All Travel // Climb-It Control compression adjustment // Tunable positive and negative air springs // External rebound adjustment // Travel: 63/80 mm // Spring: Dual Air
Submitted by
acctnut
a Cross Country Rider
from Redwood City Date Reviewed: May 9, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Bucks
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At:
some dude at bike sw
Strengths:
light, cheap to find used
Weaknesses:
flexy, can't get the PURE system to work
Similar Products Used:
Judy SL
Bike Setup:
Jamis Exile steel HT with typical shimano mix.
Bottom Line:
I bought this off a guy at a swap meet, installed it and rode it once, then took it off the bike to change the oil and figure out why the PURE system doesn't work. At first I just did an oil change and bled the system, but still the lockout would not engage. Next I aquired replacement o-rings from auto part and hardware stores from all over the city and replaced. Still no lockout, screw it, I'm a pretty quiet sit down climber anyway.
On the trail this fork felt weird, especially on off camber turns. I rode off the trail many a time, which I never do. After a couple days I figured out that this fork wants to be pumped or musceled into turns. You need to use you're upper body and drive. This fork doesn't have power steering.
Do I like muscling into turn? Yes, when I'm feeling good. No, after 3 hours of riding.
Anyway this fork was only $70, I wouldn't be too happy if I paid $400+.
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Submitted by
David C
a Cross Country Rider
from Ottawa ,Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: November 25, 2003
Favorite Trail:
The Dark Side , Kanata
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
KunstadSports Kanata .On.Ca
Strengths:
Great ride , light , smooths all but the largest bumps
Weaknesses:
triple clamp to stear tube has worked lose they are now garbage
Bike Setup:
Trek Fuel 90 ,Hayes disc brakes , XT ,Answer ProTaperRiser Bars , RaceFace Turbine Cranks. Trek 8900 with same setup with Marrochi superfly
Bottom Line:
I would not recomend buying any rockshox product in Canada do to the Wholesaler(Lambeart Sports,Montreal Quebec) not honouring the 2 year warrenty . They will replace them at the "retailers cost" $420 CAD + $40 inspection fee and $10 shipping on the warrentied part.
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Submitted by
Michael
a Weekend Warrior
from Tracy, CA Date Reviewed: October 14, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Skaggs
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Pleasanton Bicycles - came with bike
Strengths:
Lite and lots of adjustability. Reliable - no issues with over 1000 miles
Weaknesses:
Flex going fast over rough down hills if over 165lbs Very little climb it adjustability if over 165lbs This is a Followup review
Similar Products Used:
Fox on a specialized Epic
Bike Setup:
NRS1
Bottom Line:
I have read other reviews complaining about no adjustability on the climb it control if you weigh over 165lbs, which is my case. I asked my LBS to call and find out if I could switch the 5wt in the pure delite chamber to a heavier wt like some of the other reviews suggested, and RockSox did not recommended the 12wt concerning it might bend some of the valving shims. So I put 10wt in the pure delite chamber an what a difference it made. Its like having a totally different fork! It seams to be less bouncy and moves like a sping fork - smooth but firm. Now my climb it control has lots of adjustabliltiy. I setup the fork with 14mm( vs my old 11mm) of sag because of all the ajustability I now have. I now have super soft for down hill and when I turn the knob it gets super firm w/o bobby for climbing and flats; best of both worlds now. I could not do that in the past. I all ways had to have it firm, so down hills it was ok, but not what it is now. I I setup the negative chamber with 10psi less than the positive chamber and 1.5 turns out on rebound.
I still left the lower legs with the 5wt oil, only the pure delite chamber got the 10wt.
I down loaded the service manual from the web site, read it 4 times. I serviced the fork w/o any new o-rings and every thing went smoothly. I went to my local pet shop and purchased a feading suringe. Only difficulty is learning how to bleed the pure delite chamber since the instructions do not explain that very well, but one can figure it out via trial and error.
I recommend this change to anyone that weighs over 165lbs. Don't think twice like I did. It was well worth my time and effort.
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Submitted by
Michael
a
from Tracy, CA Date Reviewed: October 5, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Skaggs
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Pleasanton Bicycles
Strengths:
Lite Lots of adjustablility Holds air!- I check air every 5 months and it never changes Servicing is super easy - must read manual ~3x to understand
Weaknesses:
Flex when going down hill fast - my weight - 173lbs Climb it control sensitivity only last 2-3 clicks
Bike Setup:
2002 NRS1 - 27lbs 178lb rider 1" rise Bars from LP. Lizard skin on bottom rail 14mm front fork sag 1.5 turns out rebound 2mm Rear shock sag / 1 turns in Rebound 8mm shorter TiTec stem 35psi rear tire pressure, 33psi front tire pressure Stan’s NoTubes Liquid Latex - Works great! No flats yet! Quick adjust seat post clamp for steap down hills Hutchinson front tire, IRC SERAC rear – Best combo! Tubeles LP braid Jr bar ends 2 links taken out of chain – to minimize chair rub/slap/skip 2003 Selle Italia Pro Link Trans AM Saddle Allian Carbon Seat Post
Bottom Line:
Fork definitely has flex when going down rough hills fast and using disk brakes. If you are over 180lbs, I would not recommend this fork only due to the extreme flex you would experiance. I have over 1000 miles w/o servicing or issues with the fork. Since the climb it control had very little sensitivity, I just serviced it myself this weekand and changed the Pure system 5wt oil to 10wt- all other chambers left at 5wt oil. What a big difference, the climb it control now has a lot of sensitivity - from super soft to super stiff! Never had that before! I also did not change any o-rings for my servicing and everything works great! Key is getting the air out of the Pure system; you definitely need a suring and leave the end cap off. The manual does not explain this very well.
For me the fork has been good, no issues, no leaks and very little maintenance. The fork is much much better now with the 10wt in the Pure chamber! Its like having a totally different fork! Its feels more like a spring fork now and more compliant. I also will make sure the foam/sponge gets oiled frequently; does help the fork move smoothly. When I serviced it, it was bone dry and the 3cc of oil to lube the tubes was also bone dry. I think it came dry from the factory because now that I serviced it, I can definitely see the oil coating the fork tubes when it comes out of the XXX top seal.
If you are over 165lbs I recommend changing from 5wt to 10wt in the pure system. RockShok does not recommend put I know of a lot of people doing it w/o issues. I think 15wt might be too much.
I wish it just had less flex, but for a lite fork i guess it is expected. If someone says wt doen't matter then they are full of it. A lite bike is always better for XC riding
I know that there are a lot of bad reviews for this fork, but it has been extreamly reliable w/o issues for over 1000 miles. Only issue is flex!
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Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from London ON Canada Date Reviewed: August 28, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Kains Rd
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$190.00
Purchased At:
LBS - Used
Strengths:
LIGHT, smoooth like butta, adjustable,
Weaknesses:
some flex in the steerer
Similar Products Used:
Sid XC, Manitou 6C, Headshock
Bike Setup:
Trek 4500, 618 Ceramic, XT/XTR, Mich CompS Light
Bottom Line:
This fork is amazing. I sent it in for a rebuild at the beginning of the year (2003) and have only cleaned the top of the dust seals since. Not an ounce of tuning or fixing. I am 185Lbs and the fork does flex a bit when coming off a drop or over an obstacle - i can deal with that though. Climbs really well. Lockout is great for on road and climbing. If you are looking for a smooth, reliable and light fork this is the way to go.
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Submitted by
Ace
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto, ON, Canada Date Reviewed: August 27, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
Light weight. Okay on most cross country terrain.
Weaknesses:
Flexes when the going gets rough, especially when gravity is pulling. There are some well built forks and some bad ones. If you have a bad one, get ready to have it sent back to Rockshox. Need to have a back bike or fork if you don't want to miss out on riding time.
Similar Products Used:
Bomber
Bike Setup:
2002 Stumpjumper Pro stock except with Thomson post/stem and RaceFace riser bar.
Bottom Line:
This is a light-weight x-country fork and that's fine for my purposes since I'm just 130lbs. After a month, everything was okay. There was more flex than the Bomber on my old Stumpjumper M2. However, I was learning to live with it. But before long, the sucker lost all damping. The uppers went into the lower legs and wouldn't rebound back. It was sent back to Rockshox and after 3 weeks, I got it back and it seemed to work okay. That was last year.
This year, due to personal situation, I didn't ride much until this past month. So after a month, the same problem came back and the fork has been sent again. This time, it is just out of the one year warranty (I noticed they have extended their warranty to 2 years on 2003 forks). I am waiting to hear back from LBS whether they will fix it under warranty or I'll have to pay. If I have to pay, I'll just buy another fork instead. Not Rockshox, of course.
