Description:The Float is Fox's air-sprung do-it-all fork. You get 130mm (new for '05) of travel to handle all types of terrain (internally convertible to 100mm if you prefer less travel). For 2005, Fox offers disc-only lowers, saving weight and yielding a cleaner look, yet still providing the legendary stiffness you've come to associate with Fox products.
The ultra low-stiction air spring system works in unison with the Float's damping circuits to provide the perfect balance between efficiency, control, and position-sensitive bottoming resistance. 12-click rebound adjuster lets you dial in the damping control. The RLC model adds a lockout on the top of the fork leg, with adjustable blow-off threshold to change the compression firmness while in lockout mode. There's also a 9-position, externally adjustable low speed compression damping clicker, making these the most tunable forks around. 2005 Float's feature a new, slim damper cartridge that helps eliminate cavitation and allows a wider adjustment range. The new cartridge saves 30 grams over '04 forks.
Submitted by
Willem Boom
a Cross Country Rider
from Bend, OR Date Reviewed: May 9, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Storm King
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$396.00
Purchased At:
EBAY
Strengths:
Adjustability, strength, weight, ITS A FOX!! LOOKS great.
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
Manitou, Marzocchi, etc.
Bike Setup:
Ventana Pantera, Chris King Headset, Thomson Stem and Post, XT Drivetrain with XT Disc Brakes (all 2007), Dual Contol XT Shifters, Yeti ARC Carbon Bars, Panaracer Tires, XT Hubs + Skewers.... Bascially the best stuff...
Bottom Line:
Buy this if you can find one. Other than that I would look at the new Fox Forks as well. My next bike will be built with a Talas.
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Submitted by
Nick
a Weekend Warrior
from Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur Date Reviewed: March 4, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Weight, features, travel-weight ratio
Weaknesses:
Delicate
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi Drop off, Fox Vanilla and TALAS, RS revelation
Bike Setup:
Turner RFX
Bottom Line:
This fork is incredibly smooth. It tracks very well and it's light for the amount of travel it has. Only drawback is it can be a little expensive. I had to dig deep into my pockets to buy this thing. But no regrets, Any fork in the FOX line is awesome. Go for the TALAS if you have the money, if not the Vanilla will satisfy your riding needs.
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Submitted by
Deron
a Weekend Warrior
from Brandon,Mb.Canada Date Reviewed: February 13, 2007
Favorite Trail:
dcash@westman.wave.ca
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$380.00
Purchased At:
Online
Strengths:
Super Plush with great small bump compliance.I am hard on things and it has held up well.No leaks or squeeks.
Weaknesses:
Can not think of anything.Maybe not the stiffest fork if that is what you are looking for.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Minute (decent),RS REBA(crap)
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Blur 4X Loaded.Easton carbon everything and Havoc wheels.
Bottom Line:
If you can pick one up cheap enough the value is incredible.Buy it if you push the limits and need to be bailed out the Fox Float will not let you down.
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Submitted by
Jerome
a Weekend Warrior
from Nevada Date Reviewed: May 1, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Moab
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$420.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Float technology is the best air spring there is. Can rival any coil out there. Very light for a 5" forks out there.
Weaknesses:
Too Plush....
Similar Products Used:
Talas, Black, Minute
Bike Setup:
Intense 5.5
Bottom Line:
All around fork, point it down or up, you know you have the right one. Excellente!!!
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Submitted by
Rick
a Weekend Warrior
from Boulder, CO Date Reviewed: April 27, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$450.00
Strengths:
plush, plush, plush! light, light, light! all the adjustability you can think of. excellent fork....
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
manitou minute 2.0, fox talas
Bike Setup:
yeti 575
Bottom Line:
one, if not, the best air sprung fork out there...
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Submitted by
Thomas
a Cross Country Rider
from Perth Date Reviewed: February 8, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Dunkeld
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Fat Tread
Strengths:
Reliable, minimal maintanance, stiff. This is a real quality product , make no mistakes despite the high price we pay in the UK
Weaknesses:
Poor dampening, unable to get a good balance between plushness and responsiveness, packs down to much
Similar Products Used:
Pace forks of various kinds
Bike Setup:
Turner 5 Spot
Bottom Line:
These forks are the third Fox product I have tried and although they are very reliable they just lack the responsiveness and brilliant dampening that Pace manage to achieve on their products. If Pace even sort their reliability issues which I have direct experience of I believe that they will have a fantastic product compared with these forks.
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Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Exton, Pa Date Reviewed: October 18, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Every one at Wissahickon
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$675.00
Purchased At:
West Chester Bike Line
Strengths:
Super Stiff. Almost to many adjustments. Ultra plush for an air sprung fork. Linear spring rate.
Weaknesses:
None that I can see.
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi Z1, Marzocchi Marathon SL
Bike Setup:
Cove Handjob, Avid mechanicals, XTR F&R, XTR levers, Thomson goodies, XT to Rhyno Lite Wheels
Bottom Line:
Best decision I could have made. I am a big guy and have always needed a stiff fork. This fork has stiffness in spades. Awesome adjustments, smooth as butter feel, and impeccable craftmanship. Used to be a hard-core Marzocchi rider but love the Fox now.
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Submitted by
biggity
a Cross Country Rider
from SD Date Reviewed: June 9, 2005
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Weight,materials and maybe looks, adjustabilty options.
