Is Nino Schurter racing a prototype of what is going to quickly grow to be the longer 120mm journey model of RockShox’s light-weight SID SL Final cross-country mountain bike fork? We first actually noticed the unlabeled BlackBox fork on the 10-time XC World Champion’s bike on the Nove Mesto World Cup, then observed it on a number of different present and former professionals’ bikes. Then, trying again we observed it was hidden in plain sight earlier this spring on the celebratory custom-finished Spark RC bike that Scott ready for him to race this season.
Let’s take a better look and see what we will deduce…
Prototype 120mm RockShox SID SL Final XC fork
I received a primary sneak peek on the presumed prototype RockShox SID cross-country fork when Nino was warming in Nové Město na Moravě. Outdoors of the non-standard decals and a QR monitoring code on the again of the precise leg, the lowers appear to be the identical as when the benchmark light-weight XC fork received its final full overhaul again in 2019 – all the way down to the identical solid ribs at the back of its arch.
The traditional old-school RockShox logos are a telltale signal of a BlackBox prototype, changing the usual SID graphics this fork would often be completed with.
It’s not a giant shock to see Nino Schurter racing on prototype package for his sponsors. An undeniably gifted and distinctive athlete – Nino is understood to be closely invested in R&D together with his sponsors, routinely testing, racing, and profitable on next-gen tech. He additionally appears to have totally adopted the extra aggressive geometry, wider tires & longer journey of recent XC bikes. And he’s a weight-weenie at coronary heart, so at all times trying to shed some grams.
That final bit is vital, as a result of when RockShox launched their ultralight 32mm stanchion SID SL Final fork for the 2021 season it was restricted to simply 100mm max journey. They revamped the internals on the common SIDs, however Nino was already racing 120mm forks as he helped dial within the geometry for the forthcoming 2022 Spark, and there was no going again.
So, Nino received 2019 Worlds on a 115mm SID, then 2021 & 2022 Worlds on the newer 120mm SID. So, RockShox apparently determined it was time to lighten him up as soon as extra for the 2023 season. Is that this then a 2024 RockShox SID SL Final fork with 35mm stanchions and 120mm of journey?
It’s up prime on the relieved crown that we actually discover one thing new on this prototype RockShox SID fork. At first, it seemed like the usual solid alloy crown had been merely machined out to cut back weight.
However a better look reveals that it’s possible the other.
A easy end on the broader shoulder sections and a matte mottled end in between, suggests an all-new extra complicated alloy solid crown that’s then machined down externally for these crisp edges and weight financial savings.
We weren’t allowed to get a better look, however it seems that the prototype fork additionally has a brand new distant lockout for no matter new Charger damper iteration is in proper fork leg. The brand new lockout seems to be pulled counterclockwise (the other way of the present Charger 2 & Charger Race Day dampers), which makes for extra direct routing to Nino’s TwinLoc distant.
And naturally, that means one thing additionally new is occurring inside.
Not solely Nino was on the brand new fork. In what stands out as the most tricked-out workforce pit bike of all time, workforce director and ex-World Champ himself, Thomas Frischknecht’s bike was geared up with lightened-up, long-travel SID.
Frischi’s bike offers a bit higher have a look at that new Charger distant cap with a brand new blue ring, right here routed to a GripShift-style TwistLoc distant shock lockout.
Not only a workforce supervisor although, Frischi additionally occurred to have raced this bike with the BlackBox fork alongside Urs Gerig at this yr’s Cape Epic within the “Grand Masters” class beneath the workforce identify Scott-SRAM Previous Dudes.
However Nino & Frischi aren’t the one ones on a brand new fork…
At first, I believed it was really a bit unusual that SRAM who’s a title sponsor of Nino’s Scott-SRAM Racing Workforce didn’t simply keep on with the common RockShox SID decals to maintain this beneath wraps, suggesting they might really be attempting to subtly name consideration to one thing new being hidden right here.
Nevertheless it additionally seems that this new longer, light-weight prototype RockShox SID fork is all around the World Cup XC scene in the mean time. I shot this picture above of Schurter chasing Luca Schwarzbauer of the Canyon CLLCTV workforce within the short-track race. And I additionally noticed that Luca Braidot of Santa Cruz RockShox Professional Workforce additionally was racing the BlackBox prototype forks.
However couldn’t RockShox have simply saved the outdated SID graphics and stayed beneath the radar?
In reality, we received these concrete park storage studio PR pictures from Scott-SRAM MTB Racing again in April to showcase the {custom} ending they did for Nino this season, and what seems to be this similar BlackBox prototype fork does get the usual chrome SID Final decals.
Professional Bike Verify: Nino’s 10x World Champ Scott Spark RC
Nino Schurter’s race bikes are actually the commonest to get a Professional Bike Verify, even when we ignore all of the prototypes revealed on no matter he rides. However now that we’ve speculated about that BlackBox fork – hidden right here beneath commonplace SID decals – let’s admire the custom-made bike Scott put collectively to have a good time the 10x World Champion & Olympic Champion.
Every of the ten World Championship titles are particular for me and all of them collectively on such a phenomenal bike make me extraordinarily proud. However the World Cup title at residence in Lenzerheide in 2018 nonetheless outshines all of the others. I can hardly wait to chase the bike over the World Cup tracks.
– Nino Schurter
What actually makes a {custom} construct like that is the eye to particulars.
Positive, these are a pleasant set of the most recent SRAM Degree Final Stealth brakes controlling 4-piston calipers, with carbon levers and a reshaped design to angle the brake traces nearer to the bar for a clear cockpit and improved compatibility with inner cable routing via the headset.
Nevertheless it’s that {custom} AXS Blip wired right into a cutout within the grip to actuate the wi-fi RockShox Reverb AXS dropper publish with out an additional cumbersome distant cluttering the cockpit. It’s a nifty trick we first noticed on Kate Courtney’s bikes, due to her mechanic Brad Copeland.
And what’s cooler, extra {custom} than a SRAM XX SL Eagle Transmission Flattop chain together with your identify and dates of all 10 of your World Championship titles laser-etched into the hollowed-out aspect plates?
Nothing. Nothing is extra {custom} than that.
Nino Schurter’s custom-made Scott Spark RC HMX SL carbon bike is constructed up with the most recent direct mount SRAM XX SL Transmission (which he gave us loads of sneak peeks at earlier than it was launched). It’s SRAM’s newest 12-speed MTB drivetrain with a 38T chainring on a Quarq energy meter with 170mm lengthy XX SL crankarms linked to a 10-52T cassette out again.
Rounding out his construct package are the next:
Rear Shock: RockShox DeLuxe Nude
Distant: Scott TwinLoc 2 with 3-modes
Handlebar: Syncros Fraser iC SL WC -40° x 80mm lengthy x simply 700mm extensive
Seatpost: RockShox Reverb AXS 100mm wi-fi dropper upgraded with titanium bolts
Saddle: Syncros Tofino SL with channel
Grip: Syncros Silicon
Pedals: HT Elements M2 Titanium
Wheels: Syncros Silverton SL 30mm inner
Tires: tubeless Maxxis Aspen 29×2.4″ WT 170tpi EXO (entrance) & Aspen ST 29×2.4″ WT 170tpi EXO (rear)
Bottle Cage: Topeak Feza carbon cage
Laptop: Garmin Edge 840
Tire-Sealant: OKO Magic Milk Excessive Fibre inside
