# 2011 Gold Fox Forks.... Slippery is in!!



## hardcore11 (Jan 30, 2004)

"For the last couple of years, race fans have been noticing various suspension companies prototyping different coatings on the stanchions of top Mountain Bike World Cup riders' forks. This last year saw Fox Racing Shox testing a new gold colored compound under Gee Atherton, Jared Graves and a couple of others. Rumours were rampant that they were trying out the same type of Titanium Nitride hardcoat that competitor Rock Shox had used several years ago. Fox technicians were tight lipped on exactly what the compond being used was, but riders raved about how stictionless the fork was, and how much more durable it seemed when they inevitably put it down in the rocks&#8230;. Fox to launch in 2011.

Fox has now come clean and is ready to officially announce that it had been testing Kashima Coat, from the Miyaki Coporation of Japan. As of 2011, this high end stanchion coating will be available to consumers world wide, as Fox will be featuring it on select models of aftermarket forks.

Here is what Fox has to say about the properties of Kashima Coat, and how it can be of benefit to the every day rider, not just the world's best.

"The Kashima Coat technology has been used for years across the motorcycle and automotive industries in suspension components and clutch and valve train assemblies because of its low-friction and ultra-wear resistance properties.

In the revolutionary Kashima Coat process, lubricating molybdenum disulfide is deposited, via electrical induction, into the billions of micropores on the surface of hard-anodized aluminum. The distinctive gold colored, Kashima coated stanchions maintain better lubrication characteristics, and the lightweight aluminum components treated with Kashima Coat attain a level of hardness and abrasion resistance four times tougher than standard hard-anodized aluminum."

Basically, the Kashima Coat can lead to a longer lasting fork upper due to better lubrication properties and better wear and scratch resistance than standard fork uppers.

"Before we started using Kashima Coat, we'd been testing and racing on electroless nickel coated upper tubes during the past two seasons," explained FOX Racing Shox Mountain Bike Race Manager, Mark Fitzsimmons. "Although the friction properties were decent, the nickel's durability was not. The Kashima parts we raced on maintained the low friction requirements we were after and exhibited excellent durability - a very rare combination to find at the World Cup level with its wet and muddy conditions."

The molybdenum disulfide fills all of the micro pores in the aluminum which greatly increases it's friction coefficient and actually allows sliding parts to be run without oil. The Kashima Coat also gives the aluminum it coats a new hardness rating of HV 400, about 4x that of regular aluminum, helping to protect your uppers from surface scratches that can occur fairly easily with standard stanchion coatings. This means it can be used in applications that before required stainless steel.

Many will ask what the difference is between Kashima Coat and the Titanium Nitride coating process that other manufacturers have used in the past, and that the machining industry has used on cutting heads for the last few dozen years.

We spoke to Fox Engineer and Executive VP Mario Galasso, and this is what he had to say about it:

"Hmmm&#8230;.great question.

Here's the hmm part. Ti-Nitride is lower friction and harder/more wear resistant than aluminum&#8230;IF it is applied properly&#8230;and IF it is used in the right application.

You have to chrome plate or electroless nickel plate the aluminum first. Then Ti-Nitride on top of the chrome or en. Chroming or en-ing aluminum is prone to flaking. And since the chrome or en, and ultimately the ti-nitriding is so much stiffer than the aluminum base metal, it is even more prone to flaking/delamination in applications that see flex loads, like fork upper tubes.

Kashima provides most of the wear resistance and low friction properties of tinitriding, but does it in a very stable, repeatable and less expensive way, with none of the downside delamination/flaking issues associated with tiNitriding aluminium and/or flex load applications. It is also more environmentally friendly"

Fox racers who had the opportunity to run these unique gold uppers in 2010 reported a noticeable increase in suspension performance due to the decreased friction that Kashima provides. Gee Atherton, Sabrina Jonnier, Justin Leov & Jared Graves were among the lucky few.

"When you are racing on the World Cup level, a huge percentage of races can be won or lost in the preparation of the bike - the seemingly small details that take the bike from good to excellent," said 2008 Downhill World Champion, Gee Atherton. "The Kashima coating made the forks so much more reactive to the small hits that I would normally feel on rough terrain. When the forks were skittering over tiny bumps they could soak up the impact much more quickly, without giving me so much feedback through the bars. That's a huge advantage on long courses."

Kashima coating wound up on quite a few podiums last world cup season, unbeknownst to most race fans. The biggest podium of all was at the World Championships, as Fox Supported rider Jared Graves rode his Fox 831 Fork to victory, and a set of rainbow stripes.