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Submitted by
robert davis
a Cross Country Rider
from garland Date Reviewed: June 26, 2003
Favorite Trail:
rcp
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
dorbaforumclassifieds
Strengths:
lightweight,soakes up smaller bumps, very responsive
the whole bike is extremely manuverable,fastand responsive.for xc the fork works very well.I downloaded service manuel.and it is to simple to overhaul.I love the bike and the forks.On hard turns the forks flex a little but a lotta lean helps that. Also ,no more face plants in front of my friends going over logs and other trail hazards especially the rock gardens.
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Submitted by
Darcy Brodeur
a
from Mackinac Island, Michigan, USA Date Reviewed: June 9, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Price Point Magazine
Strengths:
Adjustability, Weight
Weaknesses:
Too flexy, not as stiff as Rockshox said it was
Similar Products Used:
Judy TT, Marzocchi EXR 100mm
Bike Setup:
Totally custom, full XTR
Bottom Line:
Pretty good fork. It is extremely light and climbs very well. It has too much flex for my confort. I love the lock-out for sprinting and on long climbs. I think it could use a blow-off valve, thought I snapped it in half when I forgot to turn off the lock-out. Overall good fork.
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Submitted by
Will Bradford
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, CO Date Reviewed: April 30, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Any in Winter Park
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
U Bikes, Boulder
Strengths:
Weight...That's about it.
Weaknesses:
Smooth like sandpaper, leaks a ton of oil, durable as an egg shell and rides horrible.
Similar Products Used:
Fox, Marzocchi
Bike Setup:
Giant NRS 1
Bottom Line:
I find it ironic that a company that's been in the fork business so long has yet to make a decent product. I knew this thing was going to be a nightmare from the start. I got this P.O.S. because it came with my frame. To keep this thing in any form that resembles riding condition you'll need to rebuild it every ride...No, you might need to take a rebuild kit with you on the trail. Don't forget to bring oil b/c everytime you adjust the air pressure you're going to loose a cupful. The action on this shock is nothing short of pathetic. It feels like the thing is filled with mud and lined with sandpaper. As for you trail choice if you're using this fork; stick to the pavement and don't do and 1" drops. I WILL NEVER RIDE A ROCK SHOX PRODUCT AGAIN...And I suggest you choose to do the same. If I could choose zero steamin' turds, I would.
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Submitted by
robert wooldridge
a Cross Country Rider
from temecula Date Reviewed: April 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
daily ranch
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$25000.00
Purchased At:
sun bike milpitas
Strengths:
this bike is a screamer, lite quick responce,rides like a hardtail,but with a shox in the rear.
Weaknesses:
had to send front shox back,leaked air. fixed now tharashing it to see if it will fail.
Similar Products Used:
hade a judy sl on my gt avalance LE.
Bike Setup:
all xt paid a little more than stock. carbenfiber bars monkey lit, corbenfibor stem, seat from nrs air,quick relice seat post. rocket 5 seat with titaneum rails.
Bottom Line:
this bike is lite,quick,and a mean hill climber. havent been over my limits yet,or i should say over its limits.byone and see what you been missing. Thanks mike.
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Submitted by
robert wooldridge
a Cross Country Rider
from temecula Date Reviewed: April 19, 2003
Favorite Trail:
daily ranch
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
none yet just got fork back from rockshox. I have a new nrs1o2. shock faild one week into service.
.
Weaknesses:
same
Bike Setup:
nrs1 o2
Bottom Line:
not good so far tell ya next week if it works.
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Submitted by
james
a Cross Country Rider
from toronto Date Reviewed: April 13, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$425.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
light and ajustable
Weaknesses:
nothing i can think of as yet
Similar Products Used:
sid xc sid 100
Bike Setup:
klein mantra race
Bottom Line:
great fork! I am 200lbs and people told me to get a fox because i was to heavy for the SID. I have excellent feel and response from the SID. i didn't feel that much flex like people talk about, i guess it is how you ride. If you are a smooth rider you will love it, if you ride hard and can't read the trail get the DUKE. The best fork ever thanks Rock Shox !
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Submitted by
EyeDoc
a Cross Country Rider
from Nashville, TN USA Date Reviewed: April 6, 2003
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$550.00
Strengths:
Light weight; simple adjustments; holds air well
Weaknesses:
It would be nice if you could adjust it to 100mm of travel, but hey, it is an xc race fork after all.
Similar Products Used:
Mannitou Mars Elite, Judy SL
Bike Setup:
Merlin Echo w/ full XT Sugar 1 with stock set up
Bottom Line:
I agree with an earlier reviewer that I have read a lot of bad reviews, but I simply haven't had any problems with these forks. I had a 2000 model on my Sugar that I rode for a couple of years, and I have a 2002 model on my Merlin that I have ridden for over a year. Once I had the rebound adjusted to my liking, the forks were set. I never touched them, except to add air (once or twice a month). I let the LBS service the shock once a year ($25), and that's it. This fork is so easy to tune, I honestly don't see how anyone could have a problem. If you're the type of rider who likes to adjust your fork differently for every trail that you ride, you might want to consider the Psylo Race with the U-Turn. For a pure XC racer, the SID SL is a great shock.-THE BOTTOM LINE
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Submitted by
Tapeng
a Weekend Warrior
from San Jose Date Reviewed: February 16, 2003
Favorite Trail:
El cortez de madero
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Weight. efficiently does what it suppose to do
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Z2, Z4 atom air, some manitous
Bike Setup:
sub 23 lb Truth
Bottom Line:
Overall: Put couple of hunderd miles on my 2002 sid sl in about a year, it provide excellent shock abortion over all kind of trail condition I rode. Tune it right and it give me the control by smoothing the path.
Replaced fork: Right after I switch to FS bike(old fork carry over), the smoothed rear revealed how bad the front shock is. I don't call that bumpy, shocking feeling "RIGID" cause the fork simply perform like a heavy stick and yes I'm talking about STICTION. It has absolutly nothing but stiction. Replace with different weight oil and make all kind of adjust, a stick is still a stick. The stick on my single speed perform better than it simply because it's light but not the 3.8 lb STICK. It's a crap.
Sid SL: The sid sl allow my tire hug ground sitcker and make tracking better and go faster. I put in about 90 - 100 psi and never need to refill unless I want to change. I forgot to unlock after climb and went down on rough few times. It always make me to stop to correct it because of the rigid shocking. No problem. Lockout still works perfectly. No air or oil leaking at all, bushing is dead tight and everything just work great after a whole year of abuse. Performance does go down a bit when foam ring start to dried up and more and more dirt get trapped in the dust seal. Tuning compression and rebound are critical to get peak performance. These dials are not deaf's ear. They will respond as they dialed precisely and it's your responsibility to find out the sweet spot setting. But once that set you can forget it and just fly on trail.
Service: I took it apart(every 4 ~ 5 month) to do my part of work and after that it just came back as new. Replaced the damping oil with 15 weight which is better than 5 weight in my ride condition. Everytime I fully disassemble the fork(no special tools needed), thorough clean it and use suggested oil in all the places. I know I did this better than a paid job since it's my fork. I never tried to pry out the seal to avoid damaging anything. After all it's a easy task and no special tool required.
Of course the old crap was dumped on the net for others enjoy the RIGID and is looking for others dump their noodle or may be I just get a TEAM.
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Submitted by
Ziggy Stardust
a Cross Country Rider
from outer space Date Reviewed: January 31, 2003
Favorite Trail:
the happy one
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At:
Supergo (good prices-HORRIBLE cust service)
Bottom Line:
This is a followup review on my 2002 Sid SL - At this point I have a year of riding on the fork and my conclusions are as follows:
1. The fork is very flexy for someone anywhere near my weight (185lbs or 85kg). If you ride reasonably rugged terrain with rocks and roots and gulches etc (and who doesnt?), then you will be sorely disappointed in your "directional stability"...you might even be hurt by it (as I was in a few crashes).
What I have realized is that the elite MB racers are pretty small in stature and weight. They are typically 5'-4" to 5'-9" (with some exceptions), and are obviously lean, lithe and not musclebound (or fat bound of course). It seems nature has picked this body type as the most efficient for MB racing (as tall thin people excel in running and as shorter stocky people excel in weight lifting). Also, many of the tracks they race on are "fast" tracks that are relatively smooth, hardpacked and without really rugged sections. In all out competition a competitor is willing to sacrifice some comfort and capabilities in order to keep the weight down, almost at all costs. For human powered vehicles, power is at an absolute premium, and THE way to do the most with what little power there is available, is to minimize weight whenever and wherever possible.
