This isn’t a case of which fork to buy, but which fork suits which bike question. I have both sets of forks and both bikes (well, one is mid-build). Just a question of which fork gets fitted to which bike.
The forks are a Fox F32 CTD and a SID XX. The Fox has 3 crown mounted compression settings, the SID has a hydraulic handlebar lockout. Both are 100mm travel so would fit either bike.
The bikes are a Lynskey Pro 29er singlespeed (already built, but currently fully rigid) and a Cielo 29er with 1 x 11 (frame arrives in a couple of weeks – very excited!). I was running a Niner RDO on the singlespeed but need more comfort. There is something pure about the singlespeed, but fully rigid is just a step too far for my ageing body!
For the singlespeed, I want the simplest, most reliable option (Fox or SID?). I want the handlebars to be uncluttered (Fox), but locking out the fork with a push of a button would be good (SID) since I tend to ride out of the saddle more and pump on the forks more with just one gear. This also means that I need the laterally stiffest fork to prevent twisting on the singlespeed (Fox or SID?).
The Cielo is my ‘best’ bike, whereas the Lynskey is my bad weather workhorse. As such reliability, sealing and service intervals all matter (Fox or SID?).
Aesthetically, the Fox is more chunky looking so might suit the looks of the Lynskey vs the more svelte Cielo.
Nice choice to have. I specifically wanted different forks to have the best of all worlds, but now can’t decide! There isn’t a clear winner in terms of ticking every box for the different needs of both bikes.
Based on the criteria above, what would you recommend?
