Fox has revamped their entire lineup for the 2012 production year. As a part of this revamp Fox has delineated the lines between their products so that you and I can understand them a bit better. The top-tier Factory line is where you can find the Talas 150 FIT RLC and all the latest and greatest technology by FOX. The mid-level gear is under the Performance category, using conventional coatings on the components and a slightly simplified damper. Finally, the Evolution line features high-quality entry-level forks that are priced for people looking for true quality at a real bargain.

Features

The 2012 Talas is truly something else… “revamp” doesn’t even begin to cover the advancements! For starters, the Talas features the new Kashima coating on the stanchions. To assure you that you got the real deal, the stanchions are now printed with a genuine Kashima coat logo, so that you and all of your friends know it! Kashima is a very low friction hard coating on the stanchions that is designed to extend the service life as well as provide a super low friction surface for the seals and bushings to ride on.

After my 1 1/8″ steering tube was cut to size (7 7/8″ or 200 mm  in length), the Talas weighed in at 3.8lb – pretty respectable for a fork with 5.9″ (150 mm) of travel when extended. The Talas is offered in both 9mm and 15mm QR configurations, but truthfully a fork with this much travel should really be run with the 15QR. If you’re still sitting on the fence thinking about going to 15QR, just stop thinking and go for it.

The last Fox 32 fork I reviewed was the 2010 32 Float 150. At that time it had the non-FIT damper, but this time around the Talas 32 runs a FIT damper cartridge. That in itself is a great feature to have on a fork. The FIT (Fox Isolated Technology) essentially runs a damper inverted with the single walled bladder holding all the suspension fluid. This prevents aeration (the production of tiny air bubbles) and improves the overall performance of the fork. First introduced back in 2005 on the 36 and 40 models in the RC2 dampers, the 32 FIT has benefited from all that development to now provide a 32 version with as little internal friction as possible.

Another big benefit that comes from inverting the damper is the location of the dials. Up top on the damper cartridge you have the low speed compression control, the lock-out adjust, and the lock-out lever. The rebound knob is located down below on the bottom of the fork leg, which makes more sense as the rebound setting is something that is changed less frequently, primarily only when tuning. The TALAS 2-step lever is located on the left leg, and in the middle of the lever is the rather stealthy air valve.

Installation

Installation of the Talas 32 150 RLC should only be attempted if you have the proper tools. With a price of about $880-$895 (depending on steering tube), you don’t want to screw things up and cut the steering tube too short. For this job you will need:

• Threadless saw guide
• Hacksaw
• Vise or stable bike stand
• Tape measure
• Lower race tool (length of aluminum pipe which fits over the lower race)
• Star nut tool
• Torque wrench
• Hex Keys

Begin the installation by removing your existing fork, being careful not to damage the brakes, shifters, or anything else you need to reuse. Once the old fork is off the bike, carefully remove the lower race and then measure the steering tube length. The measurement is taken from the face of the fork where the race fits to the end of the tube (be sure to check out our fork installation guide).

Once everything is installed it literally takes 5 minutes to set up the fork. I started setting sag by placing the fork at its 150 mm length and then playing with the pressure until I got 20% sag using 90 psi in the air spring. I ended up setting the fork with 4 clicks from soft on rebound, 10 clicks on the lock out, and 7 from soft for compression. I found that this combo worked great for the majority of terrain that I have ridden around Southern Ontario.

The Test

So what does Ontario offer? Well, depending on where you ride, there is soft, loamy terrain, slate, and some really rocky areas. It is definitely a great mixed-bag of terrain that is perfect for testing out any suspension.

I used the Talas on my 5.5″ Opus Crate, which is my go fast(ish) trail bike, so I use it for a variety of conditions. I have used the fork on step down drops of 6ft ± with smooth transitions, fast rolling terrain, and technical rocky sections. The Talas hasn’t let me down in any of those conditions.

I found that once I had tuned the fork it was almost a set-and-forget situation. Once the settings for compression and rebound were dialed in, the damper was so effective at keeping me in a good riding position that, aside from a few long climbs, I almost never used the lock-out. In spite of that, the lock-out is easy to get to with or without gloves.

On the technical climbs (usually the rocky ones) the Talas adjustments come into play nicely. Dropping the travel down from 150 mm to 120 mm steepens the head angle and lowers the center of gravity a bit more, allowing for a better position while climbing. Once the climb is over, the control knob on the Talas’s side is, again, easy to get to with or without gloves. Just remember to lean back a bit or cycle the fork to get the bike back into full travel.