The SID SL type of forks are built to accommodate these needs; for the lightweight riders (150 lbs and under), for relatively smooth tracks, and for those willing to ride with a barely acceptable threshold of flexibility in their fork. In return the Sid SL provides low weight, and good tuning capabilities.
2. The Pure Damper hasn't blown out on me, but I never achieved any real amount of adjustability. I had to adjust the damper up right until lockout to get it to provide sufficient damping for my weight (and Im a pretty tame rider). According to the manual and other sources, it needs to be bled and probably the 5 weight oil in it should be replaced with a heavier oil to get the adjustability required for my weight. The lockout still does work though, and it hasnt leaked on me. After I bleed/service it Ill remark on the results later.
3. The air system seems to be working great. I haven't experienced any leakage or blowouts as a result of the air shock. It provides excellent adjustability and really seems to hold up well. I haven't even lubricated the air leg, which apparently helps to ensure a better seal between the negative and positive chambers. Overall very pleased (and relieved) that the air spring system has worked as well as it has.
4. I had problems with the disk brake mount. My Hope mini would not mount squarely on the disk tab because the surface was not milled perpendicular with respect to the axle. I had to use a file to remove lumped up paint and shave some of the metal down in order to get the caliper to mount properly (so that it wouldnt rub). Rockshox/SRAM should ensure that they have this surface premilled/faced so that the owner doesn't have to deal with this. especially at this price level! (poor QC) Also, the SID flexes alarmingly when a rider of my weight uses powerful disk brakes on it....were talking substantial fork "wag".
5. Lastly, getting replacement parts for the fork has proven a monumental hassle, at least from Supergo (who have a horrible customer service reputation). I tried to get a rebuild kit, seal kit and the right "RedRum" lubricant (which is actually Torco engine assembly lube with a rockshox label on it). Supergo hemmed and hawed and resisted acquiring the stuff for me, but I insisted and put up with delay after delay until they finally relented and provided me with everything I asked for. They jammed me though, to the tune of $100 for what amounted to a half pint of redrum, a few baggies of O-rings, and some XXX fork seals and bushings (which are nothing more than a few slivers of tubular aluminum tape). There must have been about a 500%-1000% markup on this stuff, but I knew I would be needing it (and in another year or so it won't be available at all) so I just took it. But consider this factor when and if you buy your fork, and insist on getting a complete rebuild kit with the fork (at a reasonable price) BEFORE you pay them for the fork itself. If they refuse, get it elsewhere!
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Submitted by
Matteo Tellini
a Cross Country Rider
from Livorno, Italy Date Reviewed: January 25, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Toscana Italy
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
www.gambacicli.it
Strengths:
Light weight, infinite adjustments, climb-it control
Weaknesses:
A bit too flexy for a 95kg rider like me.
Similar Products Used:
RST 381EL
Bike Setup:
Scott Team Issue Hardtail, shimano xt and rockshox Sid Sl with remote lockout.
Bottom Line:
Great for the weight, great for the Lockout (very useful).. and you can also buy the upgrade to add the remote lockout of the 2003 version for around 100$. But a little too flexy to use with disc brakes and a rider weighting too much like me. (95kg)
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Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver Date Reviewed: December 30, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$329.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint
Strengths:
Light-lockout
Weaknesses:
none so far- little flexy, not good on big downhills.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Blur
Bottom Line:
I read a lot of bad reviews on this shock, luckily nothing has gone wrong yet, I wonder if it's when and not if. But so far so good. I like the 100mm feature and the lockout is nice and so is the 2.86 lbs. I think the secret to this shock is to get it dialed in and then leave it alone. I lube it after every 5th ride and I just don't mess with it.
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Submitted by
Andrew
a Cross Country Rider
from Iowa Date Reviewed: December 19, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Light
Weaknesses:
Not stiff, not reliable
Similar Products Used:
White Brothers SC72UL
Bottom Line:
Mine is on the way back to Rock Shox for the second time. Advice: please stay away from RS if at all possible unless you really like working on your fork.
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Submitted by
bob
a Racer
from uk Date Reviewed: December 19, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Light. Can be setup quite smoothly.
Weaknesses:
Appaling quality. Price.
Similar Products Used:
Pace Evo
Bike Setup:
Full suspension.
Bottom Line:
This is a year update. From new I had the blow-by nightmare. I got total denial from the UK distributor that anything like this had happened before even though I have met 2 people randomly out riding who had the same problem. After returning the forks twice they now work. It took 3 months to sort this out which blew away my race season.
All I can do is to recommend people not to buy RockShox products. My experience is that you are paying hugely over the odds for very poor quality. On a component that is a crucial part of the safety of a bike you would be mad to risk it.
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Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Danville Date Reviewed: November 22, 2002
Favorite Trail:
River walk trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Cycles de Oro
Strengths:
very adjustable,lock out,light
Weaknesses:
not reliable
Similar Products Used:
judy race
Bike Setup:
2002 Giant NRS AIR all XTR, Mavic CrossMax wheels, Hayes hyd disc brakes
Bottom Line:
Fork works good when it is working. I have had the postive air bleed to the negative chamber,which bottoms fork out. It was sent to RockShox for repair. I have had to send it back again for the same problem. It is now at RockShox. I THINK THERE ARE GOOD FORKS AND BAD FORKS IN THE MIX. YOU WILL KNOW WITH IN A MONTH OF RIDING WHICH ONE YOU HAVE!!! GOOD LUCK!!
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Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Boston, MA Date Reviewed: October 23, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Anything at Lynn Woods
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
ATA Cylce
Strengths:
Light, smooth, adjustibility, aesthetics.
Weaknesses:
Little flexy. Difficult to maintenance!! Taking this fork apart and reassembling it properly is impossible!!
Great fork to race if you dont mind the flex. Super light and durable. Also, get a personal rockshox/sram fork mechanic to work on it for you.
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Submitted by
Pat
a Cross Country Rider
from Arizona Date Reviewed: October 20, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Strengths:
nice IF working. Great, if you need an excuse to not race!
Weaknesses:
while pre-riding a course this weekend, half way through second lap, air seemed to leak out - fork bottomed out. turned around and rode few miles back with no air and fork totally bottomed out. a few hours later, it was "magically back". have no idea what is going on...typically, I have to lube the o-ring on the upper air filler every 2 weeks, or it WILL leak on ride (happens all the time)
Similar Products Used:
answer Mars CL (garbage!) Cannondale headshok (if only I could go back!)
Bike Setup:
trek stp/xtr/race lite etc.
Bottom Line:
Ride a Cannondale...wonder if they will ever do carbon XC rigs?
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Submitted by
Tom
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Clara, CA Date Reviewed: September 24, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Weight
Weaknesses:
reliability, Reliability, RELIABILITY
Similar Products Used:
Rock Shox Judy SL
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Superlight, XT all around, Hayes Discs
Bottom Line:
The weight is nice, and the performance isn't too bad when you figure what they had to take out to get the poundage down, but what good is a light fork that is in the shop. I guess I save some cash on shipping (and there's the one chili for value!).
I've had the bike and fork for 6 months now, and taken very good care of both. Cleanings before/afer each ride, adequate lubrication (but not too much!) The bike gives me no problems, but the fork decides to stop working the week before a race. All I get from my LBS and RockShox themselves, is send it in, they don't know when it will come back. total crap.
needless to say overall weight of my bike is getting really low, of course it isn't rideable, and there is a nice 2.8 pound package heading to Colorado.
My advice, buy from a manufacturer that knows what they are doing, and isn't focused on gimmicks. Don't get conned like I did.
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Submitted by
Derek Clement
a Cross Country Rider
from Upstate NY Date Reviewed: September 23, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Light, lockout,
Weaknesses:
A little noodlie. Maybe too light, should be stonger. Reliablilty issues. MSRP pricy
Similar Products Used:
SID XC,
Bike Setup:
94' Steel Fisher hardtail. LX,XT 23.5 lbs of steel goodness. My full suspension is my main bike, Fixing up my old ride. Got this fork to replace the old 94' orginal 50mm Judy.
Bottom Line:
Differnce from a 8 year old 50mm Judy, was night and day. Dropped 2 pounds right off the bat. Rode ok for about 10 hours, one muddy ride and the lockout quit and all dampening shot. Tried to talk to Tech support, way to confusing, and I dont have the tools. Fortunatly Rock Shox always has a tent at the MT Snow race. They rebuilt for free, and now works awesome. Overall this is a fork for a hardtail or light weigh F/S bike. If your big or ride really hard this is not your fork. And find it on sale too
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sam
a
from Cross Plains Date Reviewed: September 16, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$299.00
Purchased At:
Price Point
Strengths:
Light weight. Lockout is great feature.
