Problem with front shocks

[Jeffrey4670]

Hi, I have noticed a rattling noise from my front shocks and rocking the bike on the front forks, there is a great deal of play in the said shocks. Only a few weeks old and taken it back to Halfords today. It's needs to be sent back under warranty and will loose the bike for 7 days. Is this a common problem? And can anyone tell me what the problem could be. It's a Hybrid bike with Suntour shocks. Could I downgrade and get rid of the shocks, to just plain forks? I turn them off when riding anyway.

 

[rusty bearing]

From what you describe it's most likely the bushings in the lower leg have failed. It's not common on new bikes for sure but I suspect they will be entry level forks and therefore built to a price, the quality of construction may not be all that you wish. In fact its quite possible that riding them 'locked out' has contributed to the failure.
Yes you could fit a standard rigid road fork although it might affect the frame geometry a little. It may also depend on the type of headset as to what you can fit and whether it's cost effective. Is it 1" or 1 1/8th, integrated, press in or tapered etc.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Instead of getting them to replace the forks, given it is only a few weeks old I wonder if they would let you replace the bike instead, by something that comes with rigid forks to start off with. A Carrera Subway or a Boardman Performance Hybrid might suit you better.

 

[Jeffrey4670]

Thanks very much for your replies. I'm going to let them repair the bushes and if this should happen again, I will upgrade the forks. I am aware that they are entry level forks and saving have to be made, reg the cost of the bike. two months age I could not tell you the difference between a MTB and Hybrid, but it's now 8 weeks old and if I new then, what I know now, then things would have been different. I will keep this first bike for a couple of years and then treat myself to something decent.

 

[lpretro1]

If you fit a rigid fork to a bike designed for suspension you have to get a special type - suspension corrected - these take into acount all the extra space allowed for the travel of the fork. Otherwise steering would be alarming! Example here:
www.evanscycles.com/products/m-part/rigid-26-mountain-bike-fork-ec028168?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=froogle&utm_content=mkwid__pcrid_1732

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Imho the "suspension corrected" label can be quite misleading and rigid forks choice should be determined by existing forks' A2C, travel and if known trail, when in many instances as in the Evans ad where it doesn't say what suspension it is corrected for, nor what the trail is. With 450mm A2C, those forks would probably be about right for replacing most 100mm 26" suspension forks of 470 to 480mm A2C, but if e.g. the OP has a Carrera Crossfire (which is a Halfords "Hybrid with Suntour shocks") that has 75mm shocks, one might think it needs a shorter set of rigid forks. However, because the Crossfire has 700c wheels, in actual fact it might need a set of 470mm rigid forks. Assuming all the forks have the same trail, that is.

 

[lpretro1]

I only put that particular link on as an example to show the OP what was meant by 'suspension corrected' - not saying that was exactly the one he needed.