"We're a race-driven company," said FOX Racing Shox Executive VP, Mario Galasso. "We are constantly looking for performance advantages that may lead to race victories. Kashima Coat is, without a doubt, one of those advantages. Since we also pride ourselves on racing exactly what we sell, we're proud to offer this new performance advantage to our customers, through Kashima Coat.""

from: ridemonkey


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## boogenman (Sep 22, 2006)

awesome! Can't wait to hear about the new FIT damper for the 40......


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## iridemtb (Mar 25, 2008)

There is going to be a new damper for the 2011? I only ask because I want to buy a fox 40 in the near future.


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## Nick_M2R (Oct 18, 2008)

So wait...
Does this mean the fox stanchions wont wear out so quickly anymore?


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## Iggz (Nov 22, 2006)

If they wear out quickly for you... try maintaining them next time. 

Kashima is da dopest soap gonna be sickkkkkkkkk

and yah new damper has hi/lo comp on the top I believe so the bladder is on the top.... maybe less unsprung weight included eh


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## iridemtb (Mar 25, 2008)

Iggz said:


> and yah new damper has hi/lo comp on the top I believe so the bladder is on the top.... maybe less unsprung weight included eh


And that is going to be used in the 2011 forks?


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## Jim311 (Feb 7, 2006)

Meh, can't say I really care too much about this.


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## tacubaya (Jan 27, 2006)

It seems Kowa did his homework.


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## katsooba (Nov 21, 2008)

from what album is this pic taken from? ide like to see the rest


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## Uncle Cliffy (Jul 7, 2006)

Another reason I won't buy a 40... Cause I'll have to wait for the new model. ARG!


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

So 
I put out a little something something for a MRP G2...and it is an ad or comercial....come on now this is strait a commercial for fox


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Jim311 said:


> Meh, can't say I really care too much about this.


This will be a very important change, so you can have a cool looking fork. RS admitted to me at the interbike where the TiNi coating premiered that it was about product recognition when the racer was high up on the hill. The gold flash would signal that it was a Boxxer from far away. On a fork that is lubricated by oil, it's pretty rediculous to need some sort of high-end coating, on the other hand Fox forks aren't always well lubricated (when they run out of oil). What they really need is to keep the Fing oil in the fork and not dry out. I have a Monster T from 1999 (actually I have two of em). It's Fing TEN years old. Lubricate the fork properly and the stanchions will last.


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## venom600 (Jul 10, 2006)

The Kashima coating on the Kowa 160ss I used for a while was $$. Super slick.


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## Dalis12 (Jan 15, 2008)

shiny!


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## bandsaw (Jun 20, 2007)

F***king perfect. I just picked up some new 40's today.


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## darkzeon (Jun 15, 2006)

People bought Kowa's here in our country because of cheaper pricing, but then a lot of them sold their fork because people are saying that the brown kashima stanch were fugly. I'm laughing now because those same people will then probably buy Kowa's again and brag about it, 'cause Fox now will be using it...Band wagoner's!


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

bandsaw said:


> F***king perfect. I just picked up some new 40's today.


How much would you get if you just sold one of em?


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## Quarashi (Aug 23, 2006)

I think rock shox should really look into this considering they are convinced their forks can indeed work without oil.


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## brillantesdv (Oct 24, 2007)

Jayem said:


> Lubricate the fork properly and the stanchions will last.


when they say longer lasting, i think they mean scratches and dings.


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## suicidebomber (Feb 10, 2007)

darkzeon said:


> People bought Kowa's here in our country because of cheaper pricing, but then a lot of them sold their fork because people are saying that the brown kashima stanch were fugly. I'm laughing now because those same people will then probably buy Kowa's again and brag about it, 'cause Fox now will be using it...Band wagoner's!


Tried a Kowa 180ci DC fork once and it was SMOOOOOTH! of course the 40 was a lot better, but for the price and quality, that was one heck of a package.


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## Jim311 (Feb 7, 2006)

Jayem said:


> On a fork that is lubricated by oil, it's pretty rediculous to need some sort of high-end coating,


Agreed. Hell, your car's engine is lubricated by oil and the crank bearings have metal on metal contact, and it spins at thousand of RPMS - much more wear than a fork will ever see. I think these special coatings are just snake oil, a placebo.


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## Quarashi (Aug 23, 2006)

I think Fox stanchions are in need of the hardness that coating has to offer. My old 36 and my dad's F100 would get scratches if you looked at them wrong. 

It should help the small bump stuff and parking lot tests quite a bit with initial smoothness even before a fork is broken in, so I can't see how it would be a bad marketing move. They also look bore bling, which makes bikes (and sales) go faster.


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## Tim F. (May 22, 2006)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> So
> I put out a little something something for a MRP G2...and it is an ad or comercial....come on now this is strait a commercial for fox


Bet it get out before the Marz, does! Oh sorry, before it is released.:thumbsup:


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## saturnine (Mar 28, 2007)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> So
> I put out a little something something for a MRP G2...and it is an ad or comercial....come on now this is strait a commercial for fox


you: i like mrp. yay!
OP: information on new products


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## boogenman (Sep 22, 2006)

Jayem said:


> How much would you get if you just sold one of em?


:smilewinkgrin:


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## bxxer rider (Jun 7, 2008)

didn't any one else see this coming MONTHS ago? i just wondered how long it was going to take for it to hit the market. no real surprise here.


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## bandsaw (Jun 20, 2007)

Jayem said:


> How much would you get if you just sold one of em?


 Well whatever...I hate it when i buy something thats been the same for a while, but then if find out its going to get redesigned the following year. :madman:


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## Jim311 (Feb 7, 2006)

WTF pr0n spam?


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## Iceman2058 (Mar 1, 2007)

Jayem said:


> How much would you get if you just sold one of em?


I'd say just give up. It's gotten to a point where even the articles in Dirt Mag UK (the printed version) commonly refer to the forks that a bike runs. It is now an official part of English I'm afraid...


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## Iggz (Nov 22, 2006)

I am a ****ing wizard 

TOTALLLLLY called black Fox decals for 2011


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## tacubaya (Jan 27, 2006)

> The molybdenum disulfide fills all of the micro pores in the aluminum which greatly *increases* it's friction coefficient and actually allows sliding parts to be run without oil.


Hahahaha FAIL!!!!!!!!


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## bxxer rider (Jun 7, 2008)

im guessing you are looking at where is says "increases it's friction" well add coefficient then in this case that's a good thing


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Iceman2058 said:


> I'd say just give up. It's gotten to a point where even the articles in Dirt Mag UK (the printed version) commonly refer to the forks that a bike runs. It is now an official part of English I'm afraid...


And I have no problem with that, I just want it to be consistant. Refer to it as a "forks" at the dinner table. "Please pass me a pair of forks" or a "forks" in a road, "We shoulda turned left at that last forks".

:thumbsup:


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

bxxer rider said:


> im guessing you are looking at where is says "increases it's friction" well add coefficient then in this case that's a good thing


Wrong. Higher friction coefficient means higher friction force (all else held constant).

I'm going to go ahead and correct some of your grammar.

I'm = I am

it says

And this is a correction of the article...

it's = it is
its = possessive

Another note... some people seem to think this is the same as Ti-Ni. It is not. The process is different. That said, it is mostly marketing.


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## saturnine (Mar 28, 2007)

pffft... school is for suckers. if i wanted to learn, that's where i'd be. dumb it down, yeah?


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## suicidebomber (Feb 10, 2007)

Sharpied Maxxis logo there lol.


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## 4JawChuck (Dec 1, 2008)

More marketing mumbo jumbo. Aluminum has been direct Titanium nitrided for years...you don't need an electroless nickel substrate before application. Moly micropores...covered by the coating ffs!

http://www.springerlink.com/content/q285j687554t8527/

Its gold...you will pay more for zero advantage. If you believe any of that garbage I have a bridge for sale near you.

Kashima Coat, what a joke...pffft.


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## bandsaw (Jun 20, 2007)

MissChick19 said:


> Really nice pics here!!
> 
> Check out a short video i made of me at:
> **************bCKhcM
> ...


FUK OFF!

Will someone ban this guy already:madmax:


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## bxxer rider (Jun 7, 2008)

sorry for my low grasp of grammar, and spelling for that matter


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## Nick_M2R (Oct 18, 2008)

bandsaw said:


> FUK OFF!
> 
> Will someone ban this guy already:madmax:


He anit a guy, its more than likely a spam bot

And with this stanchion coating, id be more interested in its surface being harder (hence more durable) than the regular fox stanchions. IMO everything else is probably placebo....


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## Little Willy (Feb 4, 2005)

Saint rims?


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## Iggz (Nov 22, 2006)

Little Willy said:


> Saint rims?


6.1D's with Saint stickers

super factory


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## godfather (Jun 28, 2009)

Jim311 said:


> Agreed. Hell, your car's engine is lubricated by oil and the crank bearings have metal on metal contact, and it spins at thousand of RPMS - much more wear than a fork will ever see. I think these special coatings are just snake oil, a placebo.


Keep in mind that the materials and conditions are very different (steel vs aluminum, sealed environment vs exposure to the elements, etc.). High performance bearings are often coated or impregnated as well with oil constantly flowing over the entire surface.


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## 4JawChuck (Dec 1, 2008)

A fork bushing never operates in a hydrodynamic fluid flow and work opearate in boundary lubrication, an automobile crankshaft bearing is a hydrodynamic bearings and only sees boundary flow at startup. These two completely different situations are not comparable for wear comparisons.


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