Turn down for what? With the 2026 FOX Podium, the American suspension guru is launching its first upside-down suspension fork. A polarising look, a bold price tag, and a range of pros and cons set the stage for the debut of the new Podium fork. But what is it really capable of – and can FOX finally establish USD forks on the market?

FOX Podium-Factory 2026 | 170 mm | 29” | 58 mm Crown | 2,742 g | € 2,399 | Manufacturer website

Upside-down suspension forks – or USD forks for short – are nothing new in the MTB segment. Leading manufacturers like RockShox and FOX have been experimenting with the concept for decades, although FOX themselves never released a USD fork on the market – until now. That’s because inverted forks never truly broke through, and the vast majority of suspension forks still rely on the classic right-side-up design. But that’s exactly what FOX aims to change with their new Podium fork.

If it were up to us, the new FOX USD fork would’ve been given that one fitting double-digit model number to match the rest of FOX’s line-up – but no one asked us ;). FOX, on the other hand, made a clear statement with the name they chose, signalling exactly where they want to go with this fork. But does the concept hold up – and can FOX achieve a real breakthrough with the new Podium?

The pros and cons of the 2026 FOX Podium

Of course, there have always been plenty of reasons why USD forks never caught on with the masses. Higher weight, greater development complexity, and the challenge of achieving the right level of stiffness are just a few of the issues. But times change – and perhaps certain advantages now outweigh the drawbacks.

One of the biggest advantages of USD forks is their highly sensitive responsiveness, a result of significantly reduced stiction in the system. This results from several different technical characteristics. In the case of the new 2026 FOX Podium, the two bushings are positioned much farther apart than, for example, on a FOX 38 with the same amount of travel. To be precise, they’re spaced 32% farther apart, creating a larger overlap along the stanchions and thus reducing flex under load, which in turn lowers friction. In addition, the distance between the thru-axle and the outer bushing decreases as a USD fork compresses, reducing leverage – whereas this distance remains unchanged in conventional MTB forks. Lubrication is also more consistent in a USD fork, since the inverted design and the effect of gravity ensure that oil is always in direct contact with the bushings. All of this is intended to significantly reduce internal friction within the fork.

Then there’s the issue – or rather the challenge – of torsional and lateral stiffness. To address this, FOX equipped the new Podium USD fork with a massive crown and use a 20 mm steel thru-axle – the kind you typically find on DH forks. As a result, the new Podium is claimed to match the torsional stiffness of a FOX 36, at least in the lab. To achieve lateral stiffness – meaning stiffness in the direction of travel – the Podium features an equally massive chassis with 47 mm stanchions, which also contribute significantly to the fork’s burly appearance. FOX claim this puts it on par with the FOX 40 downhill fork in terms of lateral stiffness.

The unsprung mass is reduced, too, because the traditionally heavy lowers of a right-side-up fork are no longer part of the fork’s moving assembly. In other words, less mass has to be moved during compression, which means that less force is required – and that the fork should be more sensitive as a result – at least in theory. This is currently also a hot topic in the world of gearboxes, where the absence of a derailleur and cassette reduces unsprung mass at the rear wheel.

One of the biggest drawbacks of USD forks is the increased weight compared to right-side-up models – something that’s virtually unavoidable due to the construction and the reasons mentioned above. The new 2026 FOX Podium, for example, tips the scales at nearly 2.8 kg, which is almost 400 grams more than a comparable FOX 38. But as mentioned before, times are changing, and most mountain bikers have come to accept that a bit of additional weight is negligible if it benefits performance. FOX recognised this too, concluding that the initial hurdle is no longer quite so high ;). After all, we’re seeing more and more bikes with added weights – and even brands like Orbea are now including mounting points for weights on their new Rallon.

Of course, all the extra development work and the additional challenges also drive up the price. The new FOX Podium is far from a bargain. According to FOX, nearly three years of development went into the USD fork, and only a few components could be carried over from other models. This increases costs, which will remain an issue for the Podium fork in the near future. Finally, there’s the look of USD forks, which isn’t just unfamiliar but – especially in the case of the Podium – also very bulky. It won’t suit every bike and certainly won’t appeal to everyone.

