New Fox 32 Step-Cast is Fox’s first reverse arch mountain bike fork
The new Fox 32 Step-Cast has seen a total makeover, adopting a reverse arch and new damper, dropping 100g versus the previous generation while gaining a claimed 40 per cent increase in stiffness.
With 100mm of travel, the Fox 32 Step-Cast is designed for epic XC marathon rides where every gram counts.
Starting at £899 Fox 32 Step-Cast Performance, the new fork is only available in a 44mm offset version for 29in wheels.
Why use a reverse arch crown?
Fox said it used new software to design wireframe lattices that met its design requirements, adapting these into a structure it could manufacture. The new reverse arch crown is the result of this process.
While Fox has used a reverse arch on its 32 Taper Cast gravel suspension fork, reverse arches are synonymous with Manitou on mountain bikes. This is the first Fox mountain bike fork to use a reverse arch.
While the new lower legs aren’t any lighter than the traditional forward-facing crown, they provide a 40 per cent stiffness increase for a similar weight, according to Fox.
This is because having the arch behind the stanchions helps reduce material as the curvature of the wheels, which means the arch can be made smaller.
The new 32 Step-Cast is claimed to be as laterally stiff as the 34 Step-Cast.
Grip SL damper drops weight
The outgoing FIT4 damper was a closed bladder cartridge system with three on-the-fly compression damping positions – open, medium and firm with additional low-speed compression adjustment in the open mode.
For 2025, all of Fox’s dampers move over to its Grip architecture with a spring-backed IFP (internal floating piston).
This provides more consistent positive pressure inside the damper for better and faster damping.
It also enables the fork to benefit from the Grip architecture’s self-healing properties, allowing the ingestion and expulsion of oil through the damper to prevent hydraulic ramp-up.
The Grip SL damper in the 32 Step-Cast retains the 3-position adjustment of FIT4, but does away with the adjustable low-speed compression.
The Grip SL damper is claimed to be 65g lighter than the previous FIT4 damper.
Fox claims the new damper gives riders better control and a firm lockout for hammering the pedals. It still has a smooth blow-off force to reduce rider fatigue when you hit a bump when the fork is locked out.
The fork also features a new air spring with a larger negative spring volume to increase initial sensitivity.
It also changed the location where the positive and negative springs equalise pressure, helping add a higher ride height to the fork to give more predictability and better use of travel.
Novel zero offset crown
Refinements elsewhere help shave off weight.
The damper stanchion is double-butted, saving 9g versus the old stanchion.
Fox also introduced a new 0mm offset crown. This is cast from 7000 series aluminium. To introduce 44mm of offset, the stanchions are angled in the crown by around 1 to 1.5 degrees. The switch to this design shaved 9g from the fork.
Fox borrowed the Fox 34 Step-Cast steerer tube for the new fork, saving 11g from the previous 32 Step-Cast fork.
The new Kabolt SL axle also shaves off 12g from the fork.
In total, Fox claims the new fork weighs just 1,287g, down from 1,443g for an equivalent 29in previous-generation fork:
- Grip SL damper (vs FIT4): -65g
- Kabolt SL axle: -12g
- Double butted upper tube: -9g
- Steerer tube: -11g
- Crown: -9g
- Cable guide: -1g
Fox 32 Step-Cast range overview
The Fox 32 Step-Cast is available in 100mm travel only with 29-in-wheel compatibility and 44mm offset. If you want more travel, you’ll need the 34 Step-Cast. UK prices are as follows:
- Fox 32 Step-Cast Gold: £1,119
- Fox 32 Step-Cast Factory: £1,099
- Fox 32 Step-Cast Factory Remote: £1,189
- Fox 32 Step-Cast Performance: £899
- Fox 32 Step-Cast Performance Remote: £989