Freshly serviced fork and shock day feels like new bike day every time! Easily the best money I spend on my bike. I really need to look into doing the basic service myself.
Regarding the saddles - If you saw a guy advertising lots of beautiful top end bikes on a second hand website for cheap and don’t want to pay retail then supporting bike theft is also ok?
While we’re on the topic of asian brands, how’s the Wheeltop review coming? ( and just as a data point, I prefer the Ryet 3d stealth shaped saddle to the Shimano non 3d)
I have the Rockshox Rudy fork on my Stigmata. Paid a shop for the first 50-hour service and thinking about doing future ones on my own. Trying to determine if it's cost effective to perform my own service, given the fact that I will need to purchase the service kit from Rockshox, the suspension oil, and perhaps a vice that I need to find a place in the garage to mount.
Always a balancing act if you have to start from scratch in terms of equipment and tools, and especially if you only have one fork to service. It makes sense for me because I have multiple bikes to maintain in our household, but as long as you get it done, that's much better than leaving it be.
Did it feel any different after that first service?
I can't say that I was able to feel any different after the first service because a) I'm new to the front suspension world b) I had the suspension mainly in lock-out mode prior to that service. It's due for another 50-hour service, especially after having completed a 10-day cycling tour in Mongolia last summer (suspension largely in open mode) and a few subsequent gravel rides. I think I will just bite the bullet and buy the kit/tools needed. I like to work on my own bikes so this will be something new and interesting to learn. I suspect I will be able to tell the difference after the second service!
You are paying for the service kit whether you do it yourself or not. Same with the lubes. The special tools needed for the 50 hour service are minimal and not expensive. Since you will be doing this service frequently it is, in my opinion, worth the cost. And not hard to do at all. You can always get the more comprehensive services done by someone else.
Yep, lower leg service is usually pretty easy to do with the fork still installed on the bike. Some sort of handlebar holder makes the process less frustrating, though, since the front end won’t flop around.
Yeah, first service is hit-or-miss depending on how well it was assembled at the factory. Many are great straight out of the box, but some are surprisingly dry and greatly benefit from that first round of maintenance.
Great point about suspension servicing. The basic air spring and leg servicing is quite easy and fast once you buy the lubricants. The same can’t be said of damper servicing. My Fox shock requires a special $1k Nitrogen pump for the damper (which I don’t have). I think that suspension companies ought to design these things to not require so many special tools to do standard service. My Fox fork requires 2 special tools to push out the bottom of the legs, wrenches for the top of the crown, and a few smaller tools. By the time you buy them all you are probably approaching $200 just for fork tools. And different models require some different tools.
Yep, hence my emphasis on "basic" service in the newsletter. For most forks and rear shocks, just cleaning and relubing the lower legs and air can is quite straightforward.
I have the Presta pump head as well… brilliant! I just got the Elilee x310 carbon crank 24mm… so far, so good! 🤞❤️
Freshly serviced fork and shock day feels like new bike day every time! Easily the best money I spend on my bike. I really need to look into doing the basic service myself.
Regarding the saddles - If you saw a guy advertising lots of beautiful top end bikes on a second hand website for cheap and don’t want to pay retail then supporting bike theft is also ok?
Finishing the newsletter with a recipe 👌🏿
By request!
While we’re on the topic of asian brands, how’s the Wheeltop review coming? ( and just as a data point, I prefer the Ryet 3d stealth shaped saddle to the Shimano non 3d)
OMG I really need to get that finished…
And here I recently purchased a Pista Plus pump and upgraded to the Hiro chuck. If only I’d have known😓
No need to feel bad! The Hiro is pretty good. I just like this one better. It’s easier and faster to use, and doesn’t seem to wear over time.
I do like the look of the Hiro and I think I’ll get this presta for my spare pump. Sounds like it’s hard to beat especially for the QPR👌
I have the Rockshox Rudy fork on my Stigmata. Paid a shop for the first 50-hour service and thinking about doing future ones on my own. Trying to determine if it's cost effective to perform my own service, given the fact that I will need to purchase the service kit from Rockshox, the suspension oil, and perhaps a vice that I need to find a place in the garage to mount.
Always a balancing act if you have to start from scratch in terms of equipment and tools, and especially if you only have one fork to service. It makes sense for me because I have multiple bikes to maintain in our household, but as long as you get it done, that's much better than leaving it be.
Did it feel any different after that first service?
I can't say that I was able to feel any different after the first service because a) I'm new to the front suspension world b) I had the suspension mainly in lock-out mode prior to that service. It's due for another 50-hour service, especially after having completed a 10-day cycling tour in Mongolia last summer (suspension largely in open mode) and a few subsequent gravel rides. I think I will just bite the bullet and buy the kit/tools needed. I like to work on my own bikes so this will be something new and interesting to learn. I suspect I will be able to tell the difference after the second service!
You are paying for the service kit whether you do it yourself or not. Same with the lubes. The special tools needed for the 50 hour service are minimal and not expensive. Since you will be doing this service frequently it is, in my opinion, worth the cost. And not hard to do at all. You can always get the more comprehensive services done by someone else.
Do you remove entire suspension fork from the bike for the 50-hour service?
I do but you can also do it on the bike as long as you can rotate the bike on the stand.
Yep, lower leg service is usually pretty easy to do with the fork still installed on the bike. Some sort of handlebar holder makes the process less frustrating, though, since the front end won’t flop around.
Yeah, first service is hit-or-miss depending on how well it was assembled at the factory. Many are great straight out of the box, but some are surprisingly dry and greatly benefit from that first round of maintenance.
Great point about suspension servicing. The basic air spring and leg servicing is quite easy and fast once you buy the lubricants. The same can’t be said of damper servicing. My Fox shock requires a special $1k Nitrogen pump for the damper (which I don’t have). I think that suspension companies ought to design these things to not require so many special tools to do standard service. My Fox fork requires 2 special tools to push out the bottom of the legs, wrenches for the top of the crown, and a few smaller tools. By the time you buy them all you are probably approaching $200 just for fork tools. And different models require some different tools.
Yep, hence my emphasis on "basic" service in the newsletter. For most forks and rear shocks, just cleaning and relubing the lower legs and air can is quite straightforward.
The G-height on the Hunt rim looks very short
It does, doesn't it? Hard to say for sure without a proper cross-section image or drawing, though.
Or actually measuring it.
I have a couple of aluminum rims where the G-height is shorter than the height of the bead of tubeless tires.
Well, yes, of course, but I don't have a set here to measure.
Stan's NoTubes wheels, I'm guessing?
Nope, but Stan’s influenced. Short G without increasing the BSD.
I confirmed the later by comparing it with a DT Swiss rim. The difference in outer diameter was exactly the difference in the G-height X 2.
USA made aluminum rim.