Weaknesses:
Unreliable. Very flexy - really nbeed to watch bumpy downhills, makes you feel like a bowling ball would look...
Similar Products Used:
Manitou
Bike Setup:
Hardtail
Bottom Line:
This is the second breakdown in 40 days! I can live with the flex given the lockout feaure but gotta wonder at the QC when a product is so unreliable - or is that liable to break at any moment.
I just started a race when I hear this knocking, hmm - sounds familiar...about a mile in the whole shebang gives out...again.
Could be bad luck but I think the product is just bad. Got money, time nad patience? This might your shock.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rui Oliveira
a Cross Country Rider
from Braga, Minho, Portugal Date Reviewed: September 5, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
lightness, lock out , very prety , a lot of adjutments
Similar Products Used:
Rock shox indy c, RST mozo comp
Bike Setup:
Orbea popr
Bottom Line:
It´s a pure a xc fork, for down hill isn´t really the best fork because of the ride height (80 mm), and it isn´t so rigid like a bomber, but it´s in the tecnical stuff, like in single tracks , with roots and some rockery that handers a bit better. The lock out is a big help in that long and hard climbs where lot the strenght must go to the pedals and not to the up and down of the fork. Another positive point is the positive and negative air with the damping that we can make a never end kind of a adjtments. In durability it is a bit early to talk about that,it´s a good fork but not to push the limits.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Doug Vaccari
a Racer
from Connecticut Date Reviewed: September 3, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$369.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Great Fork, good weight, nice color, lockout is nice.
Weaknesses:
NOTHING
Similar Products Used:
SID RACE TI, MARS ELITE
Bike Setup:
S-Works '02
Bottom Line:
Great fork,this is the same fork as the Race Ti, only difference is some Ti screws, to give you a .02 weight savings and a 200 dollar price increase. Great fork for XC Racing, next year they are putting on the remote lockout, but those forks are much more expensive, so I would say snatch the SL while you still can!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tony
a
from Canada Date Reviewed: September 1, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
They're silver. They have lock out control
Weaknesses:
Had them 2 days and they need repairs.
Similar Products Used:
Lots of different Marzocci
Bike Setup:
GT 2.0, Fox Float rear,
Bottom Line:
I sent my SID XC's to Rock Shox for warranty. 2 months later they say they can't find them and give me this light weight, exquisite, silver colored shock with lots of adjustments, for free! I read the reviews at this site and get an idea of what I'm up against. After only 2 1/2 hours of riding, total, they loose all compression dampening at the start of my ride. It's the long weekend so I have no bike now. I'm only 145 lbs soaking wet and I was going uphill on a fire road and had just turned onto some single track and felt the front end dip and stay there. NO DAMPENING. Oh well, I guess after I sell these I can buy something that's not gonna keep needing maintenance. Don't buy them unless you have a bike shop. I gave them 4 flaming turds for value because they were free replacements for a lost fork and 2 flaming turds overall because I've never had any problem with forks until now. I'll let you know in a few months how they work after repairs are made.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mtbikerTi
a Cross Country Rider
from Knoxville/Cookeville, TN Date Reviewed: August 20, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Haw Ridge
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Rock Shox
Strengths:
Light, has a lockout, extremely adjustable, and it was free (blew the damper in my '99 SID XC and they sent me this to replace the cartridge. One aftermarket cartridge later I had 2 sweet forks)
Weaknesses:
None found
Similar Products Used:
'99 Judy XC, '99 SID XC,
Bike Setup:
Giant XtC SE-1, XT, XT discs
Bottom Line:
This fork is awesome. This is my one year update on this fork and it has been truly awesome. Those of you who had problems with your lockout, bleed your PURE damper! There are instructions on the RS website and it is not hard. If a shop couldn't do it find a new shop. Mine needed bleeding once and has worked flawlessly for 10 months now. The squeaking you complain of is the XXX seals. Lube them, or do what I did and go buy some fork boots for a '99 SID XC and go to Home Depot and buy some #29 (I think) O rings. Put the O rings on the XXX seal (below the metal spring) and the boots will snap right on. Then you can keep some lube on the stantions. Besides putting on fork boots and bleeding the damper once this fork has had zero maintenance problems. If you do bleed your damper and can't get it to work, call Rock Shox and they will send you an O ring to replace the spring washer at the bottom of the damper tube which should fix the problem. If you want a light weight, adjustable fork this one is a great fork. If you plan to froride or are weigh more than 200 lbs, I would recommend you look at something like a Psylo race or a Fox.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
rob hopkins
a Racer
from sandy, ut Date Reviewed: August 1, 2002
Favorite Trail:
wasatch crest
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$399.00
Purchased At:
jenson usa
Strengths:
light weight, smooth looking, lock out, ease of adjustment
Weaknesses:
mega flex, unreliable
Bottom Line:
for the money this fork should be reliable and better capable of handling all types of terrian. my confidence on downhills has decreased with this fork because the thing is way too flexy and iam only 155 lbs! my sid just lost all compression dampning and the lock out has failed. all this happened a day before a x-country race. i raced with it anyways even though my front end acted like it was on crack. The really thing that sucks is that for the three months i have had it i have babied it- cleaning it after every ride and not taking it off anything more than a foot high. buy it if you live down the street form rockshox.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Racer
from Bongmont, CO USA Date Reviewed: July 31, 2002
Favorite Trail:
empty ones
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
bought it from a friend
Strengths:
Light weight, Climb-It control, XXX seals, lots of adjustability
Weaknesses:
Light weight, Climb-It control, XXX seals, lots of adjustability
Similar Products Used:
various flavors of Rock Shox & Manitou
Bike Setup:
Dean Colonel hardtail with assorted components. XC racing setup.
Bottom Line:
Don't waste good money on this company. Rock Shox SUCK, and that's the bottom line. If you're a sponsored racer with access to a tech, that's great. For the rest of us, the durability of this high-end fork is questionable. While it is a flexy fork for larger riders, my initial impressions were still good because I was happy with the ease of setup and adjustability, and on-the-trail performance was great (no air leaks, either). BUT, after a few months, the compression damping was gone and the Climb-It control stopped working. Being a huge fan of the lockout feature for sprinting & climbing, I took it to my LBS for an overhaul, and was dismayed to hear them tell me that the lockout "may or may not work" after they rebuilt the fork. Well, I picked it up today and sure enough, the lockout doesn't work. My whole reason for owning this fork is gone, and I'm out $50. My next step is to contact RockShox, but past experience with them on the other crappy forks I've owned doesn't hold much promise. I will never buy a Rock Shox product again. I'm leaning toward a Fox or a Marzocchi.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ziggy Stardust
a Cross Country Rider
from Planet X, Milky Way, Universe Date Reviewed: July 10, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Wormhole
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$450.00
Strengths:
Lightweight, good adjustability, looks cool
Weaknesses:
Flexible as a pasta noodle, squeaks and feels fragile, documentation and owners manual are horrible, need special tool to service
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi z3 light
Bike Setup:
GT Zaskar, XT/XTR
Bottom Line:
I wanted to wait awhile before submitting a review of this fork, but I've got about 30 rides (~25 hours) or so on this fork, so I thought I' give my initial review for now.
First off this fork is not designed for anyone over 160 lbs (Im ~180lbs)...maybe even lighter if you're the kind of rider that frequently encounters rocks, roots and gulleys/gultches as I do. The fork is puhh-lenty flexy - if you are standing on your bike (stationary) and lock the front brake and sight down the stanchions and then force the shock into compression, you can visibly see substantial deflection of the tubes as they are drawn under the frame (it looks kinda scarey when you do it). When I'm riding on rooty, rocky sections I have to struggle quite a bit on the handlebars to keep the bike inline, at least compared to my old Marzocchi Z3 shock, which was heavy but very rigid and stable.
The shock also squeaked quite a bit after I first started using it, but this appears to have diminished as it has broken in. Putting a few drops of tri-flow oil under the wiper seals also quieted it down. It's disappointing that such an expensive shock does not have microlube ports which allow greasing of the seal cavity like many lower grade (and much less expensive) shocks have.
On amore positive side, I like the forks pure damping and dual air features. Its really nice to simply pump the shock up to whatever "spring" stiffness you desire without disassembly or spring swapping. All spring shocks eventually lose their temper and you end up with a too soft spring after a season or two of riding (requiring the spring to be replaced). The air system eliminates that problem, although it may have problems with long term durability (although I havent encountered any problems so far).
The pure damper works well, although I tend to have to run the damper at the highest setting (just out of lock out). I may have to put a heavier weight oil in it to get more adjustability out of it for my weight. The lockout feature is good, I use it when Im on the road on the way to the trail, but do not use it on the trail itself (it just doesn't seem necessary, plus it's a little awkward getting to it quickly and without crashing when your trying to keep up with someone). A remote handlebar lockout would be a lot nicer, but really for a trail rider its no big deal to simple set the fork up right and just ride without lock out.