The inverted FIT damper with the compression knobs up top, like its bigger cousin the 36 FIT, makes a lot of sense. I find that I tend to play around with the compression much more than rebound, so having the controls up top allows me to access it easily if I have to.

Based on my experience riding with the Talas, and having tested many forks in the past, I think that the 2012 Fox 32 Talas 150 FIT RLC provides superior performance! The fork offered good control over both the small bumps as well as the bigger hits… just what a fork like this is designed to do. The Kashima and low friction seals make a huge difference over older, non-Kashima coated forks. And the 15QR makes for hair-splitting precision steering, even when glancing off rocks. “Control over the wheel” should be the mantra here.

The buttery feeling of zero stiction, the precision tracking from the improved stiffness in the fork lowers due to the 15QR, and the positive click feel to the controls all enhance the performance and repeatability of this fork. But most importantly, take all the tech away, and what you have is a tool to enhance your ride that makes itself known to the rider.

The 32 Talas 150 FIT RLC is listed at $895 MSRP, though some places may sell them a little bit less. Check out Fox for more information and stay tuned for a write up on the RP23–coming soon!

I would like to thank Fox for sending down the Talas for review.

FOX is one of those companies that doesn’t stop tinkering. Every year for the past few years I have seen improvement upon improvement and this year is no exemption. The shiny new 2011 36 TALAS FIT RC2 180 is exactly what I am talking about, with a host of improvements and brand new features. In fact, this is the first year FOX has produced a much needed 180mm version of the fork.

Tech and Features

First, the most obvious features: a new lower leg assembly and Kashima coated stanchions. The upper crown and hidden longer stanchions aren’t as obvious but they’re equally important. FOX wanted to make sure the TALAS was as bullet-proof as possible so they added extensions below the axle in the lower housing to allow room for the stanchions under full compression. The thinking is they wanted to spread the bushings as far apart as possible to better manage twisting and torsional forces.

Each model in the RC2 lineup features an all-new FIT RC2 inverted damper for consistent damping performance and reliability. The new FIT RC2 damper lowers un-sprung weight which essentially allows the fork to react more quickly for better steering control. The internal single-wall bladder has been engineered to hold all the fluid and provides consistent, fade-free damping by preventing the fluid from aerating. The inverted design offers the same range of adjustability as standard but the compression adjusters have been moved to the top of the stanchion for convenience. The rebound control, which is a set-and-forget kind of item, is now located on the bottom of the fork.

The TALAS 36 180mm has an incredibly large amount of bushing overlap. A look at the new below-axle tube design give you a hint of what had to be done to create this extremely stiff chassis. The upshot is Fox offers the lowest axle-to-crown distance available in a 180 mm fork. The RC2 model pictured comes with Kashima coated stanchions which provides nearly stiction-free performance for quicker suspension response and improved durability (longer life). The two step adjustable travel on the new 36 TALAS, with its ergonomically-pleasing TALAS lever, makes it super easy (even with gloves on) to toggle between 180mm to 140mm of travel.

Installation

Installing the TALAS is pretty much like any other fork – just remember to measure twice and cut once. The tapered head tube can be cut with either a pipe cutter (with a fresh blade) or with a Park SG-6 Threadless Saw Guide and saw (my method of choice). Install the star nut and lower race and you’re pretty much good to go (always torque the bolts to the manufacturer’s recommendations).

Dialing it in

After the fork is installed on the bike it’s time to get things dialed in. As I mentioned before, the controls on the new TALAS are not the same as older units which speeds up the entire process. Remove the center dust cap on the left leg, making sure you’re at full travel, and set the pressure so you have 25-30% sag and that’s about it for the air spring. If for whatever reason the o-ring is missing, place a tie wrap to get your reference point. There should be about 45mm of sag. After dialing the sag I started working on compression and rebound settings. Keep in mind I am 200lb with gear, armor, and shoes so my pressure was set at 74 psi.

Low speed compression is set using the smaller inside blue knob on the right fork leg. When setting the low speed compression you’re looking for the balance point where you can hit the brakes or accelerate without having the front of your bike dive or excessively move. Ride hard and hit the brakes, noting how much the bike pitches forward. You don’t want the bike to blow through the travel but at the same time you don’t want the fork to stay rigid. Ultimately you need the fork to follow the trail as closely as possible. I ended up setting the LSC to 9 clicks from full (+).