The new 2026 FOX Podium in detail

For the time being, the new 2026 FOX Podium is available in 160 mm and 170 mm travel options. According to FOX, a small number of manufacturers will spec a 150 mm version of the Podium, though this won’t be available as an aftermarket product. A 180 mm travel version was also discussed, but this would have introduced a host of new development challenges – which is why FOX decided to focus on these two versions for now.

The new Podium USD fork comes with a hefty price tag of € 2,399 – currently more than twice as much as a comparable FOX 38 fork. For the time being, there will only be a Factory version available, featuring Kashima-coated stanchions and carbon guards. Due to the intensive development effort and the number of specialised components, producing a Performance model without Kashima coating and carbon parts wouldn’t significantly reduce the price.

However, buyers can choose between two different crown sizes: a 58 mm version – which is the one we tested – and a 68 mm version, which is intended to better match the beefy look of some eMTBs. FOX confirm that the thicker crown provides a slight increase in stiffness, but the main focus is actually on aesthetics. Our tested Podium Factory model with the 58 mm crown weighs in at a substantial 2,742 grams. All Podium forks feature a 44 mm offset and 36 mm stanchions.

The new FOX Podium suspension fork is available with two different crown thicknesses. Our test bike was equipped with the 58 mm model.

The GRIP X2 damper – which recently topped our current suspension fork comparison test – remains part of the package and now features in the new Podium in a revised form. The damping tune has been adapted for the USD fork layout, and since the Podium generates less mechanical friction, FOX revised the compression tune to be more progressive and introduced a new mid-valve system. Additionally, the rebound tune was softened to account for the reduced unsprung mass.

The number of adjustment options remains unchanged, with eight clicks available for high-speed compression (HSC) and 18 clicks for low-speed compression (LSC). Rebound can also be adjusted via eight clicks for high-speed rebound (HSR) and 16 clicks for low-speed rebound (LSR).

Each side features a small bleed valve that allows excess pressure to be released from the chassis.

The GlideCore air spring – first introduced earlier this year with the new FOX 36 fork – also finds its way into the new Podium fork. FOX mounted the air unit between three O-rings, allowing it to move slightly under torsional stress, thereby reducing friction. On the USD fork, the air chamber is filled from the bottom, so it’s best to turn the bike upside down for this procedure. Additionally, the Podium features two bleed valves at the top of the air spring and damper cartridge to release excess pressure from the chassis.

You’ll need to tighten a total of five bolts to mount your front wheel in the new USD fork.

As mentioned earlier, the new FOX Podium uses a 20 mm Boost thru-axle instead of the more common 15 mm standard. In other words, most of you will need to buy a new front wheel – or at least a new hub – in addition to the fork. The thru-axle is also made of steel to increase stiffness. The motorcyclists among us will probably guess the challenge that comes with installing the front wheel: since the fork lacks a traditional arch, the stanchions can rotate and move independently, which means that you’ll have to fiddle around a bit to get everything aligned properly. With a little practice, it’s no big deal – but it does require more effort compared to a conventional fork. Once the thru-axle is in place, you’ll still need to tighten four additional pinch bolts before you’re good to go. In total, that’s five bolts for installing the thru-axle – all of which use a 5 mm hex head.

The elegant Kashima-coated stanchions are well protected by robust carbon guards, which are primarily designed to shield them during crashes or when leaning the bike against objects. Splashing dirt and flying rocks – as known from motocross – aren’t much of an issue in MTB use. If the guards get damaged – which hasn’t happened yet on our fork – they can be replaced easily. The left carbon guard also clamps the brake hose with two small bolts, and further up, two guides keep it securely in place, ensuring the hose doesn’t get caught in the front wheel even when the fork compresses. Matching its intended use, the new Podium features a direct-mount brake interface for 200 mm rotors, but with the appropriate adapter, it can also handle rotors up to 230 mm.

