Rockshox SID Ultimate Race Day [Rider Review]

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

When it comes to being in-between the tape and needing to scrape off as much weight as you can, RockShox offers one of the lightest forks on the market to be competitive on the race line. Our friend Andrew has been riding the RockShox SID ultimate Race Day fork. See what they think! 

Overview

The RockShox SID ultimate fork is probably the hottest suspension product of 2021 and its greatness carries over into 2022. When I was shopping for a new fork I was torn between this and a Fox factory, but in the end price and value made the SID the winner.

I have ridden a number of different forks, including the Fox step cast 32, RockShox Judy, and a handful of others. When I first started racing I was 170 pounds, however, I have grown to about 195 pounds and appreciate stiffer products. When I first installed and rode this fork I was impressed with the stiffness, and plushness the fork offered. I felt no flex in the stanchions, something that lacked in the narrower 32mm forks. The thicker tube also allows for more air volume and this makes the fork feel wonderful on long descents and less like a pogo stick. I am primarily an XC-style rider and not one to take big risks down rocky jumps and drops. I mostly ride single-track and flowy trails, preferring to keep the tires on the dirt with a few jumps here and there. Surprisingly back in 2018, I bent the lower on a Fox performance Step Cast fork. I sent the fork to the Fox factory for a service and they informed me of the damage. The most aggressive riding I had done on it was riding down Rockit in Laguna Woods. To their credit, they agreed to replace the lower under warranty.

Another feature I like is the travel length available. Like I said earlier I prefer the thicker tubes, however, they don’t offer a shorter travel length. This can be adjusted by swapping out the air shaft with a 110 or 100mm air shaft based on your preference.

This fork comes in about $100 cheaper than the comparable Fox Factory 34 fork. The Fox is a little more pretty with the Kashima coating, but the performance is pretty similar. You do get more adjustment options with the Fox FIT4 damper. If you are the type of rider who wants to dial in their suspension to the T and check air pressures before and during the ride then this is for you. In my experience, most riders are too lazy or ignorant to set their suspension properly and check the air pressure on a regular basis. I have had many conversations with friends just to convince them to purchase a shock pump, let alone use it regularly. If you are the person who is going to set your shock pressure and rebound and leave it then the SID is for you. It's simple and elegant. It's kind of like iPhone vs Android. The iPhone is sleek and refined, works all the time but doesn’t have extra settings that are unnecessary. The Android on the other hand lets you modify however you want but it's harder to use.

Final Thoughts

Lastly, in my experience and speaking to other SID owners, this fork does not lockout 100%. I would say it firms up to about 65%. It’s a bit annoying because it costs the rider some energy rather than transferring all the power into the wheel. I would prefer 100% lockout for max performance. All in all, this is a wonderful fork and sets the standard for XC and down country bikes.