Welcome to another Friday newsletter from RECON, the MTB store delivering your weekly mountain biking news in < 5 mins.
The last few weeks were drier than a 𦴠for MTB news.
But with a deluge of major product unveils from the industryâs biggest brands, it feels like spring is officially here.
On Todayâs Techy Ride:
đŚ Foxâs New Forks
đ SRAMâs New Era: Cables and Mineral Oil?
𤳠Best Podcasts, Videos, and Wipeout Of The Week
TECH
đŚ Itâs A Fork Frenzy
Photo: FOX
FOX is back with a major refresh to their 36 lineup and this time itâs more than just incremental tweaks.
The 2026 range includes the updated FOX 36 and an all-new FOX 36 SL, each engineered for riders who demand trail precision with enduro-caliber capability.
Stiffer, Not Heavier
Photo Credit: FOX
At the core of the update is a completely redesigned chassis. Fox managed to bump torsional stiffness by 20%âwithout adding any weight. That added rigidity translates to better tracking and more confidence when things get steep and fast. Itâs a subtle nod toward the burly feel of the Fox 38, just with the lighter package of a 36.
More Overlap, Less Friction
Bushing overlap has been extended to 162mm, an increase of 30mm. Why care? More overlap means reduced flex and chassis friction, and that translates to better small bump sensitivity, improved traction, and a smoother ride when terrain gets unpredictable.
Photo Credit: FOX
Where Things Get Interesting
This is where things get interesting. FOX is introducing a new FLOAT EVOL Compliant air springâa setup that suspends the spring between three rubber rings. That design decouples the air spring from the stanchions under heavy loads, allowing for subtle lateral movement and less friction. On the trail, this means better compliance and a fork that stays planted when things get rowdy.
Fox 36 SL: Lightweight Trail Dominance
Classic look but updated, modern Fox 36 is a top fork! Photo: FOX
New for 2026, Fox introduces the 36 SLâa featherweight sibling to the standard 36, designed for riders who want precision and control without the extra grams. Optimized for 120â140mm of travel and tipping the scales at just 1,755 grams, the 36 SL delivers stiffness on par with its heavier counterpart, making it ideal for fast, punchy trail riding where efficiency and handling are top priorities.
The SL also runs the new GRIP X damper, tuned for a responsive feel under power and excellent terrain tracking on the way down.
Ride Feel
Photo: FOX
Early ride impressions call out the forkâs noticeably stiffer chassis and razor-sharp steering. It encourages an active riding styleârewarding those who like to push hard and stay engaged. But thanks to the FLOAT EVOL compliant air spring and extended bushing overlap, the 36 doesnât just ride stiffâit rides smart.
The fork adapts well to square-edge hits, roots, and chatter, keeping the front end planted and calm even in unpredictable terrain. Riders are calling it one of the most balanced forks FOX has ever built.
đââď¸ RECONâs Take
Our first 36 fork just arrived at RECON HQ
While many of the 2026 updates are focused on chassis design and structural refinements, theyâre far from cosmetic. Fox continues to lead the charge in high-end MTB suspension, with a clear vision: maximize stiffness, reduce friction, and make every ride feel smoother, faster, and more controlled.
The 36 and 36 SL arenât chasing headlinesâtheyâre engineered for riders who notice the difference between good and great. And right now, theyâre sitting at the top of that conversation.
If you live in the USA and want to upgrade to the new 36, RECONMTB.com has the best offer of any bike shop in the world right now.
Youâll get a 15% discount code: WELCOME15 if itâs your first order
Youâll get in $31 in cashback as store credit
Youâll get 1019 entries to winning the dream bike weâre giving away this month (2025 Transition Sentinel V3)
SRAMâs newest brake release isnât just about powerâitâs about philosophy.
With the debut of the Motive, SRAM is taking a decisive step away from DOT fluid and fully committing to a mineral oil future. Thatâs a big move for a brand long associated with DOT-based systems like Code and Level, and it signals something much larger: a total consolidation of their brake lineup.
