Wil reviews the new 2024 RockShox SID & SIDLuxe
It was back in 2020 when the RockShox SID suspension lineup was last overhauled. RockShox split its premium XC fork into two distinct varieties; the SID SL with a 32mm chassis and 100mm of travel, and the big SID with a 35mm chassis and 120mm of travel. Alongside the two forks, we also saw the debut of the super-light SIDLuxe shock.
Fast-forward three years, and RockShox is ready to unveil its next generation XC suspension lineup.
Upon first glance, not a lot appears to have changed. However, there are significant updates to the internals and chassis that come with big claims about performance improvements. Here we’ll dive into the technical details behind the new forks and shocks, along with my first impressions of riding them on the trail.
2024 RockShox SID – 110/120mm travel
- Weight: 1,476g (claimed)
- Price: $1,355 AUD (SID Select) – $1,715 AUD (SID Ultimate)
I’ve spent a lot of time on the current RockShox SID, which has been my favourite 120mm travel fork of the past couple of years. Given its near-1,500g weight the SID has impressed with its sturdy chassis, supple action and big-hit composure, making it an excellent match for contemporary long travel XC bikes like the Scott Spark RC and the Orbea Oiz. My only criticisms were that the air spring was a bit too progressive for some riders, and the simple 2-position lockout lacked an intermediate setting.
Boasting improved sensitivity and adjustability, the 2024 RockShox SID aims to address those criticisms head-on. It still utilises 35mm upper tubes and is offered with up to 120mm of travel, but the chassis and internals are all-new.
Inside is a redesigned DebonAir+ spring that produces 50% more negative volume and 16% more positive volume compared to the previous version. It changes the rubber top-out bumper for a coil spring, which is said to smooth out the initial travel for better comfort and traction.
The SID’s upper tubes have also been lengthened by 25mm. Aside from increasing the air spring volume, the longer legs increase bushing overlap to reduce friction when the fork is under load.
2-position and 3-position Charger Race Day 2 dampers
The range of options for the 2024 RockShox SID has expanded significantly with the arrival of an updated Charger Race Day 2 damper. This now comes in 2-position (Open/Lock) and 3-position (Open/Pedal/Lock) variants, both of which can be had in a crown adjust or remote-activated option.
For those wondering, the new Charger Race Day 2 damper is backwards compatible with the previous SID and SID SL forks. The complete damper assembly will be available separately for $460 AUD.
As with the latest Pike and Lyrik, the SID is running on Maxima Plush Dynamic Suspension Lube that’s been developed in a collaboration between RockShox and Maxima. The SID also updates to the neat bolt-in Torque Cap adapters that allows for a snug fit with regular hubs.
While the longer upper tubes have added weight, grams have been saved thanks to the newly machined crown on the SID Ultimate. In fact, the new SID is claimed to be 61g lighter than its predecessor (1,476g vs 1,537g).
2024 RockShox SID SL – 100/110mm travel
- Weight: 1,352g (claimed)
- Price: $1,185 AUD (SID SL Select) – $1,545 AUD (SID SL Ultimate)
Whereas the bigger RockShox SID is aimed at long-travel XC bikes like the Spark and Oiz, the slimmer SID SL is the ideal option for lightweight hardtails and short-travel sprinters such as the Specialized Epic World Cup and Trek Supercaliber.
Built around a slimmer 32mm chassis, the new SID SL gets many of the same updates as its bigger sibling. It incorporates a new crown with external machining to save weight, and it features the Charger Race Day 2 damper with both 2-position and 3-position options available. It retains the existing DebonAir spring however, which RockShox states was due to rider feedback.
More noteworthy is the fact that the SID SL will now be available in a 110mm travel option as well as a 100mm. Different length air springs will be available aftermarket for riders wishing to change travel.
Curiously, weight on the new SID SL has actually gone up over the previous version (1,352g vs 1,326g). It’s unclear where exactly that weight gain has come from, and we’ve contacted RockShox for more information to find out.
As with the big SID, the SID SL will be produced in four trim levels including the base model, Select, Select+ and Ultimate. Only the Ultimate and Select forks will be available to purchase aftermarket, with the cheaper Select model skipping the machined crown and electing for the simpler Charger XC damper.
The SIDLuxe gets updated too
- Weight: 246g (claimed, 190x45mm)
- Price: $770 – $925 AUD (SIDLuxe Ultimate)
The RockShox SIDLuxe debuted in 2020 as an ultra-light shock that was designed specifically for XC riding and racing. For 2024 the SIDLuxe gets its first big overhaul with new internals, two different air cans and the arrival of a three-position damper.
Some of these updates were first seen on the Specialized Epic World Cup’s proprietary SIDLuxe WCID shock. This includes a taller and tapered bottom-out bumper to help cushion the end of the travel on harsh landings.
RockShox has also developed a new high-speed compression circuit for the SIDLuxe shock, which is claimed to increase oil flow for better big-hit composure.
To suit different frame designs, the SIDLuxe is now available with a Solo Air (linear) or DebonAir (progressive) air can. Further air spring tuning can be had by utilising the updated Bottomless Tokens. There are only two Tokens, small and large, which provides you with four different volume-reducing configurations (none, small, large, small + large).
To match the new SID and SID SL forks, the SIDLuxe is now offered with either a 3-position (Open/Pedal/Lock) or a 2-position (Open/Lock) damper. Of course there’s a variety of sizes, shapes and cable-routing configurations to fit a wide variety of XC bikes on the market.
