Rock Shox SID RACE

[Neg]

Hi,

i have a RS SID race Front fork, on the fork there is a guide line..... im 110kg's. the guide says that from 90kg + i should use 135psi.... when i set it at 135psi, and i ride, just my weight pushes the fork down and it bounces everywhere! pedal bob is really bad!

so i pumped it to 205psi, no pedal bob/bounce now BUT can this fork handle this pressure and take big-ish hits because of my weight?

i have the rebound set to 160psi.... and when i check it today, there was oil coming out of the rebound valve underneath the fork..... does this mean my Fork is poked??

[LazyTrailRider]

205psi sounds a bit extreme, to be honest. I can't imagine it doing the fork any good...

 

OK, so we need to clarify a few things here. When someone says "my fork is too soft", the problem is actually split into two parts:

 

1) The actual air pressure/spring rate may be too soft, which means that the fork won't have anough resistance against your weight in a static position. When you're simply sitting still on the bike, if this is the case, it won't hold up your weight enough. Commonly, whether or not this is the case is determined by measuring the amount of sag caused by your weight. You'll find many sag recommendations around depending on your riding style/discipline, but typically about 25% of the total travel would be good for general riding. Get on your bike, get comfortable, and get someone to mark (if you don't have a rubber ring on the stanchion) the amount of travel taken up just by you sitting on it in a normal riding position.

 

2) You may not have enough compression damping, so although your spring rate is fine and sag is correct, things feel too bouncy. If your SID has compression damping adjustment (I'd imagine it does), you can tweak this to prevent unnecessary bob caused by the slow movements and weight shifts typically resulting from standing up and pedalling, but it will still use the travel available to absorb sharp hits (rocks, gullies etc).

 

Taking the above into account, first measure your sag, then get back to us.

Edited October 23, 2011 by Martin Hattingh

[Neg]

Hows it! thanks!

ok did the sag measurement.... eish..... ZERO sag in front, and about 35-40% at the rear....???

fork is at 205psi, rebound is at 160psi and rear shock is at 200psi. RP2

 

???

[Goodbadugly]

One moot question. I am glad I am not that SID. Pumped to 200 psi, handling 110 kg. Why not go for a more robust fork? I am 75 kg and prefer a Reba.

[Neg]

Well it came with the Frame when i bought it.

so the Reba is a more robust fork?? will it handle my weight and higher psi better?

Edited October 23, 2011 by Neg VT

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Dude, release that pressure! Seriously!

 

Take the fork down to about 150psi for both + & - air chambers. Then set the compression damping a bit higher.

 

200PSI is WAY too high for any fork. I'm 101kg and have mine at 135/140 psi and it works like a dream.

[LazyTrailRider]

Dude, release that pressure! Seriously!

 

Take the fork down to about 150psi for both + & - air chambers. Then set the compression damping a bit higher.

 

200PSI is WAY too high for any fork. I'm 101kg and have mine at 135/140 psi and it works like a dream.

 

Roger that.

 

Neg VT, I think we've determined then that your problem is compression damping related, and not spring rate related. The fork is thus not too soft, it's too sensitive. Personally, I prefer a super-sensitive setup, but many people find the bobbing that accompanies it a bit weird.

 

OK, so what you'll need to do is up the compression damping as Mayhem has suggested. It will be the blue knob, commonly also referred to as the lock-out knob. Turn it in halfway, have a feel, and then in small increments from there onwards if it still feels too "soft".

 

While I'm here, after you've done this (note after, not before), re-measure the rear sag and up the pressure slightly so that you sit with between 25-30% there as well. You'll notice a marked improvement with a more balanced setup.

[Neg]

thanks guys, i have dropped the pressure to 170. there is peddal bob noly when i stand an give it horns, it very annoying! but will try get it set up right! i used to have a very tough robust bike with 200psi all round- manitou all round and never had an issue. but that was designed for rough stuff... the anthem and Sid i have gathered is allot softer.... i just love the lock out on the SID though.....

 

i have these three forks available-

the SID race 100mm

a Fox 32 100mm

and a RS REBA RACE. U-turn 90-120mm (currently on my Fiancees bike- i have permission to steal it but id like to keep her bike original)

 

what Fork would you guys recommend for my anthem then? one that can take a beating cause i can sell the SID and FOX and get the right fork...

