Submitted by
jody
a Cross Country Rider
from columbus, oh
Date Reviewed: April 26, 2008
Strengths: Durability, Lightweight, low maintenance, fairly stiff with higher psi, easy to rebuild
Weaknesses: no lockout, occasionally bottom out, hard to find parts
Bottom Line:
I've been using this fork since 1998. I've rebuilt it twice, replacing the seals and air cartridge. Countless miles and still pumping. The trick with this fork and all forks is routine maintenance. I replace the fork oil two or three times a year and double check seals. If you can find this fork, highly recommended and great for training.
Weaknesses: as FLEX as a rubberband maintenance required every 24 hours of riding....
Bottom Line:
I used this fork with v brakes...a nightmare when a corner approaches, later I used Disc brake on it, and its alright, but still can feel the flex. I only weigh 140lbs, and already can feel the flex, so be prepared if you are over my weight!
Submitted by
steven trottier
a Racer
from lewisville n.c usa
Date Reviewed: March 18, 2002
Strengths: lite
Weaknesses: very flexy and mine i had mud come into it adn now i have to replace it.
Bottom Line:
this fork is good and came on my bike. it is leaking air and now it doesn't even go down after this weekends race, i need a new sid! i loved it and is worth getting another. i would purchase this fork if you want a lite bike that is ready to race. the flex doesn't bother me as much as a heavy fork. i only weigh 105
Similar Products Used: all sid's, manitou black and other hight end forks.
Bike Setup: full xtr supercaliber w/ crossmax ust, nextlp's, alll the lite stuff 21 lbs!
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Chris C.
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City, Utah
Date Reviewed: November 21, 2001
Strengths: Light weight (2.5lbs.), reliability, great air seals, low maintanence.
Weaknesses: Slightly flexy, difficult to adjust (must take apart), no rebound damping adjustment, no lock-out, high price when first introduced in 1998.
Bottom Line:
For the rocky singletrack trails I ride here in Utah, and the occasional XC racing that I do, I have been extremely happy with my 1998 SID. This fork even holds it's own down in Moab. I have been riding this fork for a full 4 seasons now (averaging ~1,000 miles/season) and it still works as well today as it did the day it was brand new. It has required relatively little maintanence to keep it working smoothly. It is plush on the bigger hits, but a little harsh on small bumps. This fork is incredibly light, weighing in at only 2.5lbs. This light weight gives the front end of my bike a very light and responsive feel. This fork is a bit flexy, but the flex is only noticable at very slow speed while braking. I am amazed at how well the air seals work on this fork. I only need to re-pressurize the air springs once every two-months or so. I weigh about 155lbs. and run the pressure at 65psi. This fork was a bit pricey when first introduced in 1998, but fortunately it was the stock spec on my DBR V8, and I didn't have to pay the $700 asking price. This is not a freeride or downhiller's fork, but for general trail riding and XC racing the SID '98 is a great fork.
Similar Products Used: Rock Shox Judy XC, Rock Shox Duke SL, Fox Forkx Float 100 RLC.
Bike Setup: Diamondback (DBR) V8 w/Stratashock Strata Pro air shock, Shim. XT/XTR drivetrain, Mavic X-517/XTR wheelset.
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Andrew Klauser
a Cross Country Rider
from Feldafing
Date Reviewed: October 1, 2001
Strengths: Low weight
Weaknesses: Not so stiff, high maintainance, dampening not so terrible effective
Bottom Line:
Dirk Belling from RS Germany was VERY nice: when I bought the Trek frame to build it up myself, he produced a SID in team colours, matching the frame. The fork is a good race fork, the low weight is in fact unrivalled. I am too heavy though, for it (beyond 220lbs), not the fork's fault of course. I used it without negative spring and at high pressure. It made some proplems, but nothing serious. The only thing I really find a flaw is the poor dampening function of the fork, These C3 catridges really aren't very effective or enduring.
Strengths: Light weight, sexy, very tunable, and fairly stiff.
Weaknesses: Fairly stiff, seals leak, and fast wearing bushings.
