We’re out here in Santa Cruz for a first look at new Avid Brakes (which we can reveal to you on March 15…lousy embargo dates!). Per usual, there’s the random new bit laying around on some of their personal bikes.
Above is a prototype white paint finish for the Monarch. Nothing new on the insides (for now, or at least that’s what they’re telling us…they’re sneaky), but Rockshox/Avid media relations guy Tyler Morland says it’s surprisingly hard to get a durable white coating on a shock canister thanks to the oil and other parts and things used and that they’ve been testing different versions for a while.
At the other end of his bike is a Long Travel SID XX with 15mm thru axle that’s not exactly new, but something that’s been sorta under-reported and may hint at a few new things to come. Check it after the break…
Introduced last summer as a 2011 model, the Long Travel version of the SID brought ultralightweight front suspension to the trail bike category with 120mm travel. Technically, what you’re looking at here is available now: 120mm travel SID with tapered carbon crown/steerer tube and 15mm thru-axle. However, you may not have seen it…most of the coverage (perhaps except ours, but even then it was minimal) failed to mention that you could get the carbon-crowned World Cup version with the 15mm thru axle.
The difference, while subtle, between this fork and the one you can buy is mainly cosmetic at this point. The “XX” graphic here is replaced by a “Blackbox” logo on the current 2011 model’s on their website, and the graphics at the bottom of the fork leg are ever so slightly different. Knobs and such on this one look the same as current models.
Here’s where the rumors start: We’ve heard from a pretty (read: very) reliable source that the SID platform is going to see some real growth for 2012, which may include some tweaked internals and -wait for it- the jump to the 29er wheel size. Yes. Freak out now. Of course, that’s all hearsay and speculation as far as we can officially say…
We’ve been testing the SID RLT Ti Long Travel fork with standard 1-1/8″ alloy steerer (the carbon one is only available in tapered) with the thru axle and it’s nothing short of amazing…full review is coming soon.
RELATED: Interbike 2010 coverage of Rockshox.