It took me a while to get the fork dialed in for my weight (and to get it broken in), but overall I like the ride quality. The air spring and the truly adjustable dampening/rebound are nice features which make for a sweet ride (except for the flex).
The manual/documentation is really bad...a big pamphlet with many pages that covers 18 languages. But falls far short of the mark with simple, direct explanations of the basic design of the fork, the various adjustability features (damping, rebound, positive/negative air chambers, oil weights etc). After downloading the manuals on rockshox website (which was not easy because of a poorly designed/organized website), much of this is alleviated, but even the maintenance manual falls short. For instance, nowhere in the manual does it explain how to change over from 63mm of travel to 80 mm of travel. Since my shock came set up with 63mm of travel, now I have to guess how to convert it to 80 mm...thats ridiculous and really sad that such an expensive fork cant come with adequate documentation. Oh, also the maintenance manual indicates that you need a "special tool" (SID cartridge retainer tool) if you plan on servicing your dual air system (which you must do periodically if you plan on your fork lasting more than a 1/2 season). I don't know how much the tool is, but Im sure it aint cheap, which doesn't make me happy considering how pricey the fork is already.
To sum it up, the fork is great if you are 1) light (under 145 lbs), 2) Can get someone else to pay for it, 3)Are capable and willing to work on your own fork and buy the special tool, 4) You don't freeride or take big jumps 5) Can afford to lay out some mucho dinero
If you dont fall into these categories, I would advise steering clear and go with a more rigid fork... for my purposes I wish I had gotten a Duke instead (or some other brand).
I will post again at the end of the season with a durability update and any customer service problems I may encounter if this happens...stay tuned.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joey Brassard
a Racer
from Prince Albert Date Reviewed: July 8, 2002
Favorite Trail:
CN Loop
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Light weight
Weaknesses:
Every other thing. Bushings fell apart twice (so far), peice of *$#*.
Similar Products Used:
99 Sid SL
Bike Setup:
Giant XTC SE1.
Bottom Line:
These forks are great for 15km but then they fall apart. If this keeps happening I will never ride Rock Shox again. I can't keep sending back my forks every time I ride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Racer
from Fargo, ND Date Reviewed: July 3, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Maplelag
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$339.00
Purchased At:
Scheels sports
Strengths:
Tuneablity, lockout
Weaknesses:
Flexy
Similar Products Used:
2000 sid, mazzorichi
Bike Setup:
2001 homegrown
Bottom Line:
I like the adjustablity, I don't like the flex, the older sids didn't flex that much, I weight 160lbs not to heavy but seems like there is less control on fast downhills with small bumps. it a good fork not a great fork
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
eric
a Racer
from northridge, ca, usa Date Reviewed: June 22, 2002
Favorite Trail:
chumash
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$150.00
Purchased At:
sponshorship(ritchey)
Strengths:
im not that heavy(130), and i ride REALLY hard, almost every day, doing jumps, medium drops, and some bad ass downhilling. this fork can really stand up to that abuse. awesome looks, and great quality.
Weaknesses:
only the bad reviews about the flexibility by fat people who should be on a more heavyduty fork. other than that, NONE.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
DeVinci moonracer, sid rear shock(w/lockout), decked out with ritchey parts, sram(crappy)groupo, and avid ti. brakes.
Bottom Line:
SWEEEEEEEEEET, i love this fork, it rocks, as long as it takes my beatings, and doesn't break, it'l get 5 flammin turds., GO BUY ONE AND RIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
E-Train
a Cross Country Rider
from Ridgefield, CT Date Reviewed: June 21, 2002
I've had this shock for over 3 months now and have beaten the crap out of it. No problems at all. I'm still playing with the pos/neg air to find the perfect combination. I recommend this fork to cross country riders who want a light, sweet as butter riding fork. Can't beat it for $400.00.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeremy Silcox
a Racer
from Winnipeg Date Reviewed: June 6, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
light, adjustable, lockout
Weaknesses:
it breaks!!!
Bottom Line:
This is an update from a previous posting. The problem I had with the fork bottoming out was because air was leaking from the positive to the negative spring chamber. I took the forks apart, and discovered that metal shavings (from the manufacturer, I suppose) had scratched up the inside of the stanchion, allowing air to bypass the seal.
I sent the forks back to the Candian distributor, and they fixed 'em up real nice (free). They ended up switching sides for the dual air and Pure damping systems. Now, the forks work great.
Bottomline: These are awesome forks when they work, but if you buy them, o/haul them soon so you don't have the same problem! I'm dropping my previous rating by a point because this just shouldn't happen on a fork this expensive.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeremy Silcox
a Cross Country Rider
from Winnipeg Date Reviewed: May 21, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Birch Ski Valley
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Lifesport
Strengths:
Adjustability, Light, Plush
Weaknesses:
a little flexy, expensive if you pay full retail
Similar Products Used:
Amp fork, rigid, demoed lots
Bike Setup:
Ritchey Plexus Custom...XTR drivetrain, Race FAce Next LP's and headset, Avid Ultimate brakes and levers, Titec Fat-Head Ti Stem, 118 bar and X-Wing Pro post, etc.
Bottom Line:
These forks work great, and once you dial them in to your riding style, nothing could be finer. The lockout is nice, and all the external adjustments are sweet.
But, there might be problems. I was riding today and took a big hit...the fork sucked it up and I kept going. Fork was acting funny, though, and was bottoming out. When I got home and checked it out, the positive air spring was about 50 psi to low, and the negative spring was 40 psi to high. Hmmmmm, a possible blow-by? But, it's only happened once so far, and I've had no other problems.
4 for value because it is pretty expensive, but 5 overall because this fork just plain rocks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
lo_dee
a Cross Country Rider
from Alberta, Canada Date Reviewed: May 12, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Light, easily adjustable, lock-out rocks
Weaknesses:
expensive
Similar Products Used:
Manitou SX, tested Duke
Bottom Line:
This fork is a great light fork that will definitely help you if you love climbing. It took a while for me to fine tune the pos/neg air pressure for my style of riding, but once done, it totally rides the way you want it to. There hasn't been any problems with leaks of any kind, and I regularly get that front tire in the air and land hard. I love the lockout for climbs. One thing that would help is a more sensitive range on the lockout dial, to help stiffen the fork, without a complete lockout for rough ascents. I find that I need to turn 7/8 complete for this. This is has been the best upgrade I've made to my bike by far. By this if you are a smaller rider like myself and you want to get full use out of your travel, rather than standard forks geared towards riders 150-170 lbs in weight.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eliot
a Cross Country Rider
from CT Date Reviewed: May 5, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
The Fork is light, highly adjustable, plush, and the climb it control is a smart feature.
Weaknesses:
The fork is like a wet noodle on downhills and the climb it control broke after 2 months.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Magnum R
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper FSRxc Pro
Bottom Line:
This fork is great if you can get quite a big of tech support and you race a hell of a lot. But for the average rider, this fork is not meant to take the abuse, and going downhill it blows.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Oberman
a Racer
from Battle Creek, MI Date Reviewed: April 19, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Pisgah NC
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Team Active
Strengths:
The fork itself has been very smooth, and extremely light. Much easier to adjust than previous SID's, of which I've owned 2. Lock-out is a plus.
Weaknesses:
I've already blown the positive air cartridge once, in less than 2 months of riding! The fork is not built for a heavier rider...I'm hitting the trail at almost 200lbs, so I guess I should know better. No fork boots make the muddy stuff a little sketchy. Pricey.
Similar Products Used:
SID XC(99), SID SL(99)
Bike Setup:
Litespeed Tsali, all XTR, 517's w/Hugi 240's
Bottom Line:
This is a great fork, and almost everyone I know riding it has been very happy with it. My only complaint is that it seems Rockshox has lost sight of the fact that there are racers out there who weigh more than 150lbs. The fork has great features, but lacks in the toughness department for anyone in the 180+ weight category.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mtbmon
a Racer
from Northern Ohio Date Reviewed: April 10, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Vultures Knob, Poto
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$300.00
Strengths:
Light and smooooooooooth. Did I mention light? Totally adjustable. Lock out.
Weaknesses:
None so far and I am on my third SID. I have had two XC's in the past and now this SL, not a single problem.