Bottom Line:
I got this fork used and it never worked right. It has engulend(or howere you spell it) total air cartrages. One ride I was going down one of my favorite decents and all of a sudden I hear this sound that sounded like a gun going off. At first I thought it was my tires but it was my fork exploding. The presta vlave on the top of the fork had shot straight up and hit me in the neck. It was quite painfull and very disapointing. I thought to my slef how could Rock shox sell any thing that would have any chance of doing this? Bottom line: good riding fork, but horible durabitity.
Bike Setup: Marin Quake Fs, full XTR, bontrager race light wheelset
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Joerky
a Cross Country Rider
from Bremen - Germany
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2001
Strengths: light weight
Weaknesses: not soft enough for small bumps - my Judy SL (1996) works better! Looses Air!!! I have to pump it up for each ride!!! Renew the seals (to keep the air) is very expensive - kompete Set of seals is about 100$ (here in Germany) and in the Manual the say i have to service the fork every 25 houres of riding. So should i pay 100$ per month for new seals?
Bottom Line:
i will never use an air fork again - too much service intervalls. i never want to ride 3 hours uphill and than carry my bike downhill because of not enough air pressure in the fork. My next fork will be a Judy race 2001 - so i have to care for nothing - like set and forget...
Submitted by
Jose Rodriguez
a Cross Country Rider
from Highlands Ranch
Date Reviewed: May 2, 2001
Strengths: Light weight
Weaknesses: Flexy, harsh ride over small bumps
Bottom Line:
Air shocks will never match the suppleness of a coil/oil bath shock when dealing with small bumps and high frequency vibrations. The SID skips so much over the small stuff that it makes it very hard to keep the intended line because everytime you try to correct your line, the front wheel is airborne. This tendency to lift the front wheel from the ground makes it scary at high speed or when navigating technical sections. Infinite adjustment means that. You can adjust the air pressure in this thing for a life time and still won't get it to work as you want (at least I couldn't). I went retro and switched back to the Indy SL which has far less travel but keeps my front wheel on the ground so I have far better control. I would say, screw the weight and go with coil/oil shocks. They are more reliable and require less maintenance, and ride like butter.
Strengths: light weight, period. Oh yeah, easy to adjust pressure
Weaknesses: Not quite as nice as the newer SID SL I have with negative air pressure
Bottom Line:
I have NEVER had any problems with this fork and only air it up maybe twice a year. It is reasonably stiff and easy to maintain. I have never replaced seals and it never leaks air. I also don't run those fork boots either. Back in 98 when I bought the thing, I was racing and wanted something lightweight and this fork fit the bill. Good performance with good feedback on corners and descents. However, compared to my new 2001 SID SL, it is not as plush. I don't know if some people got bad forks or what but mine certainly has been a good one.
Submitted by
Peter Parker
a Cross Country Rider
from New York
Date Reviewed: February 22, 2001
Strengths: Low weight, lucious blue, fame associated with the SID, nemessing crowd attractor. Need I say more?
Weaknesses: Leaks air like a party balloon. And when the air has leaked, it is only noticable when pedalling hard, or cornering sharp, and fast. (But getting used to it, and therefore compensating is easy)
Bottom Line:
Hey, this fork leaks air like an inflatable raft. The good thing is that the air can be pumped in. Forget about the supplied air pump-- It's a joke and will cause wrist strains if used often (which you will). I recon that each stroke on that pump delivers 1/2 psi or 1/4 psi so to reach a recommended level..... The wrists will hurt. Use a standard floor pump with a basketball , extra long needle.
Cornering when the fork has had air leaked out is highly NOT recommended. Forget the sharp innerline hairpin turns because this fork is also corner weight activiated. Otherwise this fork is a good fork and very lite. The 98SID weights a claimed (and nearly accurate) 2.6 pounds. There are few forks weighing close to this. Own it and be proud.
Submitted by
Pascal C
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: December 28, 2000
Strengths: Amaysingly light and ajustable... Increadable buttery ride for the amount of travel it has.
