The RockShox SID cross-country fork range gets an update for 2021, bringing the SID and SID SL models to the table. The range gets a new lighter Race Day damper, a Debonair Air spring tuned specifically for XC, is now just available as a 29er suspension fork and the 120mm version gets a 35mm chassis.

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Although we don't really understand SRAM's press release as they tell us this new fork has got 'swoll' and it's' light, slanky, and fast AF' - if anybody is more down with the kids than us, then please let us know what slanky means! We do, however, know that this 'model year 2021' fork has a brand new chassis which means, new lowers, new upper tubes, new crown and new steerer tube too. Rockshox says this makes the whole thing lighter, the new SID SL Ultimate, for example, is 166g lighter than last years SID Ultimate Carbon fork. All forks are 29er only for this year two with Rockshox saying they are seeing massively declining demand for focused XC forks for 27.5" wheels

Rockshox SID SL Ultimate fork

This year there will be two SID fork platforms, the SID and the SID SL. The latter is an out and out race fork, it gets 32mm stanchions, 100mm of travel, a 44mm offset, comes for 29ers only and interestingly has an alloy steerer rather than carbon with Rockshox saying they focused research on alloy crown/steerers first rather than carbon ones, potentially they will follow on we reckon. This fork weighs a claimed 1,326g

Rockshox SID SL Select fork

There are two specs of SID SL fork, the Ultimate and the Select. The Ultimate gets the brands' new Race Day damper and a Debonair air spring. The new damper is said to be lighter and allow a solid 'lock-out'. The Debonair air spring is tuned to provide a higher ride height for increased confidence and control. There are new ultra-low friction SKF wiper seals and it comes in blue and black colour options. You might be interested to know the Charger Race Day damper is backwards compatible with all 100-120mm SID and Reba forks back to MY14.

The SID SL Select fork uses the same chassis but with a Charger RL damper. It's still a 100mm 29er fork with 32mm stanchions and a Debonair spring but it weighs in a t1468g and it's only available in black.

Rockshox SID Ultimate fork 

The second fork, the SID is a 120mm fork with 35mm stanchion, that's the same size at Revelations, Pikes and long travel forks like the Lyrik too. Rockshox says this new chassis is stronger and stiffer with just a little weight gain. The SID fork also comes in Ultimate or Select guise, the Ultimate gets the Charger Race Day damper, a Debonair spring and 44mm offset. Again the Ultimate comes in that electric blue colour as well as black, weighing in at 1,537g.

Rockshox SID Select fork

The SID Select fork, as you might have guessed already gets the Charger RL damper, only comes in black and weighs a claimed 1,671g. The SID forks get a new 'fender compatibility' as on Fox forks with bolts inserted into the fork crown securing small mudguards.

Both forks the SID and the SID SL's are Twistloc compatible and all use Maxima Plush fluid inside which Rockshox says is designed to protect the fork from wear, silence damper noise and feel consistent in all temperatures. 

Lastly, Rockshox has announced new SIDluxe Ultimate and SIDluxe Select+ rear shocks to pair with SID SL and SID forks. They say this is a new weight focused XC design that at 227g is lighter than other rear shocks. Rockshox says they have managed to make the shock lighter by keeping it small with a low air volume as well as removing knobs and dials to tune the damping, for that you'll need an Allen key on this shock.  Interestingly SID and SID SL forks have a removable rebound adjustment knob which is used to adjust the settings on SIDLuxe shocks - clever...

The positive air spring is adjustable through the use of blue SIDluxe tokens inside the shock whilst elsewhere there is rebound damping adjustment and high and low speed compression damping adjustment. SIDluxe shocks are available in standard and trunnion mounts and shocks are available up to 50mm of stroke across the sizes required but those brands that wish to use them OEM, that's where you are most likely to see these shocks first, with shocks also sold separately if you'd like to update your current bike. 

• www.sram.com

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