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Mars, RS Judy Race
Bike Setup:
Rocky Mountain hardtail
Bottom Line:
I know some have complained and I won't refute any of their claims. Personally, I have never had a problem. I would definitely recommend the SID SL to anyone riding/racing XC. Note, I said XC. This is not a fork for anything but XC and even there, probably only for lighter weight riders (non clydes). The adjustability is awesome as is the lockout. Get it dialed then use the external controls during a ride to fine tune and you'll have the exact feel you need. NO experience with customer service as I have never had a problem but now the SRAM is in the mix, I have to think cs is going to be very good going fwd. They are a little pricey but I got my SL on the classifieds here for a very reasonable price and it ws brand new. I would hav paid retail for it anyway however. I give it 5 dung heaps for performance, 4 for value.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Julio Estrada
a Racer
from México, City Date Reviewed: April 10, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Any
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$580.00
Purchased At:
weekend dealer
Strengths:
weight, smoothness, how it looks on my bike
Weaknesses:
I don´t know yet
Similar Products Used:
RS Indy C
Bike Setup:
Oria frame (italian aluminium builded in México), LX group, thompson seat post and 517 mavic rims.
Bottom Line:
I like my fork, but I have to put a few drops of oil before every ride, because it makes a kind of screech. Sorry about my english. Buy it if your weight is no more than 170 pounds.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob
a Racer
from UK Date Reviewed: April 5, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$550.00
Strengths:
Light. No idea of any other as the fork was broken from new.
Weaknesses:
Broke immediately.
Similar Products Used:
Pace - my experience was excellent performance and reliability.
Bike Setup:
Short lightweight full suspension
Bottom Line:
First time I went out offrode on the fork it bottomed out and stuck there. Basically all the air had gone from the positive chamber to the negative chamber. Resetting both chambers it worked to 2 minutes then happened again. The UK distributor said they had never heard of this - funny how I bumped into a guy on the trail who had the same problem and got his replaced by the same distributor. The distributor has said they will not replace my forks ! This problem has made me miss a couple of races so I am well pissed. My first RS fork was a Psylo on another bike which has been great. After this poor quality I reckon I was lucky to get a good one of those. I will not buy RS again - this should not happen on an expensive component. I await to see if they come back reliable. What an expensive way to lose a month's racing.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Johnathan Ward
a Cross Country Rider
from Izmir, TU Date Reviewed: April 1, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Prencess access road
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint.com
Strengths:
Light! The SID reduced my bikes weight by one pound. Lock-out.
Weaknesses:
You have to flip your bike over before filling the negative air or else the "Red Rum" will leak a little when the valve is pressed.
Similar Products Used:
SID Race, Judy Race
Bike Setup:
Trek 8000, full XT/XTR rear, Rolf wheels, Easton carbon bar, Bontrager Race Lite saddle, Ritchey tires
Bottom Line:
Great fork overall but a little on the expensive side. I've only spent about 20 hours on the fork in the past two and a half weeks but it seems to be holding up well. The SID is highly adjustable making it a very practical, the damping is smooth as butter and the lock-out is perfect for the big hills here in Turkey. I don't know how I lived without it!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris HGDHFHDGDSFH
a Weekend Warrior
from Auckland New Zealand Date Reviewed: March 31, 2002
Favorite Trail:
i dunno
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
came with bike, northcote cycles
Strengths:
well... where to start.. this thing rocks umm really plush, pretty light, it says sid umm dosent say rst
Weaknesses:
ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.................. oh yea my pump broke, nothing to do with the fork really but anyway and i fixed it easily
Similar Products Used:
like nothing except i tryed rst cappa and rock shox indy c i think it was...
Bike Setup:
DBR, zetec 4.2 AWESOME BIKE, all the stuff whatever it is...
Bottom Line:
well all i can say that this rocks...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Patrick
a Racer
from Singapore Date Reviewed: March 28, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Really plush for an air fork Highly adjustable Love the lock-out Oh yes - doesn't weigh much either
Weaknesses:
Unreliable Seems to get rapidly more flexy with use
When it works, it's really nice. But mine blew up twice in 3 months on fairly smooth trails and I'm only 165 lbs.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mountain Goat
a Racer
from Mountain Land Date Reviewed: March 17, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Anything up Anything down
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$315.00
Purchased At:
mailorder
Strengths:
everything mostly the weight
Weaknesses:
I am going to say stiffness even thought I don't mind it.
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi Z1, Headshok Fatty Ultra, Rock Shox Mag21
Bike Setup:
THE BEST
Bottom Line:
This fork is intended for racing and therefore is light and compromises in the stiffness department. The fork I rode before this one was a Headshok Fatty Ultra and I don't think that any fork out there should have better steering precision than the headshok but I really don't miss it the sid is ok for me I am light 145lbs. and I can manuver over most stuff with no problem The travel is great and the damping works great for me. Again this is my opinion ....for the weight and the amount of travel this fork is the king, hands down. 5 chilis on both I got a descend deal.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James
a Cross Country Rider
from Crystal Lake, IL USA Date Reviewed: March 12, 2002
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Light weight (in more ways than one!)
Weaknesses:
Poor Manufacturing Quality, Resting on their name, Bad product support - Don't stand behind their product!
Bike Setup:
Giant XTC SE1
Bottom Line:
I am another one who had problems with the Negative air Chamber not holding air. So RockShox sent me a negative air dampener to tear down my shock and replace (refused to offer a replacement shock). You would think if you pay $2000.00 dollars for a bike not only should it work you should have to tear it down. Replaced the part and now I have red rum leaking inside to the bottom of the fork.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rick
a Racer
from Tallahassee, FL Date Reviewed: March 3, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Stock on Bike
Strengths:
Light, Adjustable, Lockout, Holds Air good, Stylish
Weaknesses:
Rebound Adjuster knob fell out
Similar Products Used:
Judy Race, Judy XC, Mars Elite/Super, Man. SX-R
Bike Setup:
Hardtail
Bottom Line:
This fork is all about lightweight, and it does that great. It's alot smoother than Rock Sox that I've sampled in the past. Mars still beats it in medium/big hit suppleness, but I prefer the weight advantage. A few people complain about the lack of stiffness in the fork. I use a Ritchey Pro front hub, which uses a 12mm skewer/axle combo (the skewer IS the axle), and this is supposed to increase the stiffness of the fork. I think it does so, because I can't feel any difference in the flex of the SID or Mars. The negative air chamber makes for good adjustablity, and is pretty effective. The lockout/compression adjustment works great as well. Overall, this is a great fork for XC racing and riding. If I happen to need another fork, I think I will stay with the SID line.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
carlos alexandre
a Cross Country Rider
from natal, rn, brazil Date Reviewed: March 1, 2002
flexy costumer service ( rock shox dont have a email address)!!!!!!!
Similar Products Used:
marzocchi x fly, manitou mars, 95 judy sl, manitou 4...
Bike Setup:
stum jumper m2 full xtr group, sid sl, thomson stem and post, chris king headset and hubs, avid ti brakes and ct2 bar...
Bottom Line:
this fork do his bussines, its light, strong and fully adjustable, i weight 180lbs and the fork was too soft with the original oil,so i change it for a 10w and its perfect for me now.. the lockout option is a must these days, dont buy a fork without one.
my only complaint is with rock shox, those guys doesnt care about they outside usa costumers, wheres the contact us link at their website??? this is year 2002 and everybody have emails, rock shox live in the fax times.... its a shame.
my final word is , buy this fork if you have lightness more than performance, if you want performance in the real world, go marzocchi...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Punk 182
a Racer
from Oakville, Canada Date Reviewed: February 23, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Cyclepath
Strengths:
Yhis fork os super ajustable. It is ultra plush if you ride a low negative presuure. It has a color named after it It holds air incredably well. Lock out and compression dampening a huge plus.
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
Judy Race
Bike Setup:
Trek 8000. XTR shifter/breaks and rear der XT front der. Bonty seatpost, stem, bars and crank. Avid single digit 7 breaks. rolf whhels with panaracer tiers. time atac pedals
Bottom Line:
If you can get this fork for a good price go for it! Its so sweet and plush. Try Jensonusa.com or Ebay has know to have some good deals on brand new sids. The lockout is amazing. If you are a light rider don't worry about and flex. The duel air system is so good for soo mamy reasons! This fork just plane rules!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ried Solon
a Cross Country Rider
from Mission Hills, CA Date Reviewed: February 22, 2002
Favorite Trail:
JPL
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
Dealer
Strengths:
Great ride, plush plush plush, beats every other shox out there so far. Lock out is super sweet.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
FOX FORK, MARS
Bike Setup:
GT XTR 1000, XT & XTR, Mavic crossmax r's & h's,
Bottom Line:
Spend a few more $$ to get this fork, dont even bother with a judy, Physlo, Duke, Save your pennies and get the SL. I would encourage mid to advanced riders to buy it. I got a real good deal on my shox, but shop around!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan
a Racer
from Laguna Mountains, CA Date Reviewed: February 5, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
The fork is Strong, Clear travel and comes with Hydro strees clamps. Also quite light.
