The most important facts in brief

The SID forks are available in two basic versions: The "SL" has 32-millimeter stanchions with 100 or 110 millimeters of travel and the classic version has 35-millimeter stanchions with 100 to 120 millimeters of travel. A new feature is the remote-controlled "Charger Race Day 2" damping cartridge, which has become a lot lighter. Likewise the "Debon Air+" air spring with a 50 percent larger negative air chamber and 16 percent more volume in the positive air chamber. In addition, the top-out steel spring, which is installed instead of the usual rubber buffers, is intended to ensure better responsiveness. The "Plush Dynamic" fork oil from Maxima was specially developed for Rock Shox. With this fork oil, Maxima aims to reduce friction over a longer period of time so that the fork functions smoothly in all temperatures. The fork crown is newly milled to save weight without compromising strength and stiffness.

A new damping system is also used for the shock absorbers. The oil flow has also been increased. This responsive high-speed compression stage is active in both the open and pedal positions. As a result, a new bottom-out bumper was also installed, which offers greater impact protection.

The top models SID Ultimate 3P (fork) and SID Luxe Ultimate 3P (shock) were used in the test. The newly developed Twistloc Ultimate twist grip, which remotely controls the compression damping of both elements with a twist, was also used.

First impression

The fork's look, with its angular shape and metallic blue color, looks very contemporary. The brake hose is no longer screwed onto the immersion tubes, but simply clipped in. A 6-millimeter Allen key is required to fit the thru axle. Externally, the suspension strut looks the same as before. Only the stickers indicate something new.

The Twistloc twist grip has a significantly smaller size, but unfortunately the supplied grip extension does not have a screw clamp. This makes mounting and correct alignment more difficult.

The parts can be mounted as usual, only the fine adjustment of the twist grip is somewhat time-consuming. It took several attempts to get the cable tension right and the lock step to engage properly.

In use

The three-stage damping is impressive. If you are on a sporty, ambitious ride and are riding on flat terrain or uphill over hill and dale, the pedal setting is usually the ideal choice. This makes the suspension slightly less sensitive and offers more propulsion without sacrificing traction. Open mode is best if you are on a leisurely ride. Lock is only used on long asphalt climbs or when sprinting on hard surfaces to avoid wasting power unnecessarily.

On descents, the suspension shines with much more comfort than on the previous series, which is reflected in a higher speed than usual. The home trail quickly becomes a new challenge. Short, quick successive hits in particular are handled better, resulting in smoother riding. Despite the slight flex of the fork, the handling is always very precise. A large part of the suspension travel is used on demanding routes. Nevertheless, there is enough reserve for big compressions or very strong, unexpected hits. There were never any hard hits.

The new Twistloc Ultimate twist grip could have been made a little narrower. This would give you a little more freedom in the design of the cockpit. Due to the high cable tension, all it takes is a light touch and it switches from lock to pedal on its own. However, the problem only occurred when the chassis was locked, the handle never accidentally changed position from pedal to open.

Conclusion

The advantages of the new technologies are already clearly noticeable during the first ride. The response of the front and rear is much softer and the suspension elements provide more travel than the last generation. The end progression is also set much later. This gives a feeling of more suspension travel without a lack of counterpressure. Traction and grip are higher than before and thanks to the new SID generation, some XC racing bikes are transformed into down-country bikes.

Recommendation

Instead of the classic, round shape of the grips, a slightly more ergonomic design would be desirable.

Price fork: CHF 1199.90 / EUR 1199.00
Price rear shock: from CHF 569.90/ EUR 539.00

Manufacturer

www.sram.com