Photo Credit: SRAM
The Motive arrives as a high-performance XC and trail brake, born from the development process behind the DH-rated Maven. While Maven was built to conquer World Cups and Rampage cliffs, Motive takes those lessons and brings them to the lighter, faster world of XC and aggressive trail riding.
And SRAM isnât subtle about their goalsâboth the Level and Code lines are being phased out. In their place? A mineral-oil-only ecosystem, where Motive and Maven handle the top-end needs, while the DB8 and its coming variants serve entry-level riders.
Photo Credit: SRAM
Why it Matters: DOT is Out, Mineral is In
The move to mineral oil isnât just a spec sheet footnote. Itâs a significant shift for SRAM and for riders. Mineral oil is more stable, less corrosive, and easier to maintain. SRAM adopting it across the board means fewer compatibility headaches and more accessible service for the everyday rider. It also reflects a broader trend across the industry toward cleaner, more user-friendly systemsâone where SRAM has historically been the holdout. No longer.
Photo Credit: SRAM
Motive Highlights
4-piston brake aimed at XC and trail use
DirectLink lever for linear, lightweight feel
Maxima mineral oil shared with Maven
Shared Code pad shape for easy sourcing
Weight: 584g per Ultimate pair (pads + clamp hardware)
MSRP: $350â$550 USD depending on trim
Trim Levels
Bronze: Aluminum lever, bushing pivot, steel hardware â 279g per end â $175
Each version is available individually or bundled into an âExpert Kit,â which adds rotors, pads, bleed kit, and teal anodizationâMSRP: $599. Not bad if youâre planning to build up a full rig or want to experiment with rotor sizing.
On-Trail Feel?
Unlike the SwingLink-equipped Codes, which ramp up braking power progressively, the Motiveâs DirectLink lever delivers a more linear curve.
That means you need to pull deeper into the leverâs stroke to access max braking power, but the initial lever feel is lighterâideal for XC where control and finesse matter more than sheer stopping force. Itâs a different experience from Code, but not necessarily lesser. Just more deliberate.
Photo Credit: SRAM
đââď¸ RECONâs Take
This isnât just a new brakeâitâs a new era for SRAM.
By shifting their entire brake strategy toward mineral oil and retiring Level and Code, theyâre simplifying the lineup, improving long-term serviceability, and giving riders a more consistent experience across categories.
If the Maven was a statement of SRAMâs raw power potential, the Motive is their plan for the masses. And if early impressions hold up, itâs a plan that delivers.
A few years ago, the rumor mill was in overdrive: SRAM was done with cables.
Word on the trail was that everything would go wireless, and future frames wouldnât even have ports for derailleur housing. Some brands even started designing frames around that idea.
Turns out, those rumors were only half-right.
Yes, SRAM's wireless Transmission system took over the spotlight for a while. But now, with the release of the Eagle 90 and Eagle 70 drivetrains, SRAM has made it official: mechanical shifting is still very much aliveâand it's better than ever.
Photo Credit: SRAM
Mechanical Is BackâBut Reimagined
The Eagle 90 is not just a rehash of older tech. Itâs a cable-actuated drivetrain that uses the same Full Mount interface found on Transmissionâclamping the derailleur directly around both sides of the dropout for a stiffer, hanger-free design. That means more durability, less alignment issues, and compatibility with any UDH-equipped frame.
In short: SRAM kept the best parts of Transmission, skipped the batteries, and gave us a mechanical system thatâs easier to service, more affordable, and still packed with performance.
What About Eagle 70? SRAM also launched Eagle 70âa more affordable spec likely to appear on complete builds in the near future. It uses the same wide-range 10-52T gearing but works with traditional HG driver bodies, making it ideal for riders who want to upgrade shifting without overhauling their wheels.
đââď¸ RECONâs Take
With Eagle 90 and Eagle 70, SRAM isnât just keeping cables aroundâtheyâre elevating them. These drivetrains borrow the stiffness and interface design of Transmission, deliver clean, no-fuss performance, and come in at a fraction of the cost of their wireless counterparts.
More importantly, they prove that the future of mountain biking doesnât have to be wireless-only. SRAMâs mechanical comeback is thoughtful, refined, andâfor many ridersâa welcome return to simplicity.