Öhlins RXF38 M.2 fork for 2026 Gen 4 Levo recommendation?

[Chubba]

Howdy @Greg Watts, whats shakin!

Your view on this fork for Gen 4 Levo - 2026 Öhlins RXF38 M.2 170 mm?

 

[Greg Watts]

Howdy @Greg Watts, whats shakin! Your view on this fork for Gen 4 Levo - 2026 Öhlins RXF38 M.2 170 mm?

@Chubba - solid choice to investigate. The RXF38 M.2 is Öhlins' air-sprung enduro fork and it's genuinely well regarded for sensitivity and mid-stroke support. Let me give you the honest picture for your Levo.

The good news: The Gen 4 Levo frame is rated for 180mm up front, so 170mm on an RXF38 is well within spec - no geometry worries there.

On the fork itself: The RXF38 M.2 uses Öhlins' twin-tube air spring system (TTX Air) which gives it that plush off-the-top feel and good mid-stroke support - Rob Rides EMTB has flagged the coil version especially for this, but the air M.2 carries similar character with the benefit of weight adjustment. For Cape Town's rocky, fast trails it should be a meaningful step up from the Fox 36 Rhythm you're running.

One thing to nail down before buying: the axle-to-crown length. At 170mm it should be very close to the Fox 36's, so your geometry shouldn't shift noticeably - but I'd verify the exact A2C figure against your current fork to be sure nothing gets unexpectedly slackened or raised.

Offset: Check whether it's available in 44mm - that's the offset to match on the Levo for intended handling. 51mm is available on some 38mm forks and will quicken the steering slightly.

Worth noting: @Al Boneta's post has flagged QC inconsistency on Öhlins air units over the years - worth keeping in mind, though the M.2 generation is well-evolved from older kit.

Overall? Very solid upgrade for what you're riding. I'd just confirm the offset and current availability/pricing before pulling the trigger.

 

[Chubba]

@Chubba - solid choice to investigate. The RXF38 M.2 is Öhlins' air-sprung enduro fork and it's genuinely well regarded for sensitivity and mid-stroke support. Let me give you the honest picture for your Levo.

The good news: The Gen 4 Levo frame is rated for 180mm up front, so 170mm on an RXF38 is well within spec - no geometry worries there.

On the fork itself: The RXF38 M.2 uses Öhlins' twin-tube air spring system (TTX Air) which gives it that plush off-the-top feel and good mid-stroke support - Rob Rides EMTB has flagged the coil version especially for this, but the air M.2 carries similar character with the benefit of weight adjustment. For Cape Town's rocky, fast trails it should be a meaningful step up from the Fox 36 Rhythm you're running.

One thing to nail down before buying: the axle-to-crown length. At 170mm it should be very close to the Fox 36's, so your geometry shouldn't shift noticeably - but I'd verify the exact A2C figure against your current fork to be sure nothing gets unexpectedly slackened or raised.

Offset: Check whether it's available in 44mm - that's the offset to match on the Levo for intended handling. 51mm is available on some 38mm forks and will quicken the steering slightly.

Worth noting: @Al Boneta's post has flagged QC inconsistency on Öhlins air units over the years - worth keeping in mind, though the M.2 generation is well-evolved from older kit.

Overall? Very solid upgrade for what you're riding. I'd just confirm the offset and current availability/pricing before pulling the trigger.

its 44mm. So if we had to throw 3 into the mix - RS Zeb Ultimate, Ohlins or Fox Factory/Performance - whats the feeling?

 

[Greg Watts]

its 44mm. So if we had to throw 3 into the mix - RS Zeb Ultimate, Ohlins or Fox Factory/Performance - whats the feeling?

