Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Suspension Maintenance Matters


If it has been more than a year since you've serviced your suspension. keep this in mind...
   As robust as your suspension is, it is really quite sensitive to wear and tear from the abuse you dish out on the trail. Contaminated fork oil, damaged seals and worn bushings can all cause serious and expensive repairs or often necessitate replacement of your fork.
   The best way to avoid this costly situation? Regular maintenance. All suspension should be serviced on a regular basis. Manufacturer recommendations for oil bath lube changes can be as frequent as every 30 hours of riding and they want you to have a complete service every 100 hours.

 This may seem crazy, but keep in mind that this fork didn't feel too bad on the bike....
   What's the best plan of action? Check out your owners manual (find it online if you don't remember where the print copy is). The manufacturer will tell you exactly what's needed to keep your suspension happy. Here you will find a table of maintenance intervals. Follow this table to learn what you can do yourself (cleaning the upper tubes after every ride) and what you might want us to do (service damper every 100 hours). If you want to keep it simple just bring your fork in for service once a year (twice a year if you really want to be on top of your game). We'll clean and inspect your suspension components, replace wear and tear parts and re-lube to manufacturer specifications to help ensure you have a long and loving relationship with your suspension.