It's Louis here and we’re doing something a little different for our newest blog post. Today we will be focusing on service, more specifically the suspension components you may have on your bike. (Click to book your service )
Suspension comes in different forms and can come on a variety of bikes, from mountain bikes, to recently being equipped on gravel bikes! Suspension helps take the edge off small bumps or larger hits and makes for a nice smooth ride when you’re tracking over rough(er) terrain. To retain the smooth and plush riding experience, your suspension will need some servicing. In this blog post we will give you the info needed on when you should be getting your components serviced and what to look out for, as well as a few tips to keep your bike running smooth and avoid some expensive bills. ( Book Your Service Here )
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Firstly, the front suspension fork is the most common form of suspension on a bicycle, it comes equipped on many different bikes and most of us have ridden one. The front fork takes the brunt of most impacts while travelling over rough terrain and a well maintained fork will translate less energy into the hands, arms and shoulders. ( Click Here To Book Your Service )
The most common question we get is, How often should I get my suspension serviced?
The answer isn’t clean cut, much like a general tune-up to your bicycle, it depends how much you ride, where you’re riding and what the conditions are. For most people, I usually recommend once a year, or at most twice a year for those people going on daily or weekly rides on dirt. A person that rides in a wet climate will need to service their bicycle much more often, as the components are being soaked in moisture and other contaminants.
The reasoning behind once or twice a year, as you’ll see in the pictures, is that a well maintained suspension will ultimately only require the regular service, which will help to avoid the need to add on any expensive replacement parts. These replacement parts are usually a $40-$80 set of dust/dirt seals or a more expensive rebuild kit. If a fork goes too long between services, you can risk damaging the expensive inner parts of the fork, like the spring system or the fork bushings.
Now for a couple of tips to save you some expensive downtime and to keep your arms and shoulders happy. If your bike lives inside, hang it vertically with the front wheel pointed up, this will help keep that precious oil on the bushings and the oil soaked foam rings. Another tip is to keep the outside of the fork shaft clean and lubricated. Whistler Performance Lubricants makes a fantastic product called the “ForkBoost”, which is specifically formulated to keep the outer part of your seals lubricated and keeps them from drying out or cracking from the weather or contaminants.
Lastly, if you have any questions on how to get the most out of your suspension, please do not hesitate to either shoot us a call or email! If you want to book your bike in for service, click here to follow the appointment booking link!