Weaknesses:
The Retail price is funny
Similar Products Used:
All 2001 Sids. 2002 Sid race.
Bottom Line:
Nice fork not to much differance form the Sid Race. If I was paying for the product I would buy the SL over the Race.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Luis Cunha
a Cross Country Rider
from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Date Reviewed: January 29, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Rio de Janeiro state & Vermont state
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$503.00
Purchased At:
Rock Shox Brazil
Strengths:
Really light, beautiful black, rebound controll that works & lock-out
Sorry about my weak english. I was stopped in time for 6 years with my KHS Pro FZ all XTR with a Rock Shox Mag 21. But as I was a motocross racer for 7 years, always setting the front suspension in each race, I think that the 2002 SID SL put the front tire griped in curves. The riding can get more agressive without wasting energy.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
matt white
a Cross Country Rider
from navarre, fl Date Reviewed: January 8, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$445.00
Purchased At:
www.123bikes.com
Strengths:
Light SID blue(the only real color of a SID) Compression dampening rebound dampening that works(finally) Lockout
Weaknesses:
None yet
Similar Products Used:
99 SID xc 2000 SID xc Headshock fatty sl Specialized/Judy fsx with total air cartriges
Bike Setup:
Litespeed Unicoi Xtr deraileurs Next lp cranks Easton bars
Bottom Line:
I bought this shock to rid myself of the 2000 sid xc. The hydra air stuff was crap. No rebound dampening worth mentioning. Rock Shox left San Jose, and is once again making a decent product. Don't know that they are related, but they sure got this right. The compression dampening is great. You never know the exact conditions you need for air every day, and this gives you a chance to stiffen things up a bit if needed on the trail. It will even lock out if you want it to(though not recommended for full suspension...it will try to buck you). The rebound dampening finally works right too. I was skeptical of the air in one leg. But it seems ok. I would still prefer high volume low pressure, but there would be no room for parts in the other leg I guess. This fork is smoothe in travel. I weigh 180 and run 130 pos pressure 100 neg pressure and it is like butter. As for the flexing, I don't notice it on my ride. I think a lot of people buy this fork thinking it is more than a xc fork...it isn't. If you are into big air and big drops or super high speed cornering(dual slalom or downhill)...look elsewhere. It is pricey, but you can always wait till October and get it for bunches less. It is worth the price in my opinion.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Daryl
a Racer
from Webster, Texas USA Date Reviewed: January 2, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light weight, all black, great adjustability, just beautiful, Lockout
Weaknesses:
Hydraulic locking inside fork from factory
Similar Products Used:
Manitou Mars 1, Noleen Mega-air
Bike Setup:
DEAN Colonel, full XTR (8-speed), Race-Face Next Lp's, Time, Crossmax (non-tubless), Easton bar, Thomson stem, Avid Ti brakes, and Hutchinson Pythons
Bottom Line:
I have only ridden the fork once with some hard XC riding. I really enjoyed the adjustment from the dual-air. I only wonder why they do not put fork boots on their forks. Dirt can easily get into the stanchions and cause for a cleaning really quick. I had what they call hydraulic locking when my fork was brand-new. I had even ridden it yet and the fork would not budge past 50 mm of travel. I called Rock Shox and they explained this to me. I was dissapointed to have to take it apart when it was brand-new, but the guys at Rock Shox helped me out by explaining the fix. It was due to too much oil in the fork from the factory. I weigh 168lbs. and I think this fork will do just fine under the front end of my bike. It is the best XC racing fork for the money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David
a Racer
from Pittsburgh Date Reviewed: December 22, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$325.00
Purchased At:
QBP
Bottom Line:
After about about only 4 races (the fork was never ridden only raced) the damping blew out and the fork could not be adjusted. After that, the fork began to creak severelt and flex beyond control (visable flex under v-brake forces). After that the stanchions began to seperate from the crown. I sent it back and they gave me all new stuff, but it was stil a crappy fork. not worth the weight savings. I only weigh 138 pounds, I shouldnt be able to break forks like that.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick Evans
a Racer
from Cranleigh, Surrey, England Date Reviewed: December 14, 2001
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$600.00
Purchased At:
Beyond Mountain Bikes
Strengths:
very plush, easily and amazingly adustable, lock out, brilliant looking, light weight
Weaknesses:
still looking, flex with a heavier rider
Similar Products Used:
Manitou SX
Bike Setup:
2001 Trek OCLV, SID SL, Mavic Crossmax UST, full XTR, Chris King headset, Thompson stem and post, Selle Italia SLR, Easton CT2 bars, Titec Carbon 100 bar ends
Bottom Line:
Buy this fork, if you are a fairly light, fairly gentle rider looking for the best in cross country perfomance you cannot go wrong with this
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
adrian
a Cross Country Rider
from australia Date Reviewed: December 6, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$420.00
Purchased At:
phantom cycles
Strengths:
light, adjustability, damping, looks great on my bike.
Weaknesses:
not really 80 mm of travel
Similar Products Used:
'99 Judy's with eco air catridges, Judy sl, sid 100, old (now) manitou sx.
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper FSR XC
Bottom Line:
I actually wanted to get some Marzocchi's to put on my new stumpy but the Marathon was too expensive and does not have adjustable rebound (other than ECC). The aussie distrubutors also have decided not to bring in the MXR in air and trying to convert them with limited avaliability to parts could have been a problem. So decided to go with the SL's a decision made easier by the fantasitic price from Phantom Cycles, $850 Aus compared to $1400 my next lowest quote. I weigh 145 lbs and love trail riding and some cross country racing. These forks seem perfect for me. I run 115 psi in the positive and 110 in the negative chamber. The forks are very plush, smooth and seem to have almost endless travel. The damping is awesome especially in compression, the forks are sensitive to the smallest bumps but over large hits and jumps they never bottom hard. Even more noticable is their lack of brake dive something that every other fork I have used suffered from. With out brake dive I can ride faster and in more control downhill as the fork remains active even under hard braking. How do the do it? I run the rebound in the middle and this seems and excellent match for the fox in the rear of the stumpy. I was a bit sceptical of the new crown which appears very small and flimsy (especially when compared to Marzocchi), but the steering precision is great for my weight and riding style. My fork actually weighed 1340 g (2.95 lb) with steerer cut, not that much lighter than my old Judy's with air catridges. Also I can only get about 72 mm of travel, this is actually when the rubber bottom out bumper contacts, still with the quality of travel this is a minor problem. The bumper will compress about 4 mm to give 76 mm but this last 4 is not really quality travel. Also as the fork came it had no lubrication on the upper foam ring, be sure to lift up the seals and lube these early on. Three chilli's for value at the normal price, five for the price that I paid, averages to four. One last thing, the info given in the owner's manual sucks, just as well mag's run articles on how to set up and maintain forks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James Sistare
a Cross Country Rider
from East Lyme CT, USA Date Reviewed: November 21, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Westwoods
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$325.00
Purchased At:
Saybrook Cycleworks
Strengths:
Light smooth easily adjustable on the fly lock out
Weaknesses:
Width won't work with my Disc brakes. The spacing is off so I had to put a spacer on the axle of my wheel to spread the legs so the brake wouldn't hit my precious spokes.
Similar Products Used:
Marzocchi X-fly QR20 2000
Bike Setup:
GT Zaskar 2000 SID SL 2002 Mavic Crossmax Disc 2002 LP carbon bars bar ends and seat post LX, XTR component mix Time Pedals Mosquito tires Profile design stiffy stem Formula hydrolic disc brakes (soon to be replaced with Hope Mini's) Fizik Nisene saddle
Bottom Line:
this fork does what is supposed to, it soaks up the bumps necesary for me to continue down the trail without my bike bucking me off. It's nice and light and makes a big difference from my old marzocchi's. -1 one chili of the brake problem.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ken
a
from Castro Valley, CA Date Reviewed: November 20, 2001
Favorite Trail:
too many to list
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$300.00
Purchased At:
can't tell
Strengths:
Trouble free since I've installed it.
Weaknesses:
nope
Similar Products Used:
Rockshox SID 100
Bike Setup:
2001 Santa Cruz Superlight with Chris King hubs, Race Face headset, Avid brakes, XTR crank and derailluers, Easton carbon fiber bars and seat post. If I wanted it, the bike has it.
Bottom Line:
Putting this shock on the bike greatly improved the handling. My previous shock, a SID 100, was too tall for the Superlight's frame and the steering was sluggish. The SL made it feel as if I was on another bike.