For me the high speed compression (top outer blue knob) took more work to get just right and I ended up sessioning a few jumps to get it dialed in. Most riders will probably only need to set this once after finding a satisfactory amount of control. Adjust your high speed compression setting so the fork doesn’t blow through its entire travel too quickly when taking a big hit (active word here is BIG). Keep adding damping until you have a controlled fork compression without the fork eating up all its travel and bottoming out (stopping abruptly in its internal bump stop). You will know you have too much high speed compression when you feel your wrists compress and an uncomfortable amount of force travels through your body on impact. I ended up with 9 clicks from full (+) to get the HSC where I wanted it.

Rebound is the next setting to manipulate and you can also do this one on the trail. Here you’re looking for a controlled return to ride height after the fork compresses. You don’t want the fork to feel like it’s a bucking bronco, tossing you off the bike on return (too much rebound) nor do you want the fork to come up so slow that it feels like the fork is losing travel over multiple bumps (too little rebound). My rebound setting was smack in the middle at 9 clicks from full (+).

Performance on the trail

So how did the FOX TALAS 36 perform? For a 180mm fork I noticed the initial bit of travel is very plush and then ramps up a bit mid stroke to end stroke. This actually works great because it absorbs a lot of the small trail chatter and unevenness that could cause the wheels to slip. Speaking of slip, the huge stanchion and bushing overlap really keeps this fork stiff and tracking where you want it.

Tracking through rock gardens is cruise-missile-like – even those hard-to-traverse round rocks that are sometimes tossed in the trail “just for fun. Height adjustment also works flawlessly. At Blue Mountain I ran the fork on my Nelson back to back with my other DH rig and found I actually gained a second on some runs, probably due to the greater control I found in the corners. Compared to last year’s TALAS the controls are easier to use and the 40mm drop on the front for most bikes is just about right to make you want to tackle that climb rather than hike-a-bike.

Now if you’re looking to lose some weight with a buttery smooth outta-the-box kinda fork with adjustable travel from 180mm – 140mm of travel, then test ride the FOX TALAS today. And if you’re a female rider who wants a truly kick butt setup, the TALAS gives you a lightweight front end and 180mm of travel yet still turns very well. The great thing is that the TALAS comes in 4 flavors that just might fit the bill if you’re in the need of a fork that’s 160mm+ for your AM-DH bike. At $1090 MSRP this is not the cheapest option out there but it’s a solid purchase for sure.

Overall ratings (out of 10)

I would like to thank FOX for sending out the TALAS for a review.

The Fox Talas 36 RC2 fork is just the ticket for those who like to travel through the air with the greatest of ease while avoiding going splat upon landing. Fox has revamped its entire product line for 2010 and I just had to try the latest arrival: the Fox TALAS 36 RC2 (now with FIT damper). This fork is impressively stout, more adjustable than a NASCAR, and lightweight for its class (less than five pounds). How did Fox manage to cram so many features into such a lightweight package? Well, for starters the new FIT damper reduces the amount of oil required which in turn reduces the fork’s weight. FIT technology also eliminates the chance of oil aeration (turning from fluid to foam) which translates into better control throughout your ride.

Installation

Seeing that this fork is not cheap, do not attempt to install this one unless you have all the tools handy and are competent enough for the task. Let’s face it: when a bike part costs more than a thousand dollars it’s not something you want to make a mistake on unless you’re Donald Trump (and I’m guessing he doesn’t do his own MTB work). Now, having said that, once the steering tube and star nut are installed, the rest of the installation is actually a snap. Just make sure you have enough brake hose for full travel and the correct amount of load on the quick release skewers at the axle.  Always follow the recommendations on the included interactive installation CD when setting the sag and use the table provided by Fox to set the correct pressure for your weight. Above all, remember to weigh yourself in full gear with water, otherwise you will be off and will need to add more pressure later.

Before setting up this fork I strongly recommend riding around a parking lot or on the street while jouncing the fork for a while to get all the fluids where they need to be.  This one step I never skip – and keep in mind the “showroom push down” doesn’t cut it.

Setup

After bouncing around for a bit to get all the fluids well circulated I got down to business setting up my fork. The TALAS has four settings: air pressure (spring rate), low speed compression, rebound, and high speed compression. The images below show the controls for the TALAS  rebound, high speed and low speed compression and finally the height control.

Sag is controlled via air pressure and is the first thing that needs to be set. Just follow the included CD instructions on selecting a starting pressure and you should be well within the ball park. This fork allows you to roll with either 100, 130, or 160mm of travel so I chose to use the fork’s full 160mm length for my sag measurement. Fox recommends a 20% sag which translates into 32mm at a 160mm length.