Weaknesses: Flexy and easy to bottom outon anything bigger than two feet.
Bottom Line:
Even though this fork has less travel and weighs less than my Jett, it is by far the most plush fork that I have ever tried. I would never have purchased the SID at full price though for there are far more technologiclly advanced shocks out there for the same price.
Weaknesses: flexy, tuneable in the wrong hands is a bad thing
Bottom Line:
Great fork, always liked air springs for xc racing. However...for a weekly use fork I wouldn't recommend it. This is not a bashing around the trail every second day fork. Its for your race bike. I put too much use on it and it eventually wore out. It leaked air around the 6 month mark, not bad really, and was eventually serviced by RockShox warranty on 4 seperate occasions. Eventually it just develops so much play that it can't be dealt with. Really like the 2000 model though. I'll save it for racing and use a bomber for everyday thrashing. Eventually sold it for 80 bucks to a guy who sold it for 50. Go figure
Submitted by
Alex Zouev
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto
Date Reviewed: December 4, 2000
Strengths: The lightest fork there is. Good on medium bumps and small rocks, doesn't leak much either. I did urban riding and raced cross country all season, the fork held up pretty well. So lite, that climbing hills is never a problem. It can withstand 4-footer easily. One of the best forks for cross-country.
Weaknesses: Maintenance. Do NOT drop any higher then 6 foot on this fork : ) it'll die. My adjustment knob is stuck and woln't move at all, i blew the seals already, is not designed for smashing or any other kind of pounding.
Bottom Line:
This is a cross country fork only, but a damn good one, if u do not care 'bout small bumps get it.
Bike Setup: Specialized Stump Jumper pro. Irc back country tires, mavic 222 rims, sid 98, xt, xtr, Profile design high-rise bar, Axiom flat pedals, xt cranks etc...
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Adam Giese
a Cross Country Rider
from Woodstock, IL
Date Reviewed: October 18, 2000
Strengths: Offers a very smooth ride, the shock just flows along trails so finally.
Weaknesses: maintanence
Bottom Line:
I bought the shock in not-so-perfect condition, previous owner trashed it then had it rebuilt. I bought an air-pump, and filled it before every ride. The one side dropped psi in half about every ten miles.
Super-smooth ride when filled, I kinda don't want to replace it. I have to though, maintanence is too much.
This is a great ride as long as you don't trash the shock by riding without any air.
Strengths: About the lightest (mine weighs 2.4 lb by gram scale), most tunable and smooth fork that can be purchased on today's market (the later SID's are more adjustable than the '98). Stiff enough for cross country racing/riding - and hey, it's not a down hill fork and if I was going to be doing hard, downhill type rididng, this would not be my first pick, it is after all a cross country fork and world class at that.
Weaknesses: Of all forks out there, these are no doubt pricy and require regular maintenence
Bottom Line:
Almost anything that uses compresed air to function, be it an inner tube or an air fork, will leak. I can understand complaints about major catastrophies with this fork, but you will never find an air/oil fork that doesn't leak air. When ever we sell air forks or air rear shocks we always make it clear that a shock pump is highly recommended. You can't own a SID with out one, not only because they inherently leak, but because you can't benefit from the endless tunability of this fork without one. As for maintenance, they are messy because of the open oil bath but no more complicated than any other fork, regardless of how they are sprung. Take your time, keep parts in order and for god sakes use the info from RockShox and every SID owner can do the basic maintenance. The maechanics are there for a reason so let us do the tricky stuff unless of course you are a tinkering-type of person.
Don't complain about the nuances of this fork - almost all high end bike stuff in high maintenance too. You can't have your cake and eat it too with regards to a SID. The comitment (oh no, the "c" word) you make, when buying a SID, to maintainance is a very small price to pay for truly the sweetest cross country fork made. Nothing is as tuneable but you won't know how tuneable it is with out playing with things. Nothing is lighter unless it's rigid. And hey, considering that we sell about 8-10 SID spec'd bikes a year, you will no be able to fly by spandex warriors and say "Look at what you ain't got!!!"
