Video: Tips to keep your suspension fork running smoothly

[JXV]

Anywhere to get a basic crash course in doing it (without damaging the fork)? Always been too scared to give it a go... Fox Kashima CTD 120mm on my bike (2015 I think).

Lotsa Videos on the web. preferably use the ones on manufacturer's websites...they tend to avoid dodgy shortcuts that some of the private vids show......

 

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Edited November 18, 2016 by JXV

[udxcob]

Yea sure we all have tons of money to take our bikes to a bike shop to pull the lowers off and have a quick sorting.

 

Thats why he said do it yourself

[Bizkit031]

Thats why he said do it yourself

Yea I did watch the video,but some guys are technically challenged so might be an issue for them.

[Skinnyone]

Yea I did watch the video,but some guys are technically challenged so might be an issue for them.

So the technically challenged must pay the non-technically challenged to do the job....?

 

Or just ride it till it breaks and then REALLY pay the non-technically challenged....

 

At the end of the day, this is a hobby for a lot of people, you don't have to have the blingest kit around...you could ride a rigid fork and not worry about servicing of suspension forks...

[Flemish Lion]

What's the advise on servicing a shock?

 

Bike shops will tell you after 80-100 riding hours depending on the shock... but for some that would mean R1k every 6 months.

 

I commute to work so don't strain my shock as hard or is the type of riding irrelevant?

 

Finally which bike shop has good suspension mechanics?

 

And don't tell me to search the forums

[Skinnyone]

I would say at least once every 6 months is a good interval...the biggest thing is dirt getting into the dust wipers - so commuting shouldn't pick up too much dirt/dust or mud.

 

as for good suspension service guys I know Droo CPT i think?, Roger at Bicycle Service Co. JHB 4Ways, The Sheriff (Anton) at Summit cycles JHB midrand...

 

Otherwise send it to the agents.

[Grease_Monkey]

Who did the sub-titles for this video? "Towel it down" = "Toilet down" haha. "Give it a light hose" = "give it a light hoes".

[maramind]

I read somewhere (Shimano?) that turning your bike upside down can lead to air getting into the calipers, requiring a bleed?

[maramind]

The two main tips in the video have helped keep my FIT4 Float 32 running smooth for the last 12 months. Question though, where can I get a bag full of nylon crush washers locally? That's the only thing keeping me from whipping my lowers off every other month.

Locally, don't know, but it must be easy enough to get them on e-bay?

[JXV]

I read somewhere (Shimano?) that turning your bike upside down can lead to air getting into the calipers, requiring a bleed?

Your brake lever assembly incorporates a reservoir, the lever and the master cylinder driven by that lever. The reservoirs on many modern brakes have a rubber diaphragm that sits on top of the fluid to isolate air from it. The diaphragm allows expansion/contraction of the fluid volume without air contact when the brakes are operated and when they heat up, cool down and when the pads wear.

 

With these designs, if your brakes are properly bled, there is no air in the system and you can turn the bike upside down without air bubbles 'rising' to the caliper. Some fluid may run back to the lever under gravity though (and this partially retract the pads) so you should always pump the levers a few times once the bike is right way up to readjust the pad position. If you do get air this way then your entire system needs to be bled and filled correctly.

 

An intermediate solution is to store your bike vertically on one of those hook thingies. If you adjust it right, you can keep the levers above the calipers while still raising the front axle above the fork crown so that oil in the fork can run up to the wiper seal and foam rings.

 

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