How often service suspension?

[mustang1]

How frequently do you service your suspension forks (and rear shocks if your bike has it if course)?

My MTB is almost 10 years old, 4000 off road kilometres, never had fork serviced. And I never will service it (it's a cheap fork).

So how about you all?

 

[fossyant]

I've only done the rear shock so far, had the bike six years. I just keep the stanchions clean and apply silicone spray to them.

 

[ColinJ]

My MTB is almost 10 years old, 4000 off road kilometres, never had fork serviced. And I never will service it (it's a cheap fork).

I bought my hardtail MTB a couple of weeks before the big foot and mouth outbreak of 2001. Apart from keeping the fork stanchions clean, the only maintenance I have done on them is to top the air pressure up 2 or 3 times! They still work fine.

 

[Drago]

Depends on the mileage but typically every second year. It's a simple job, a leisurely hour with a cup of tea, so there's no real reason not to beyond cantbearsedness.

 

[figbat]

My forks all ask for a lower leg service at 50 hours and, I believe, a full service at 200.

Before last year I had done one fork once. Last year I sent the fork and shock off of my best bike for a service and upgrade.

I know that all my forks are well overdue in terms of specified service interval but as they all work smoothly I haven’t. Oh, the dropper post too.

 

[chriswoody]

I've got a Rockshox Recon fork on my mountain bike, so a tiny bit up from the more budget offerings. SRAM recommend 50 hour and 200 hour services. I don't keep a terribly accurate record of when I've serviced it so I just go off of feel really. I've owned the bike two years now and have performed a few 50 hour services. It's really simple to do and doesn't take too long so it's a bit of a no brainer really.

Early this year I also looked into the 200 hour service, it's a complete strip down and clean. There's no bike shops locally who will do it and I didn't want the hassle and expense of sending it away. So using the excellent SRAM tech docs I just had a go myself. It went really well and it was surprising the colour of the oil that came out. It was also great to learn how the forks work. So I'll definitely be doing them again, possibly next February when I suspect I'll have done about 200 hours more riding since last time.

I definitely find the forks feel much better for a service and given it's fairly simple, especially the 50 hour one, I don't see a reason not to do it.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It's a simple job, a leisurely hour with a cup of tea

I use tea to lube my suspension fork as well.

 

[figbat]

I've got a Rockshox Recon fork on my mountain bike, so a tiny bit up from the more budget offerings. SRAM recommend 50 hour and 200 hour services. I don't keep a terribly accurate record of when I've serviced it so I just go off of feel really. I've owned the bike two years now and have performed a few 50 hour services. It's really simple to do and doesn't take too long so it's a bit of a no brainer really.

Early this year I also looked into the 200 hour service, it's a complete strip down and clean. There's no bike shops locally who will do it and I didn't want the hassle and expense of sending it away. So using the excellent SRAM tech docs I just had a go myself. It went really well and it was surprising the colour of the oil that came out. It was also great to learn how the forks work. So I'll definitely be doing them again, possibly next February when I suspect I'll have done about 200 hours more riding since last time.

I definitely find the forks feel much better for a service and given it's fairly simple, especially the 50 hour one, I don't see a reason not to do it.

If anyone does want to send off, I recommend TF Tuned. Easy booking and shipping process, quick turnaround with great feedback and easy to contact.

 

[fossyant]

The only thing I couldn't do with the rear shock was the 'inner chamber', or what ever it's called, which needs specialist tools. Given as it's not exposed to any dirt, I left it.

 

[wiggydiggy]

I asked once about a Rockshox Front Fork, about the same age/mileage as the OP. Recomendation from the LBS was not to bother as Rockshox were more likely to write the fork off than do a service.

 

[Jody]

I don't keep tabs on exactly when but it's probably every couple of years for the rear air can service and 1-2 years for the forks. Although FOX intervals say 40 hours it just doesn't seem warranted or practical.

For me, stiction is usually the first sign of needing a lowers service

What forks do you have @mustang1 ?

 

[mustang1]

I don't keep tabs on exactly when but it's probably every couple of years for the rear air can service and 1-2 years for the forks. Although FOX intervals say 40 hours it just doesn't seem warranted or practical.

For me, stiction is usually the first sign of needing a lowers service

What forks do you have @mustang1 ?

My old bike, the one I mentioned above, has a Raidon air fork. So far this year I've ridden it 50 hours off road and I've had it for 9 years (I guess 20 hours of heavy off road). I doubt I will ever service this fork. It handles the bigger bumps fine but the smaller jolts are not as effective.

My newer MTB is 3 years old and has Rockshox Silver 35. This bike I've ridden 35h off-road (but gentle off road, fire trail stuff mainly) and 110h on road. The suspension is never locked out. It's still performing fine.

 

[Drago]

The thing is the performance degrades slowly so day to day we think its fine, but a good service brings a noticeable improvement and shows how wrong we were.

 

[figbat]

The thing is the performance degrades slowly so day to day we think its fine, but a good service brings a noticeable improvement and shows how wrong we were.

When I finally got around to doing one of my forks, it was like a new fork.