@Chubba - three good forks, three different flavours. Here's the honest read for an 80kg rider on technical, rocky Cape Town trails with big fast descents:

RockShox Zeb Ultimate - the value-and-tunability pick. The Charger 3 damper (RC2 on the Ultimate) gives you independent high- and low-speed compression, which matters on fast rocky stuff where you want to fettle the support without killing small-bump compliance. Buttercups take the edge off harshness. Generally the most forgiving to set up and the cheapest to service. Worth knowing: Specialized spec the new SRAM ZEB on the Levo 4 Comp Alloy build, so it's a fork they clearly rate for this frame.

Fox 38 - Factory (Kashima, GRIP X2 damper) is the premium end; Performance (GRIP X) is the value play and honestly very close in feel. The 38 chassis is stiff and precise - superb tracking when you're loading it hard through rock gardens. Trade-off, and this has bitten people before: the 38 can feel a touch harsher off the top than the Zeb. Less of an issue at your weight with careful air-spring and volume-spacer tuning, but it's the character.

Öhlins RXF38 M.2 - the boutique pick. From what I understand it's well regarded for off-the-top sensitivity and ramp control via the multi-chamber air spring, and it's the one you'll see least of on the trail. The flip side: fewer service centres, pricier parts, and historically a bit more QC variance than the big two. If you want something different and have a dealer who can support it, it delivers.

My call for you: Zeb Ultimate. Best damper-tunability-per-rand, well supported, and it's the fork Specialized themselves chose for the Comp Alloy - so it suits the frame and your aggressive rocky riding without the service headaches of the Öhlins. Go Fox 38 Performance if you specifically want that ultra-stiff, planted chassis feel and don't mind tuning out a little harshness.

All three are 44mm offset territory, so geometry stays as intended. Just confirm A2C against your current fork before buying.

 

[Chubba]

@Chubba - three good forks, three different flavours. Here's the honest read for an 80kg rider on technical, rocky Cape Town trails with big fast descents:

RockShox Zeb Ultimate - the value-and-tunability pick. The Charger 3 damper (RC2 on the Ultimate) gives you independent high- and low-speed compression, which matters on fast rocky stuff where you want to fettle the support without killing small-bump compliance. Buttercups take the edge off harshness. Generally the most forgiving to set up and the cheapest to service. Worth knowing: Specialized spec the new SRAM ZEB on the Levo 4 Comp Alloy build, so it's a fork they clearly rate for this frame.

Fox 38 - Factory (Kashima, GRIP X2 damper) is the premium end; Performance (GRIP X) is the value play and honestly very close in feel. The 38 chassis is stiff and precise - superb tracking when you're loading it hard through rock gardens. Trade-off, and this has bitten people before: the 38 can feel a touch harsher off the top than the Zeb. Less of an issue at your weight with careful air-spring and volume-spacer tuning, but it's the character.

Öhlins RXF38 M.2 - the boutique pick. From what I understand it's well regarded for off-the-top sensitivity and ramp control via the multi-chamber air spring, and it's the one you'll see least of on the trail. The flip side: fewer service centres, pricier parts, and historically a bit more QC variance than the big two. If you want something different and have a dealer who can support it, it delivers.

My call for you: Zeb Ultimate. Best damper-tunability-per-rand, well supported, and it's the fork Specialized themselves chose for the Comp Alloy - so it suits the frame and your aggressive rocky riding without the service headaches of the Öhlins. Go Fox 38 Performance if you specifically want that ultra-stiff, planted chassis feel and don't mind tuning out a little harshness.

All three are 44mm offset territory, so geometry stays as intended. Just confirm A2C against your current fork before buying.

good feedback, and just a note, i wish i was 80kg, im 95kg! Mostly heavy bones....

 

[Greg Watts]

good feedback, and just a note, i wish i was 80kg, im 95kg! Mostly heavy bones....

Ha, fair correction - 95kg changes the calculus a bit, and that's meaningful context for fork setup. Good news: at 95kg on technical, rocky Cape Town trails, the fork shortlist doesn't change much, but the weighting (pun fully intended) shifts:

Zeb Ultimate - still the top pick. The Charger 3 RC2 damper with independent HSC/LSC is genuinely useful at your weight because you're generating more force through rock gardens and you'll want to dial HSC separately from LSC rather than using a single-knob setup.