Kicked some serious as* on the first race out with the bike. Bike performed so well over the rocks on the downhill. Switchbacks are more easily ridden both up and down hill. You can really dial this shock in and forget about it except for routine maintenance.
I couldn't imagine that the SID Race could offer any better performance than the SL (unless Rockshox sent me one for free to say so).
Get one! 5 chilis on this one kids.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Shipman
a Cross Country Rider
from College Station, Texas Date Reviewed: November 17, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light, responsive and adjustable.
Weaknesses:
None
Bike Setup:
2002 Giant XTC NRS1
Bottom Line:
How can you get better than this? You can adjust positive and negative spring rates and both compression and rebound dapening. Giant was good enough to include the pump, so adjustment has been a snap. No oil or air leaks either. This seems to be a bit of a change from the last SID SL judging from the unkind reviews. In fact the 2002 seems to be significantly changed as it uses quite a bit more air pressure.
As to flex, lots has been made of that, but this shock has only marginally more than any others that I have looked at. It is not enough to throw me off line when riding in the rocks and roots. This is an excelent XC shock although it is obviously not meant for the downhiller. But for me, it is spot-on.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Daniel
a Cross Country Rider
from Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America Date Reviewed: November 14, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Haw Ridge south shore
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Rock Shox
Strengths:
Light, adjustable, lockout, no cartridge.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
'99 Judy XC, '99 SID XC.
Bike Setup:
Giant XtC SE-1 frame, XT components, XT discs. X-317 rims, Titec, Race Face BB and headset, gore cables.
Bottom Line:
This fork is awesome. Most people say it is flexy but I have yet to feel any major flex out of this fork, especially when compared to my '99 XC. The longer bushings and new crown design are probably the biggest contributors to the stiffness. If you ride cross country this is the fork for you (unless you are a clydesdale). The only modifications I am making to my fork is fork boots. It is a sweet fork even for the price that most people pay.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Weekend Warrior
from GA Date Reviewed: November 8, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Oak Mtn/AL
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Roswell Bikes
Strengths:
Lightweight, adjust on the fly, dual air, custom ride, proven product
Weaknesses:
None as of yet.
Similar Products Used:
Been a Cannondale addict for 5 yrs. and just switched, so I am not the best to categorize, yet the travel is more than I had on my Fatty
Bike Setup:
2002 Giant NSR Air....the bike is the best FS on the market. My large frame comes in at exactly 25lbs! Mavic Wheels, Hayes brakes, Frog TI pedals, Easton Carbon seat post & riser bar, with TI seat makes this one "Black Beast from the East"
Bottom Line:
Been very pleased at handling, and at 180 lbs, the SID has performed. Still adjusting, yet for now, I would recommend to any serious rider looking at full adjustment with minimal weight
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jamze
a Cross Country Rider
from Oxford, UK Date Reviewed: November 6, 2001
Some flex? Too smooth out of the box (i.e. will it develop play in a few months)? Price.
Similar Products Used:
'96 Judy XC, '98 Bomber Z2 BAM, '99 SID XC
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper FSR, Fox Float R, XTR/XT, Race Face
Bottom Line:
Have but this fork through its paces over the last two weekends. Mixture of light Freeride and XC in typical UK conditions.
This new SID has really impressed. Travel is very plush, with very little stiction. This is also the first Rock Shox I have owned with damping adjustments that actually have an effect on the behaviour of the fork. On-the-fly compression damping is very useful. I no longer have to search for a compromise between plush travel and climbing performance.
Only slight reservation is a hint of flex, as the brake pads rub as I climb. My old SID didn't do this - although I may have set my pads a bit closer when I swapped the brakes over.
In summary - a top XC/trail fork, if they've got the reliability sorted, then it can't be bettered.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
K Y
a Cross Country Rider
from Singapore Date Reviewed: November 4, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$380.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
LOCK OUT! Weight Full adjustability Simple, no-nonsense design, clean-cut curves Nice rebound control Choice of colours
Weaknesses:
Cost, thats about it
Similar Products Used:
RS Jett99
Bike Setup:
Dean Ti Colonel
Bottom Line:
If u can afford it, and weight less than 200lbs, get this fork.
Great for XC racing, sprints, and like the other reviewers mentioned, maybe not advisable for freeride and heavy XC.
Best Rockshox product, by far and large, best combi of weight and performance!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
W. Smith
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver Date Reviewed: November 2, 2001
Favorite Trail:
can't say
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$435.00
Strengths:
Great action and feel. Lock out and adjustability
Weaknesses:
Flexy
Similar Products Used:
Mars
Bike Setup:
Moots
Bottom Line:
Phenomonal XC fork, it doesn't handle as well as some others due to the flex, but the travel is first rate and the weight is unbeatable.
Don't expect this to be a free ride fork unless you weigh 125, but it is a great fork when weight is consideration.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
TA TONKA
a Cross Country Rider
from Fort Collins, CO Date Reviewed: October 22, 2001
Favorite Trail:
luv-em-all
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
In the parts bin
Strengths:
On-the-fly lockout! Super light, extremely tuneable, simple design.
Weaknesses:
Like all SIDS, it's flexy during hard turns and off-camber hits.
Similar Products Used:
99 SID SL, 2001 SID 100, 2001 SID XC, 2000 MarzocchiZ-1 X-Fly and 2001 Manitou X-Vert Air.
Bike Setup:
This is on a 20' Kona Hei-Hei, 3-2.5 ti frame.
Bottom Line:
I put sixty miles on this fork over two rides this weekend and was very impressed with the overall performance and features -even when factoring in the high price tag.
I'm a larger rider for this type of fork (215 lbs.) and was going to build this bike with a new Duke XC I had available but at the last minute I decided that I would go for the full-on light bike and try out the SID SL.
First, this is NOT the fork for aggressive XC or even light freeriding. On the other hand this is definitely THE FORK for XC racing. While the light weight alone makes it the natural choice for podium chasers when you add the on-the-fly lockout capabilities and tuneability - it's almost unbeatable. Lockout and compression damping are controlled by a knob on top of the right leg. By the last part of the second ride I knew exactly where I wanted the compression set depending on what kind of terrain was ahead. Without missing a stroke, I could reach down and turned the knob exactly where I wanted it. Very cool and very effective. A
Although I would think twice about jumps or drops with this fork (I "popped" a spring on my Arch Supreme's (front brakes) when I "rolled in and turned" down due to the fork flexing under me), the SID SL worked well while going up and down the very rock infested local trails.
It looks like RockShox is running smaller, high-pressure air springs this year to make room internally for longer bushings. The overall feeling was improved from the previous SID SL, I just hope that the higher pressures won't affect reliablity. I ran 150 psi in the pos spring and started with the same in the neg spring. Lowered the neg spring to 135 after getting bucked a couple of times and it was as plush as any XC fork I've ever ridden. There was no loss of air pressure after either ride.
Bottom line, it appears that this is THE FORK to beat in this category. I don't know that Manitou or Marzocchi has anything that touches this one in the super light, XC racing category.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Asia Date Reviewed: October 21, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Strengths:
Light and plush
Weaknesses:
slight Flex
Bike Setup:
full XTR, B4 Disc brakes, Mavic 317 disc rims, easton magnesium stem and composite habdles. Thomson seatpost
Bottom Line:
Great damping and response. If you weigh above 200lbs maybe this aint for you.. I weigh 185lbs and pumped the fork up to max. Great plushness over minor rubble and bigger drops. Highly adjustable.. A fork for XC riders who aint above 200lbs to consider seriously
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Karlovich
a Cross Country Rider
from Belmont, Ca, USA Date Reviewed: October 19, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Soquel Demo Forest
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$385.00
Purchased At:
MTBR classifieds
Strengths:
Weight, Adjustability
Weaknesses:
Make sure you adjust it correctly, otherwise there can be devastating consequences.
Similar Products Used:
Judy, Marzocchi, Manitou
Bike Setup:
K24000 Proflex, all XT, Avid Mechanical Disc brakes
Bottom Line:
I got a great deal on this shock, obviously. I weigh 145, so I don't need a massive heavy shock. This shock took a pound and a half off of the weight of my bike. I had the guys at my local shop adjust the shock for my weight. They failed to take into account that I am an aggressive rider. It was far to plush and completely bottomed on a drop that I have been doing for years. I crashed severely. However, after buying the requisite shock pump and playing with all the adjustments, it is now safe, responsive and working great. I'm really happy with it. I wouldn't recommend it if you are primarily a downhiller or if you weigh over 200 lbs. My feeling is it is just too light for that. Also, keep in mind that because it is so light, it is naturally a bit more skittish than a heavy shock.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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