Edited October 24, 2011 by Neg VT

[Witkop]

With your weight catergory, shouldn't you consider different sport like rugby, swimming, tug of war (toutrek) or sailing? (okay bad joke- I apologize)

 

The reason the manufacturer has included a 90+ (especially the +) is because they don't believe that anyone heaver than 85 kgs would use a "race" catergory fork, let alone a guy over 90kgs. (the weight designation is a manufacturers joke, meaning "if you are over this you are too big") There is a catergory called "clydesdale" in the USA which caters well for RSA sized men. South African cycling is one major anomoly for product design for the mainly European dominated sport of cycling. Some manufacturers come to South Africa to see how we get to break things so well, and they go away totally amazed.

[Neg]

Witkop... im sure i would have made a good center or wing as i can do the 100m just on 11seconds and at 110kg at the pace..... now if i could only side step... hehehe.

gathering from what you said, we as SA riders are hooligans!!! :) and should be riding steel frames and boycotting carbon!

 

anyway, i still would like to know what is the best/robust 100mm fork for me to use..... ??? or should i be looking at a 120mm?

[Witkop]

Witkop... im sure i would have made a good center or wing as i can do the 100m just on 11seconds and at 110kg at the pace..... now if i could only side step... hehehe.

gathering from what you said, we as SA riders are hooligans!!! :) and should be riding steel frames and boycotting carbon!

 

anyway, i still would like to know what is the best/robust 100mm fork for me to use..... ??? or should i be looking at a 120mm?

Neg VT the major problem is that most manufacturers just havn't got their heads around the conditions in South Africa (we are the only nation that has totally embraced tubeless tyres at all levels -except in East London, where they have very sharp rocks) and also the size of the average cyclist here.

 

We also don't make their lives easier as we all insist on buying the latest and lightest racing (xc) equipment, regardless of any weight warnings. (I think Campagnola and Tommissini has evetually published a maximum weight limit on their products). A freeride (all mountain) fork may be a solution. Travel is a matter of personal preference and geometry of the frame. Some frames are designed for 80mm-100mm travel (xc), where others can handle 100-140mm travel. Here South African importers are also a bit behind the likes of Canada, UK and USA as we tend to import only stock (XC)frames and not All-mountain frames nor do we support the "botique" manufacturers. You can consider on-one, Coptic ext for bikes with more forgiving geometry.

[AndreZA]

If you get pedal bob on the fork then your riding style is wacked.

[Neg]

ok maybe "pedal bob on Fork" is the wrong description.... what i mean is when i stand and pedal up hills (short bursts of say 80-100meters, sometime more) the fork bounces on my down stroke..... and the more mielies i give it the worse it bounces.... i had done this test- up the hill with normal settings, then with fork locked out... i notice a huge improvement with lock out and im not as "out of breath" at the top.... yes i know that solid helps climb better but what i want to know is is the SID capable of handling my weight. if i have to lock out on every hill then so be it... im just worried that the SID "collapses" when im doing rough stuff and i see my @ss..... know what i mean?

[Johan Bornman]

Nothing terrible will happen if you overinflate the fork and ride it like that.

 

At worse, the O-ring on the air cap or on the air piston will pop or rather Pfffft. No problem. Iy may even self-correct at a lower pressure with no ill effects at all.

[Witkop]

ok maybe "pedal bob on Fork" is the wrong description.... what i mean is when i stand and pedal up hills (short bursts of say 80-100meters, sometime more) the fork bounces on my down stroke..... and the more mielies i give it the worse it bounces.... i had done this test- up the hill with normal settings, then with fork locked out... i notice a huge improvement with lock out and im not as "out of breath" at the top.... yes i know that solid helps climb better but what i want to know is is the SID capable of handling my weight. if i have to lock out on every hill then so be it... im just worried that the SID "collapses" when im doing rough stuff and i see my @ss..... know what i mean?

use the lockout when you are going to get hectic and stand and pedal. If you hammer like that the terrain probably does not need suspension anyway. Just remember to release the lock out at the top of the climb.