Low speed compression is set using the small blue knob and stacked dials on the right fork leg (they are covered with a black screw cap). When setting the low speed compression you’re looking for the point where you can hit the brakes or accelerate without having the bike pitch excessively. Ride hard and hit the brakes, noting how much the bike pitches forward. You don’t want too much movement but at the same time you don’t want the fork to stay rigid. Ultimately you need the fork to follow the trail and thankfully this setting can be tweaked both on and off the trail.

Rebound is the next setting to manipulate and you also can do this one the trail. Here you’re looking for a controlled return to ride height after the fork compresses. You don’t want the fork to feel like it’s tossing you off the bike on return (too little rebound) nor do you want the fork to come up so fast that it feels like the fork is losing travel over multiple bumps (too much rebound).

For me the high speed compression (big blue knob) setting was a bit more challenging and I ended up using more of a “seat of the pants” approach to get it dialed in. Most riders will probably only need to set this once after finding a satisfactory amount of control but those who live and breathe traveling through the air will probably want to play with this setting more often. Adjust your high speed compression setting so the fork doesn’t blow through its entire travel too quickly when taking a big hit. Keep adding damping until you have a controlled fork compression without the fork eating up all its travel and bottoming out (stopping abruptly in its internal bump stop). You will know you have too much high speed compression when you feel your wrists compress and an uncomfortable amount of force travels through your body on impact.

On the trails with the TALAS 36

On rutted, rooty trails the fork followed the trail as if my tire was glued to the ground.  During my test rides there was never an instant when I felt the fork lose control over the front wheel. Granted, I was using a fairly lightweight but strong wheel set-up (Eskar S-works 2.3 and Sun-Ringle STR8 Track wheels), but clearly the fork took control and managed the wheel nicely over rutted braking areas without a single complaint.

Flying over larger jumps, drop downs, and waterfall rock gardens I felt very confident and in full control of the bike. The 160mm fork with its 36mm stanchions and the 20mm quick-release really kept everything aligned upon landing and soaked up jumps as if they were just bumps. Nailing every jump without having the front end want to bury itself in the dirt or push me off the bars was just fantastic. I love a fork that can do that!

Climbing with the TALAS is what I really liked because I could go from 160mm to 130mm to 100mm in just two clicks without having to remove a glove. This feature is a must for those who intend to toss this fork on an all-mountain or trail rig. At 160mm travel, climbing can be a bit tough and yes the steering will wander a touch (put a wider bar on and this is a non-issue). But turn the travel down to 130mm or even 100mm and you’ll have a steeper head angle and your weight will be better distributed over the bars – now you’re climbing with the rest of the group. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you will be as efficient as your buddy on his XC rig, but at least you can keep up!

Descending with this fork on a few ski runs at Blue Mountain, ON was ridiculously fun – I just cranked the fork up to its full travel (160mm) and went. At speed with this fork I felt like I was on rails with the added comfort of total control when landing jumps. I also found I didn’t need to add steering corrections when I hit patches of rocks or roots. Going fast and flying over doubles is what this fork lives to do.

Final notes on the TALAS

This fork rocks and Fox gives you everything you could possibly want in a lightweight, neat package. Not only do you get a highly capable fork that is very light for its size and travel but you also get a fork that can be dialed in precisely for any riding style. Overall this is a great buy so give your LBS a shout to see if you can get a test ride on a Fox TALAS 36 RC2 – I’m betting you won’t be disappointed. Just don’t let sticker shock deter you – in mountain biking you almost always get what you pay for!

Cheers

How I Rate the Fox TALAS 36 RC2

Specifications from Fox:
WEIGHT (1 1/8″ steerer): 4.99 lbs (2.26 kg)
WEIGHT (1.5″ straight steerer): 4.90 lbs (2.22 kg)
WEIGHT (1.5″ taper steerer): 4.95 lbs (2.25 kg)
TRAVEL: 6.3 inches (160 mm) TALAS travel adjust 160-130-100
ADJUSTMENTS: Low speed compression, High speed compression, Travel (160-130-100mm), Air spring pressure, Rebound
LOWER LEG: 20QR thru-axle system; post-style disc brake mounting
STEERER: Standard: 1 1/8″, Optional: 1.5″ or 1.5″ Taper
SPRING: Air
FORK COLOR: Titanium
INTENDED USE: DH, FR, AM

Just a quick thanks to the good folks at Fox Racing Shox’s for the TALAS fork and Opus Bikes for their great bikes that they produce.