The Dark Art of Suspension is unlocked!
Come with us and we'll help you unlock all the mysteries that have surrounded suspension for years. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions we get from our customers when it comes to all things suspension.
- Do I have to service them and Why?
- How often should I service them?
- What does suspension really do? And should they be set up professionally?
- How can I myself help prevent big bills and extend the longevity of my suspension?
At bikeNOW we’re strong believers that knowledge is power, the more informed you are about your suspension the better attuned you will be to have it set correctly! Through these videos, we’ll help you understand why you should have your suspension serviced, how the service process is done, preventive maintenance tips and deciphering technical issues you may be experiencing.
The importance of a properly tuned suspension system with the exact psi and damper settings, will not only allow you to take your skills to the next level but it will give you that immense confidence, to smoothen out any unknown trail ahead! Through informative information along with step by step videos, this page will help you better understand what has long been a dark art and unlock those mysteries. Sure for most people you are happy to leave it to the professionals when it comes to the servicing but watching the videos, will give you such a greater understanding to what's going on with your own parts.
Our highly skilled mechanics have over 36 years of experience between them, when it comes to working on suspension. They’re all up to date with the latest in product and technical knowledge for Sram and Fox, with all the latest Wiz Bang equipment you can think of. Soon to come to that selection of tools will be our very own in house Nitrogen system!
What brands do we service in house?
For what we stock in house when it comes to spare parts and consumables, we only service Fox and RockShox suspension.
Turnaround time: For 50 hour to 100 hour service on Fox or RockShox suspension in store is - same day of booking.
You have another brand of fork that’s not Rockshox or Fox?
That’s all good too, we can assess and give an estimate before sending them away. This whole process can take up to - 5 to 10 working days, depending on the season.
Understanding the guidelines to 'Preventative Maintenance'
Below are some symptoms you may experience over a period of time while using your mountain bike. I'll explain the general reasons why certain issues happen and the solutions to help prevent and or fix.
Hourly guides & why we use them?
Hourly guides are put in place to suit a general purpose of preventative maintenance. Like automotive servicing, they will explain that, your next service is in 60,000km or in the next 12 months. (Whichever comes first) All to catch anything untoward and keep it operating at its optimum performance.
Our preventative maintenance for Fox (as an example) works like this.
FOX 125 hour service - This has been determined by the manufacture to maintain the internal health of all its moving parts, to help prevent premature wear and tear and continue to deliver optimum performance. If you ride a lot you'll have to service it more frequently, especially if you don't keep it clean after use. The reasons for preventative maintenance is to catch issues arising before they damage your suspension. When using the fork through dry or muddy conditions you do a few things like below.
- Heating up fluid. By general use of moving the fork up and down you are creating friction, the friction is dispersed as heat through the fluid. Heat and moisture will eventually start degrading the non compressible fluid, most non compressible fluids are what we call 'hygroscopic', which means they pull in moisture and unlike those non compressible oils, water compresses and the oil stops lubricating!
- Dirt & Seals. Dust and mud are just as bad as each other when it comes to degrading your seals. Dusty dirt and mud can get past the seals and into the 'dust wiper' that sits just below the rubber seal. This can get clogged with fine abrasive material and stop the oil from being able to lubricate the stanchion properly (metal part of the fork that's exposed), this can also allow water in and scratching of the surface to happen.
Annual service - This is generally suggested even if you haven't ridden the bike up to 125 hours yet, as the bikes been sitting unused.
Symptoms of a fork unused are;
- Dry and degraded seals/dust wiper
- Degraded oil and moisture collection
- Oxidation/rust on stanchions
If suspension is kept unserviced for lengthy periods of time, you can run the risk of the following issues which can be costly and frustrating; Stiction, a hard feeling fork, scratches (expensive to replace), a spongy feeling fork, aeration (noise inside fluid), a collapsed fork, damper cartridge not operating, worn bushes and knocking noises. These examples are just a few issues that can all be avoided by regular servicing.
Below are some service guides for the most common brands like Rockshox, Fox and Marzocchi to follow. If you have any other brands not listed, please contact us and we'll be able help set you up with a service program.
Please Note: Service prices are indicative only, and may differ up or down depending on the condition of your Fork or Shock. We will happily provide an obligation free quote on any service once we have seen the fork/shock's condition in store.
For our local customers – The fork/shock can be left on your bike when it is dropped off for service.
FOX RECOMMENDED MINIMUM FORK & SHOCK MAINTENANCE:
ROCKSHOX RECOMMENDED MINIMUM FORK & SHOCK MAINTENANCE:
