Just picked up a brand new pair of 2023 160mm Fox factory 36 from a big online retailer in the UK, purchased a new 150mm air shaft assembly and took pics of the process of changing it and doing a lowers service as the oil had been sat in the fork on the shelf since 2023, but didn’t notice until I’d fitted the forks to the bike that the Kashima coating is mismatched across the two stanchions. The damper side is lighter than the air spring side.
Initially thought it was just the light hitting different but after moving the bike around in different light, and looking back at the pics they are definitely mismatched! I can’t handle looking at them now I’ve noticed it, it’s all I see!! Going to contact Fox UK warranty and see where I stand. Paid a lot of money for these forks!
I understand that Kashima coating is a hard anodising process, and that colour variations can occur due to varying factors, however they should really keep the colours the same on one fork! Seems like bad QC.
Reason I’m posting on here is I’m wondering if anyone else has had the same issue, and if they have been in touch with Fox directly??
Like I said earlier I’m going to contact Fox on Monday, so will see how this plays out!
by Southern-Safe628
8 Comments
Fox is really on a whole new level on this one….
Is the other fork in the room with us?
Of all the little things I’ve seen people bothered by on a bike, this is probably the funniest.
There is probably a spec for acceptable color and thickness. My guess would be this is within that spec. Just kinda sucks to see them side by side.
Anodisation is a pretty inconsistent process when it comes to colours. Hope ditched green from theor portfolio for this reason. The only repeatable colours are natural (no pigments) and black. The kashima colour comes from am additive rather than pigment but i wouldn’t be surprised if it’s just as sensitive to quantities in the bath as purely cosmetic colouring
Just ride the bike and don’t look down
How should the keep the color same on one fork? These tubes are anodised seperately and then pressed to crown.
Just ride the damn fork. You will fall anyway and do scratches to your Kashima, so why bother
Technicly this is no Problem. But i guess it was send back damaged by another customer and then repaired and offerd again. At least give them a call and see what they say.