Posted on June 26 2021
The Fox 34 SC for 2022 goes on a little bit of a weight loss program, with almost every aspect of the fork and its internals being subject to some gram shedding. In this quick technical comparison, we're highlighting where the 2022 Fox 34 Step-Cast fork has managed to shave almost 150g off the already highly regarded and relatively low-weight predecessor. Claimed weight for the 2019 version was 1650g with the kabolt axle. The 2022 model just tips the scales at 1500g!
CSU: (Crown Steerer Unit)
The CSU from the 2022 34 SC looks strikingly similar to the 32 SC from a distance, but its 34mm stanchions and increased crown stiffness are the obvious differences when you look a little closer. By comparison with the 2019-2021 34 SC, the 2022 CSU is shorter, has a slightly shorter steerer, and overall is a whopping 71g lighter, making up a big chunk of the new fork's overall weight saving. Factory models pictured are all Kashima, Tapered Steerer, and both 51mm offset. Performance Elite and Performance models for 2022 feature anodized black stanchions and all models are offered in 44 and 51mm offsets.
DAMPER:
We were expecting some bigger changes here for 2022, but Fox has continued with the relatively unchanged FIT4 damper, and rightly so. It's just so reliable, it works, it got more tuneability than any other competitor's fork and with the reduced CSU length for 2022, the damper shaft length is trimmed by about 20mm, giving an overall minor 5g weight saving. More notably, the new 34 SC comes with the updated rebound knob design, that better supports the adjusting needle that goes up into the fork's rebound damper. The knob is likely backward compatible.
Non-remote pictured. Remote options for 2022 are to be offered in PTL and PTU options. The 2022 whole damper is not backward compatible.
AIR SPRING:
The 2022 Fox 34 StepCast get's a new and slightly more tuneable air spring. For years it was all about adding volume to the negative air chamber in order to improve a forks initial stroke suppleness, but for the 34 SC, with the racer in mind, the ability to volume-reduce the negative chamber with a clip-on style spacer, that allows users to customize the degree of support off the top, which may favor those looking for a slightly firmer platform in that initial stage of the travel. This will sit on the silver section on the lower seal-head of the air spring. Options in 100, 110 and 120mm only, and it's 10g lighter than the previous model. Not backward compatible.
Up top, the Fox 34 SC 2022 uses the same Float top cap as previous models, and uses the same green volume spacers for positive volume tuning, affecting the forks progressivity.
Left (2019-2021 34SC), Right (2022 34SC)
LOWER LEG:
