I’m planning on building up a Camber 29er from frame only, and want to run a 120mm fork. In the Rockshox range I have two options: buy a 120mm travel SID, or buy a 130mm Revelation and either run it at 130, or buy a new air spring to reduce the travel. Pricewise it’s fairly similar, and whichever I go for will be a RCT3 version, with 15mm axle and tapered steerer. They both have 32mm stanchions, the SID is a few hundred grams lighter, and presumably therefore slightly flexier, but am I going to notice a difference either way?

Bike is for general trail use. Surrey Hills/Swinley and occasionally Wales. I am 6’3″ and 85kg, so maybe more likely to notice better stiffness than better weight?

Has anyone tried both/either and got an opinion? Or tried neither and still got an opinion? Argue away…

Hi. I run these

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FORSRCT3DP-TAP-2915-DBK-CRN/rockshox_revelation_rct3_dual_position_140mm___tapered___29_inch_with_15mm_axle___diffusion_black___crown_adjust

Dual position. 120 to 140 on the fly. 120 for climbing 140 for descending.

Best of both worlds and future proof in case you change the bike.

The new SID is great, but it’s a stretched out chassis that’s perhaps appealing to a market it shouldn’t because it’s 120mm & got a 15mm axle.

I’ve got both, the SID is on an HT, and you can certainly notice the flex on it. The Revelation is on a Camber Evo Carbon & suits it well. It’s noticibly stiffer.

It is however, now, comparable in weight to the new Pike. Which has a significantly better damper IMO. You can spacer down a Pike to 120mm if you need to.

I’m pretty sure you don’t need a new air spring to make the Revelations 120, just the little black spacer it comes with.

The SID is primarily a Race Fork, so prioritises weight over stiffness, whereas the Rev is the other way around. It is still respectable, weight wise, and if you aren’t a lightweight racing snake (I’m not!!) go for the Rev.

I’m after a 120mm 29er fork too, and I’m looking at the X-Fusion Slide RL2 for £300.

The 2013 onwards RS forks cannot be changed with the old style black travel adjustment spacers.

You need the replacement air assembly to change the travel.

Can you space down Pikes to 120/130mm? That does also look like being a rather more expensive option, about £200 more assuming 2014 air springs are about the same price as the previous versions.

Sounds like maybe Revelations are the better option. Are they really that much stiffer on the same tube size as SIDS?

Yes – although i’m not sure if the parts for the air assembly are available yet.

They should retail around the £75 mark, it’s quite an easy job to do.

Oh, FFS!! So what was a simple job using the included spacers has now become a £75 purchase?? Progress!!

Well, in theory, yes.

The reality was, the dual air system, and the plastic spacers completely screwed up how the fork felt when you started changing the travel.

So, although cheap, it was a rubbish way of doing it.

Im glad you set me straight on this! Im in the market for a 120 29er fork, and thought internal travel adjust was a simple option – I shall be a little more careful now!!!

butterbean – Member
Well, in theory, yes.
The reality was, the dual air system, and the plastic spacers completely screwed up how the fork felt when you started changing the travel.
So, although cheap, it was a rubbish way of doing it.

My Dual Air Revelation forks have been reduced using the black spacer and feel the same as when at 140mm

For wheels firmly on the ground type riding go for the SID for anything else go for the Rev.

To reduce travel on the newer solo air forks you have to get a new spring assembly. I’m sure I’ve seen Loco offering a swap for less than £75??

That’s what I had always thought, but the reviews for the latest 2013/14 SIDs seem to suggest that it copes quite well for trail use.

I am leaning toward the Revelation, just because it’s the ‘inbetween’ fork, and that seems to be the sort of riding I do, but does it really offer any advantages? Pike is hardly any heavier, and should be stiffer and better damped, but a bit more pricey. SID has the same damping and stanchion size as the revelation, but is 250-300g lighter than the other two options. That covers the weight increase on a reverb.

What about some x fusion forks? My friend has a pair. He took them apart and inside there a holes in the stanctions. You pull out the pin and put it 20mil up/down and then rebuild. Took less than 15mins and does change the way the fork feels. I was really impressed with them and they are a lot cheaper than fox forks.

Probably shouldn’t be, but I’m a bit wary of suspension brands other than Rockshox and Fox, and to some extent Manitou and Marzocchi.

X fusion was set up by some people that left fox I think. So in theory you get fox quality without the price.

Ive also heard good things about Manitou tower forks.

+1 for X Fusion Trace – 34mm stanchions and the nice people at 18 bikes will lower them to 120mm if you wish.