And there’s a new TwistLoc remote
- Price: $176 AUD (includes cables & grips)
Completing the 2024 RockShox SID lineup is a new TwistLoc Ultimate remote. Compared to the existing TwistLoc, the TwistLoc Ultimate features a notably slimmer profile. This affords more clearance with dropper levers, and it also looks neater too.
Offered in both 2-position and 3-position variants, the TwistLoc Ultimate can be linked up to a fork, a shock or both simultaneously. The 3-position model employs a conventional 7mm cable pull ratio, which means it’s compatible with the latest Scott Spark and Orbea Oiz.
Regardless of what bike you have it fitted to, the action is the same. Throttle it backwards to lock out the suspension, and twist it forwards to unlock the suspension. RockShox claims the internal clamp and ratcheting mechanism are more robust than previous versions, which is good news given the issues we encountered on the Merida Ninety-Six.
The TwistLoc Ultimate comes supplied with your choice of smooth or textured grips, and it’s offered with straight or curved cable guides to suit different brake levers.
On the trail with the new 2024 RockShox SID & SIDLuxe
To test out the new suspension, I recently received a 2024 RockShox SID Ultimate fork, a SIDLuxe Ultimate shock and a 3-position TwistLoc Ultimate remote to fit to my Canyon Lux World Cup.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that there wasn’t a large weight gain going from the skinny 100mm travel Fox 32 Step-Cast fork (1,464g confirmed) to the 110mm travel RockShox SID Ultimate (1,510g confirmed). The additional girth of the SID is noticeable both visually and on the trail, where it provides better steering accuracy and smoother performance.
Compared to the previous SID, operating pressures for the new DebonAir+ spring are a fair bit higher. Whereas I ran 70psi in the old SID to suit my 67kg riding weight, I’m currently running 84psi in the new fork. RockShox claims the spring rate is more linear, with greater mid-stroke support but the ability to use the end of the travel more easily. The fork comes standard with no Bottomless Tokens fitted, though there’s room for up to three to increase progression.
I’ve only had a couple of rides on the new setup, but so far I’ve been impressed with the overall ride quality. The SIDLuxe shock in particular feels fantastic, offering excellent sensitivity and grip across the loose, rocky rubble of my local trail network. It feels more seamless on bigger hits compared to the Float DPS that comes stock on the Lux World Cup CFR Team, and on the one occasion where I’ve hit full travel, the SIDLuxe offers a quiet bottom-out.
Remote throttlin’
With its low-profile construction, the new TwistLoc Ultimate remote provides a tidy solution for XC bikes that employ a dual lockout system. There’s a good amount of clearance for fitting a proper under-the-bar dropper lever, which makes it an appealing alternative to other dual-lockout remotes such as the Scott TwinLoc and Orbea Squidlock.
The TwistLoc Ultimate matches up nicely with the textured grips, which are quite soft and squishy. The throttle action of the remote itself feels positive and chunky, though it does require you to loosen your left hand grip slightly to actuate.
For many riders, the addition of 3-position damper option with the new SID fork and shock will be welcome. The compression damping is increased in the middle Pedal mode, which provides a more efficient platform on the climbs and on smoother singletrack. I’ve found that the shock’s compression damping is much firmer compared to the fork in this mode, which is actually ideal as it allows the fork to sag into its travel to steepen the head angle. I’m unsure if this is a deliberate design feature, or if it’s specific to the shock tune that RockShox built for the Lux, so I’ll endeavour to find out.
It’s worth noting that the SIDLuxe’s new high-speed compression circuit is active in both the Open and Pedal modes. This means if you accidentally leave the suspension in the Pedal mode while bombing down a rocky descent, the shock will still give way on bigger and sharper impacts.
Any concerns so far?
During my first ride on the 2024 RockShox SID, unfortunately the tooled rebound adjuster self-ejected at some point, never to be seen again. I’ve since fitted the adjuster from an old SID, which has stayed firmly in place over the last three years of riding. If you do lose the adjuster, a long-ish 2.5mm hex key is all you need to adjust the rebound damping.
It’s hardly a concern, though when lifting the front wheel off the ground and compressing the first bit of the fork’s travel, there’s the faintest click that I assume is coming from the coil top-out spring. It’s entirely unnoticeable on the trail, and it has to be said that the early part of the stroke is sumptuously smooth.
While I do think the TwistLoc Ultimate remote is one of the best solutions for managing a dual lockout, the exit angle of the cables doesn’t exactly complement SRAM’s new Stealth brake lever routing. RockShox explained that this is the tightest angle it could achieve without creating excess cable friction, so you’ll just have to put up with the aesthetics. Needless to say, we look forward to seeing if RockShox will develop a wireless remote in the future to help tidy up the cockpit.
Flow’s Early Verdict
While it is early days with the new 2024 RockShox SID and SIDLuxe, first impressions are certainly positive.
The fork builds upon the strengths of the previous model while adding in the new 3-position damper option. There are some nice updates to the shock too, and along with the TwistLoc Ultimate remote it presents a cohesive and capable package.
There’s plenty more saddle time on the horizon to get everything dialled in and to get a better appreciation for long-term durability, and I’ll be sure to update this review once I’ve got more riding and racing under my belt.
