All Things Bikes and Tacos! (...and every vehicle imaginable)

Before I make any sort of ad, anybody here interested in buying my chameleon?

I’m keeping my stump jumper but with a newborn I truly don’t foresee having time for both bikes.

 

Question (with the understanding this is a very use-specific topic in regards to terrain and intensity): how long do you normally go before servicing your suspension? Reason I ask is the rear shock on my bike needs service, it is making the gurgling noise when compressed and there are no more rebound and compression controls (flipping the climb switch does nothing). The shock has about 500 miles on it according to strava and I got it in May of this year.

Reading online, it seems like the Fox Float X is somewhat prone to seal/damper issues?

 

First impression is a gurgling noise would be a bad seal. As for service intervals, yes terrain/intensity factors, but also time in hours. Another factor would be rider weight, a 150 lb. rider won’t cause the same fatigue as a 250 lb. rider on the same terrain/intensity. I’m not familiar with Fox MTB suspension service intervals, but those should be available through their website. From my reading they have a lot of info for Tacoma coilover and shocks.

 

Awesome!!!! Great event, I did it in 2015 and have wanted to go back ever since I heard they changed to course a bit to fix the bottleneck/cluster-f when entering the singletrack. Trails are amazing and XC bike is perfect. I’d prob even got HT if I get to do it again.

 

mmmm Prescott. Love that cool little town and the singletrack is glorious. There's even some decent boondock camping and fishing!

 

Sounds like you have cavitation to me - that likely isn't something you'll fix with the basic at-home seal kit and will need to go to a formal service center for a damper rebuild. If you bought the shock new within the last year, this may be covered by Fox under warranty. Normal basic seal/oil services for most manufacturers are at the 50hr interval - 500-600mi for most riders depending on average ride speed. I use the Strava gear function to track these intervals, along with mileage of other wear parts.

 

My Float X2 had that happen this year (the gurgling is cavitation that occurs when air mixes with oil). Just like yours, none of the adjustments worked. I had to get it rebuilt by a local shop: https://www.thebumpstop.com

As far as length of time between servicing, I normally go by feel. Once the suspension feels like I'm riding a piece of wood, then it's time for a complete rebuild.

 

We rode the Whiskey in 2018. The transition to singletrack that year was pretty messy but I just took it in stride; I was so far back already it was just between the slower riders and the slowest. Fun event and fun town.

 

I also mix Shimano organic and sintered, but I usually run organic in front and sintered in the rear. I’ll try the mix within one caliper … it kinda makes sense.

 

Welp I was practicing in the parking lot after a ride and a rock got stuck between the stanchion and lower crown…that mud looking mark on the stanchion is a big ole scratch

 

unlucky! is it deep enough that can you feel it with your fingernail?

 

Yeah I think so. I’ll need to double check but I think it went down to aluminum. The fork was locked up for a second… this fork is only like 3 months old unfortunately

 

oh no! Sad day!

 

also, merry christmas all yah filthy bikers!

 

Merry Christmas you guys.

I am still working on the aluminum bicycle.

Here’s the taillight that I built from an old trailer lamp, and a piece of a sander, and a solar yard lite on a bit of aluminum bar.



Those seat struts are just made from steel tubing but I am hoping to replace them with aluminum as well.

 

That thing is sweet! I keep thinking about getting a tig welder so that I can make custom bikes. Im thinking refurbished townie, klunker with modern components, and a tall bike to start. Plus all the other things that I could do with a tig machine.

 

Please don’t think that I welded that frame guys. I don’t have an oven that big.

My welding doesn’t look anywhere near that good & I have never welded aluminum.

I have a TIG welder, but there’s a problem where you have to stress relieve and temper things, and machine after welding. Quite a bit judging by the cuts taken inside this frame to get it in alignment after welding.

That is a original trek aluminum BMX frame. I picked it off of a junk pile. Pedals, Bars and Forks came from Kool Designs bike & clothing shop in Fresno, and chrome hardware came from Fresno AG Hardware. Other parts came from Clovis Bicycle. Front wheel came from a little kiddy bike off that same pile. It was originally pink and blue.

 

Even deeper scratches are easily fixed with some epoxy and very light sandpaper. Check Youtube University, I fixed one a while ago and it was good as new.

 

I will look some up!