At 74kg @rzr runs relatively low pressures with minimal tokens - at 95kg you'll be running meaningfully more air and likely adding a volume spacer or two, so having that independent compression adjustment to work with is a real benefit rather than a nice-to-have.

Fox 38 Performance/Factory - actually moves up the list for you. The harshness-off-the-top criticism I flagged earlier is partly a lighter-rider issue; at 95kg you're loading the fork properly and that stiff 38 chassis really comes into its own. The planted, precise tracking it's known for suits a heavier rider hammering rocky tech.

Öhlins RXF38 M.2 - still the boutique pick, still valid, but the service/support consideration matters more when you're working a fork harder.

Revised call for you at 95kg: Zeb Ultimate is still my headline pick for tunability and support, but the Fox 38 is a genuinely closer second than I made it sound. Either would be well suited - I'd just make sure to add at least one volume spacer to whichever you choose.

 

[Chubba]

Ha, fair correction - 95kg changes the calculus a bit, and that's meaningful context for fork setup. Good news: at 95kg on technical, rocky Cape Town trails, the fork shortlist doesn't change much, but the weighting (pun fully intended) shifts:

Zeb Ultimate - still the top pick. The Charger 3 RC2 damper with independent HSC/LSC is genuinely useful at your weight because you're generating more force through rock gardens and you'll want to dial HSC separately from LSC rather than using a single-knob setup.

At 74kg @rzr runs relatively low pressures with minimal tokens - at 95kg you'll be running meaningfully more air and likely adding a volume spacer or two, so having that independent compression adjustment to work with is a real benefit rather than a nice-to-have.

Fox 38 Performance/Factory - actually moves up the list for you. The harshness-off-the-top criticism I flagged earlier is partly a lighter-rider issue; at 95kg you're loading the fork properly and that stiff 38 chassis really comes into its own. The planted, precise tracking it's known for suits a heavier rider hammering rocky tech.

Öhlins RXF38 M.2 - still the boutique pick, still valid, but the service/support consideration matters more when you're working a fork harder.

Revised call for you at 95kg: Zeb Ultimate is still my headline pick for tunability and support, but the Fox 38 is a genuinely closer second than I made it sound. Either would be well suited - I'd just make sure to add at least one volume spacer to whichever you choose.

170mm will work nicely and should lift the bottom bracket a little. Gen 4 vs Gen 2 has a lot more pedal strikes.

 

[Greg Watts]

170mm will work nicely and should lift the bottom bracket a little. Gen 4 vs Gen 2 has a lot more pedal strikes.

@Chubba - spot on, and that's the smarter way to think about it. A taller axle-to-crown at 170mm will nudge the front up and lift the BB slightly versus the 160mm Rhythm you're on now - so it does double duty: better fork and a touch more ground clearance for those pedal strikes.

Worth flagging though: the Gen 4's BB sits lower by design, and fork A2C is only part of the pedal-strike story. The bigger levers are crank length and sag. If you're getting regular strikes, going to a shorter crank is the most direct fix - @Jeffsy29's post in the Clydesdale thread makes the point well: bring the BB up as much as you can while keeping proper sag, and use the geometry adjust to help. The Gen 4 has a Head Angle Adjust and Chainstay Adjust - worth checking what flip/headset settings you're running too.

At 95kg, also make sure you're not running too much sag - sagging deep into travel drops the BB dynamically and makes strikes worse on climbs and through compressions. Get your air pressure and a volume spacer dialled and you'll claw back some of that height where it matters.

So: yes, the 170mm fork helps, but pair it with sensible sag and consider crank length if strikes are really bugging you - that's where the real gain is.

That's me done on this one - solid choice whichever fork you land on. Tag me again anytime if you want a hand with the setup once it's bolted on. Enjoy the build.