Weaknesses:
NOT PLUSH, brake dive, bushing play
Similar Products Used:
Marz AM1
Bottom Line:
I did not like this fork at all. Nor did I like the Float 100RLC I had. Neither fork felt like it got the advertised travel. I know for a fact that the 100RLC did not acheive its full 4" travel. The 130 RLC did, but never felt like it. With no amount of tuning could I get this fork to feel Marzocchi plush, believe me, I tried. Brake dive on this fork was terrible. The fork could seriously benefit from the Stratos ID cartride. Within 4 hours of tuning, I was able to get my new Marz AM1 feeling perfect. I felt no regrets selling the Float. On the bright side, this an incredibly light 5" fork. Other than that, I think the new RS Pikes, Nixons and Marzocchi AM's are a better choice. After owning two expensive Fox forks and liking neither, I don't think I will try one again.
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Submitted by
SPAM ryder
a
from New Jersey Date Reviewed: June 9, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint.com
Strengths:
Smoooth as butta! lightweight, stiff, infinite adjustability the lockout is great, did I mention smooth?
Weaknesses:
Still looking............ Durability? Only time will tell.
Similar Products Used:
none in 5+ travel =(
Bike Setup:
Intense 5.5, avid juicy 7 disc brakes(awesome as well!, race face atlas cranks, krisking hubs with mavic 819 rims.
Bottom Line:
Ever since Fox started making mountain bike products, every other competitor is 2nd rate! Had many forks (rockshox, marzocchi, manitous) and none have been this great this early on. Had to get used to those. This one felt right on from the first ride. A "no regrets buy" for sure!
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Submitted by
Peter
a Cross Country Rider
from Somerville, MA, USA Date Reviewed: June 9, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Harold Parker
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$550.00
Strengths:
This is a plush fork right out of the box with enough adjustmets to change it's entire character. Great Fox quality. Great all around fork for whatever you ride. No regrets.
Weaknesses:
None at this point.
Similar Products Used:
Fox 100, Amp, Marzocchi SL,
Bike Setup:
Blur, Fox rear, Magura SL, Flite, Grip shifters
Bottom Line:
If you want to go fast when the going get rough, get this fork. It will make you a more confident rider.
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Submitted by
Shannon Wilson
a Cross Country Rider
from Portland, OR, USA Date Reviewed: May 23, 2005
Favorite Trail:
dread and terror
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$550.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
No gimmicks (NIXON)
Weaknesses:
None really, but it could use a hose clamp like my 40.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Nixon Platinum
Bike Setup:
Yeti 575
Bottom Line:
This fork has comfired to me that FOX is commited to quality. It feels super smooth right out of the box and just keeps on working. The compression and rebound adjustments work very well. The lock out can be set from just a little resistance to fully locked out, even with the added dampinging it's still pretty smooth. Best of all they don't put gimmicks on that could cause a catastrophic failure!
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Submitted by
Clay P.
a
from Campbell Hall, NY Date Reviewed: September 20, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Serenity @ MTA/Buffer Lands
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
Dark Horse Cycles
Strengths:
130mm of travel @ 3.5 Lbs - Are you kidding me? Lock out - Plushness (Is that even a word?)
Weaknesses:
I can't say a bad thing about this fork. I'm not sure how to talk about it around my friends. It always leads to uncomfortable silence on the trail.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou- Rock Shox - White Bros.
Bike Setup:
Specialized S-works Enduro, Fox Float R w/Brain, Fox Float 130 RLC (of course), Crossmax wheels, XTR rear, XT Front, SRAM shifters, Race Face Diabolus Stem - bars - and headset, XT cranks, SRAM Cassette, SRAM Chain...blah.. blah... blah...
Bottom Line:
THIS IS THE BEST FORK I"VE OWNED. It soaks up everything I dish out like a hot knife through butter. It broke in in under a week. This fork sets a standard for which , I believe, all others will have to live up to in the future. With 130 mm's of travel @ 3.5 Lbs on a single crown fork w/lockout, it negates the need for forks with less travel on XC bikes. -AND- it holds it's own on jumps, bumps, and drops. I had this fork at Mt. Creek's freeride park and it took everything like a champ. I was happy to have it there, and confident in my ride because of it - which is saying a lot considering I'm a 210 pounder who likes to jump.
Bottom line - If you're considering this fork... buy it. You'll be happy you did.
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Submitted by
Forrest Arakawa
a Downhiller
from Pleasant Hill Date Reviewed: August 9, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Dog Bone
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Durable, Stiff, Smooth, Easy to Maintain, Easy to ajust, Looks killes, Lightweight for a 5+ inch fork.
Weaknesses:
Anodized knobs seems to lose their color but nothing that would have an effect performance.
Blur, Fox Float RL rear shock, WTB Laserdisc Lite Wheelset, WTB Rocket V Saddle, WTB Weirwolf 2.5 tires
Bottom Line:
I've been on this fork for just over 3 months now and can say that it is the best all mountain fork I've tried. It is a great comprimise between weight and travel... Meaning that most 5+ inch travel forks in it's class weigh close to 6 lbs. The compression and rebound work great and are very adjustable... If you're on a long ride and you would like to make subtle changes on the fly you can. I just got back from a weekend at Downieville Ca. where there is a very demanding 17 mile DH trail. There is quite a bit of pedaling on the trail so it's nice to have a 5in travel set up. The Float 130 was able to soak up everything in even the most technical sections. It has a nice progressive feeling towards the end of the travel. Many forks have a very harsh feeling towards the bottom end of the travel. The Float 130 feels nice all the way through.
$ 600.00
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