i notice flex? I've never ridden a boxer.

 

[fubuki]

I just got a 15 Supreme Operator with the Boxxer WC and right out the box the fork feels amazing. I'm coming off a coil 40 and would chose the Boxxer hands down. That said, I have not ridden a 40 float.

 

[yd35]

Thanks for comments. Big purchase for me..

That Damn Fox 40 looks so good..

The boxxer team is coil and charger.. and cheaper than the 40. I'm 195lbs would i notice flex? I've never ridden a boxer.

The 40 has a stiffer chassis than the Boxxer, which you will notice if you ride the forks back to back. However, if you ride the Boxxer for an extended period of time, you get used to it, and I've never had any oh my god, this is flexy as crap and so much worse than a 40, moments. You're heavier than me though, so you may notice the flex a little more. My pick is the 40.

 

[Mo(n)arch]

2711-2585 = 126g

Having ridden both back to back on the same track, I think the Float feels better than the 2015 Boxxer (blackgold / charger), possibly thanks to the coil negative in the Fox = less sliding seals. The rate also feels more linear, likely for the same reason. I think a team version of the Boxxer would be very nice.

I think they're both inferior to their coil siblings (not a huge fan of the Float spring either), given the choice I'd throw a spring leg in either fork and be quite happy. They're both better air forks than those of the past, but given how light bikes are these days, I'd fairly happily make the weight sacrifice for coil front and rear for DH.

Just checked the numbers.
My fault. I had the weight of the coil version.

 

[Dirk77]

Hmmm, well i guess there is that whole thing where i don't actually have all the cash required, to buy either of these forks..

PayPal credit is my weapon of choice.. just got my kona frame paid off..

Maybe i should just buy the avalanche damper for my 2013 888 cr.. but is that fork worth dumping 427 bucks into?

 

[kidwoo]

How are we supposed to spend your money if you don't have any!!!???


Friggin amateurs.

 

[Dirk77]

Haha right... credit, it's the American way!

 

[kidwoo]

Oh in that case fvck fox for deliberately making a fork with 40mm stanchions 'less stiff'

Buy a boxxer because fox should be punished for that kind of stupidity.

-owner of a last gen fox 40 coil who never once ever said "I wish this thing flexed more"

 

[Mo(n)arch]

Maybe i should just buy the avalanche damper for my 2013 888 cr.. but is that fork worth dumping 427 bucks into?

Y u no satisfied with that fork? Me thought, it's the awesomest budget fork eva?

 

[jackalope]

To follow up on what Udi said, I have a 2014 Boxxer Team (coil + charger) and so far its been tit-tastic. Only a couple days on it, but once I settled on the spring, it didn't take long to get the settings sorted out. Being 5'11" and 180 lbs with gear on seems to always put me right between frame sizes and spring weights, but I ended up with the medium spring (red) with just a little more comp wettening compared to the firm spring (blue). Can't say I ever noticed any flex, but I've haven't been on a 40 in years, so can't help with that comparison.

But arguably the biggest advantage I think the Boxxer has is the name on the stanchions in case you ever forget what fork you're riding while riding.

 

[jonKranked]

Leftys are now DH rated

 

[Sandwich]

I'd get a pair of boxxers if price is on the line. They're both pretty similar technologically, but the boxster saves you money, which you can spend on a nice set of kenda tires.

I had no complaints about my 888cr, but if you need the advanced damper sophistication that either of the other forks gets you, the avy isn't a bad way to go. The seals and chassis are very nice on the 888, but the boxxer sounds like it finally may have caught up. can you sell the 888 and buy the new fork for less cash outlay than the avy cart? new is always better...

 

[Dirk77]

Cool thanks for more direction.. the boxer team is simpler and cheaper..

I keep getting inconsistent rebound speeds mid ride with my 888. It's fine when trails are smooth,then when trail turns chunky and rough, I'm bouncing ask over the place. I've slowed it down to where feels dead. Not sure if when it gets rough, the oil doesn't get picked up or something?? I just got it back from marzocchi a few weeks ago and they did a complete rebuild as well, because i was having same problem before. I also never get full travel, I'm usually 2" shy of getting it. It gets so progressive towards the end. Too plush initial stroke,then stiff Hell, quickly.. I'm on a 6.5k spring. 185lbs

 

[jackalope]

Ah-yup...that was basically the exact same experience I had with my 2010 EVO 888 and the 6.5 spring. Tried running the 5.5 spring and adding oil to the spring side, which worked OK in terms of preventing harsh bottom outs, but still never solved all the other wonky damping issues in retrospect. Anyway, I think you'd realize noticeable performance (and weight) improvements with either fork.

 

[blindboxx2334]

Oh in that case fvck fox for deliberately making a fork with 40mm stanchions 'less stiff'

Buy a boxxer because fox should be punished for that kind of stupidity.

