RockShox SID RLT 120mm forks – £599.99

RockShox’s latest SID cross-country forks are a good indication of just how far suspension forks have come in the past decade.

Hands up who can remember the original SID fork, first released in 1997? Resplendent in SID racing blue, the fork stunned people with its sheer lack of weight and impressive suspension performance. It was a game changing moment in mountain bike history.

Fast forward to 2011 and this is the latest incarnation. It’s clear RockShox haven’t been napping, this fork shows all the hallmarks of constant tweaks and improvements. This means that over the years, the fork has shed weight. And it’s even got a little buffer and stiffer along the way.

The latest fork bumps travel up by 20mm, taking it to 120mm for the first time. A long cry from the 63mm the very first SID fork boasted. With the extra travel, and the new 15mm axle option, the fork is now a realistic option for trail riders seeking a lightweight fork, not just limited to weight weenie cross-country racers like it used to be.

The fork then has gotten stronger and stiffer, making it more suitable to burlier riding, with features like the Power Bulge helping to shed weight from the magnesium lowers. The crown is hollow forged and the steerer tube is aluminium, and the stanchions increased to 32mm on this redesigned SID fork.

Inside is the sorted Motion Control damper, as found in other forks in the range, and which has proved its worth over the years, being durable and offering great performance.The RLT boasts an adjustable lockout threshold – you can set just how much force is required to overcome the lockout, and a dual flow position rebound dial.

All sounds very good. We just need to strap it to a suitable test bike and see how they handle on the trail. Watch this space.

£599.99 from www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk and www.sram.com