Brake rotors up to 230 mm can be mounted on the new Podium.

A mud fender hasn’t been released yet, but FOX promised to unveil a matching fender this autumn– and until then, it just won’t rain, right? The upcoming fender is expected to give the USD fork an even more aggressive moto-inspired look, as it will – due to the design – very likely be mounted high on the fork crown and thus be significantly larger in size.

FOX recommend a regular service interval of 150 hours for the new Podium suspension fork. Conveniently, the inverted design also helps keep dirt from building up around the wiper seals, as gravity simply lets it fall away.

The new 2026 FOX Podium on test – first impressions

For our first test, we rode the new 2026 FOX Podium Factory with 170 mm of travel and the 58 mm crown. It was mounted on a 2025 Pivot Firebird– a bike we know very well – and over the course of the test we racked up around 50,000 vertical metres. The USD fork was paired with a DT Swiss FR 1500 wheelset, a OneUp alloy cockpit, and MAXXIS downhill tires. The initial setup – based on FOX’s setup guide – already worked very well. Despite multiple tests with varying air pressure and volume spacers, we ultimately returned to the recommended settings. The only tweak we made was running the rebound slightly faster than on a FOX 38, in order to counteract the added weight at the front.

The new Podium USD fork truly shines in fast, rough sections – like big root carpets and rock gardens – where it impressively holds its line and stays glued to the ground with confidence. You can charge into technical terrain with anticipation instead of hesitation. The Podium simply smooths out the roots without flinching, while remaining high in its travel and allowing for precise steering without feeling overly sharp. It also handles dusty berms riddled with brake bumps and holes with ease, delivering loads of grip and support so you can carry serious speed through the corners.

On the downside, the fork becomes noticeably soft in very tight and steep corners where you need to pivot over the front wheel or where there’s a lot of lateral leverage on the fork. In these situations, it’s clear that the fork doesn’t translate rotational input during an endo turn quite as directly, requiring some adjustment in riding technique. Larger jumps also felt a bit unusual at first due to the fork’s substantial weight, often resulting in a slightly nose-heavy flight curve. However, both scenarios – tight switchbacks and big jumps – can be managed with a bit of adaptation, and in rough terrain, the advantages of the Podium clearly outweigh these drawbacks on an enduro bike.

Conclusions about the 2026 FOX Podium

The new 2026 FOX Podium is heavy and expensive. However, if you can look past these two factors and don’t mind the distinctive USD look, you’ll get a suspension fork that sticks to the ground like glue and remains unfazed even in the roughest terrain. It flattens blown-out berms just as confidently as massive root carpets and rock gardens, all while offering ensuring precise handling. Only in tight switchbacks and on big jumps will you need to adapt your riding technique slightly. That said, for us, the advantages of the fork clearly outweigh the downsides and we appreciate FOX’s bold and innovative approach to challenge long-standing conventions in mountain biking.

For all further information, visit the FOX Suspension website.

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Words: Peter Walker Photos: Dave Trumpore, Peter Walker

Peter Walker

As editor-in-chief, Peter is as much a man of action as he is of words. This expert, screw-driver-flexing two wheeled-whizz has many envy-inducing characteristics, including a background in motocross, several EWS race plates to his name, and more than 150 recorded days at Whistler Bike Park. However complex the bike and however steep the trail, he’s probably already nailed it, twice. Oh, and he can do it all on skinny tyres too. When it comes to guiding consumers, Peter cut his teeth at Vancouver’s oldest bike shop and now puts pen to paper on the daily translating this know-how into our editorial plan. When not tearing up Stuttgart’s local trails while testing bikes, he loves nothing more than loading up his self-renovated VW T5 and hitting the road. The fact that he’s a trained paramedic gives his colleagues reassurance out on the trails. So far we haven’t had to call him by his alias ‘Sani Peter’, so here’s hoping he keeps it right side up for the rest of his time here!