-owner of a last gen fox 40 coil who never once ever said "I wish this thing flexed more"

i love you for this.. i get sick of reading how people think its too stiff, i do not care for flexy forks.

i loved my 40 and would buy another.

 

[Udi]

I keep getting inconsistent rebound speeds mid ride with my 888. It's fine when trails are smooth,then when trail turns chunky and rough, I'm bouncing ask over the place. I've slowed it down to where feels dead. Not sure if when it gets rough, the oil doesn't get picked up or something?

If you're wondering why it happens, you're on the right track. Basically, when damper oil is left in an environment where it is free to mix with air (i.e. non-separated), it will always aerate - as much as oils claim to be anti-foaming etc. The air bubbles rise to the top, which means that the oil near the top of the bath will have a lower practical viscosity than at the bottom.

This means that on a fork like a MoCo or MiCo Boxxer, you tend to get a reduction of compression damping some way down a run, as the top of the damping oil chamber is where the compression piston sits. On a fork like your 888, you get a similar loss of damping except in rebound, as the rebound piston resides near the top of the bath.

Modern dampers like Fox's FIT or RS's Charger eliminate this by sealing the damping cartridge and bleeding it free of air.

 

[jackalope]

^^
Wisdom. However, after having a similar discussion with Udi about this very issue, I determined the best way to mitigate the inconsistent damping problem is by filling the damper leg completely up with oil. With this approach, oil viscosity is not important (in fact, you can even use water, just make sure you have a Trek bike warming tent if you're riding in sub-freezing conditions), *SUPERB* full stroke support, and it completely eliminated the aeration/foaming issue - all with just a nominal weight gain.

I like to think of myself as a problem solver who thinks outside the box, unlike more "technical types" such as mtg, tacubaya, Udi and Stevem.

 

[Da Peach]

I think the RUX has a fully sealed damper...

 

[Wetbed0]

If you're wondering why it happens, you're on the right track. Basically, when damper oil is left in an environment where it is free to mix with air (i.e. non-separated), it will always aerate - as much as oils claim to be anti-foaming etc. The air bubbles rise to the top, which means that the oil near the top of the bath will have a lower practical viscosity than at the bottom.

This means that on a fork like a MoCo or MiCo Boxxer, you tend to get a reduction of compression damping some way down a run, as the top of the damping oil chamber is where the compression piston sits. On a fork like your 888, you get a similar loss of damping except in rebound, as the rebound piston resides near the top of the bath.

Modern dampers like Fox's FIT or RS's Charger eliminate this by sealing the damping cartridge and bleeding it free of air.

On that note, I wonder how tough it would be to add a floating piston to the 888 to separate air and oil. I'll look at it when I pull mine apart.

 

[Udi]

It'd almost be easier to build an entire damper from scratch, and given the lack of shimmed rebound I probably wouldn't waste time trying to modify the stock damper. The compression assembly sits very low in the cartridge, so you'd need to redesign that part / move it further up if you wanted room for an IFP, and then you'd need a hole in the IFP to allow the LS shaft to go through if you still wanted external adjustment.

Brook Macdonald's mechanics decided it'd be easier to just shoehorn a Fox FIT cart in:

 

[Wetbed0]

That's a pretty good point. Probably just get a new fork next season anyway, but maybe I'll do something inside.

 

[Dirk77]

Well Criekey! I slowed down the rebound speed quite a bit and rode the marz, frckn hard yesterday at bike park.. Set some real good lap times(for me) too. I guess maybe i was just trying to run the rebound to fast. After the rebuild from marz, every single click makes a big impact on the rebound speed.. And there's not many clicks, guess it'd be real nice to have a wider range of adjustment.

I do still feel that it is too soft in its first 4 to 5" of travel and ramps up way to hard after that.. Divey,then stiff.. Hard spring too. I went about as hard as i could and still didn't use last 1.5" of travel all day.

Bike park closes next weekend so i guess I'll probably keep saving my cash and get a new fork in March of next year. Might have to buy a new snowboard in a few months anyways,haha..

Thanks for all the great comments and learning me up and shizz..

 

[kidwoo]

Brook Macdonald's mechanics decided it'd be easier to just shoehorn a Fox FIT cart in:

Hey that reminds me.....I've been wanting to try sticking a RS charger damper in my 40.

Try that out real quick and let me know if it works!

 

[Udi]

Try that out real quick and let me know if it works!

Nah

 

[kidwoo]

Oh come on! You love this kind of crap.

Actually I know someone who likely has an extra one. Imma try it.


Rapid recovery yo. Lemme hear ya say ugghhh!

 

[kidwoo]

Okay I got one. The charger dealio is a little shorter than the fox one.

Gotta build some spacers. This gon be fun!

 

[jackalope]

So in other words, you're going to add Moar shimz. I fully endorse this project.

 

[kidwoo]

Moar shimz is so last year.

This all about differnt shimz.

 

[blindboxx2334]

pix or it didnt happen!