Budget fork servicing

[pmcdonald]

I've just gotten into this MTBing caper a year ago with a Merida e160 500. It came with a basic Rockshox 35 Gold fork but I love it to bits and am having a blast riding it. I can feel the more expensive forks on my friends bikes are better, but I'm well happy with the 35 Gold for now - it's my skill not the suspension holding me back!

Just wanted to sanity check my thinking on fork servicing. I've done about 80 hours now, 50% of that single track, 50% hard tarmac riding to single track. My home maintenance just consists of a wipe down after every ride, a squirt of silicone spray and perhaps a little wipe with wet lube on a towel.

I've noticed no change in the fork performance since purchase but asked my LBS about servicing. They said they send it off to Rockshox Australia. They quoted a ballpark of AU$300.

Given my fork costs about AU$305 (I jest, but not by a huge amount) my thinking is to save the cash for an eventual upgrade and ignore the servicing schedule of 50 hours. Is that about right? Cheers

 

[Sander23]

A 50 hour lower leg service is a piece of cake.
Done my rockshox pike ultimate after 2000km like 2 weeks ago.
All I needed where some basic tools and some oil and grease. All the seals where still in good condition so I just cleaned and greased. Put some oil in and done.

The rockshox manual/video's are pretty good and easy to follow-up.
I thought the same about the fork feeling the same like when it was new. But after doing the 50 hour it's like day and night.

The damper service is something I've never done myself

 

[Mitchb]

Yes, you can do it yourself. I converted my Revelation into a Pike Ultimate at the same time I did my first 500 mile service. Between RockShox videos and written instructions you'll be fine, just take your time.

 

[pmcdonald]

Thank you @Sander23 & @Mitchb, that third option didn't even occur to me. I guess I just assumed because the bike store sends the fork away (and charges $300) it must be a difficult job. And the bike store does plenty of tasks in store that stumped me, like dialing in gears and adding a dropper (yes, I'm all thumbs)

This video makes it look doable:
And the service manual is comprehensive: https://www.sram.com/globalassets/d...nsion/2020-2022-35-service-manual-english.pdf

I won't lie, it looks like quite the undertaking, a big leap from my comfort zone of replacing brake pads and chains, but I'll keep brushing up on how-to videos and look for a service kit in stock.

Cheers!

 

[irie]

Yes, do it yourself. Watch the videos so that you understand the steps and know what tools and lubricants you'll need. Easiest way is to buy a fork service kit. Follow what the videos say and if unsure, stop and replay until you do understand. Watch several videos. Make sure you have a decent torque wrench and do NOT over torque.

Did exactly this when I upgraded my Rockshox Pike Ultimate forks, had never taken forks to pieces before. We (wife and I) have the same bikes with Rockshox shocks which I've also serviced several times.