There can be no doubt that we are now properly settled into winter, which means shorter days, colder temperatures and rainy days ahead. While it means less fun on the trails, this is the perfect time to really pamper your bicycle and do some long overdue maintenance - often postponed due to a busy riding schedule in the Summer months.
Something that we often postpone for too long is the routine servicing of suspension units.
Did you know that the average service intervals for suspension units are only 40 hours. This means, for example, that if you ride off-road at an average of 20km/h, then you should service your suspension units every 800km. It should be noted that this is a generalized timeline and interval periods can also be severely affected by riding condition. Riding in extreme mud or dusty conditions might even shorten these periods.
Here at Velo Life, we believe that prevention is better than cure. By regularly maintaining your suspension units you can easily double the lifespan of these units and enjoy a much smoother ride with better control on the trails. If you wait till your shocks or forks start losing air or leaking oil, then the damage has already been done and repairs can run into the thousands of rand.
We recommend doing a lower leg service on your forks and an air can service on your shocks at least once every 6 months. These procedures are affordable and can eliminate possible problems early thereby saving you a substantial amount in the long run.
Always make sure to wipe clean your seals and stanchion tubes before or after every ride. Be wary of using high-pressure washes, as these can drastically reduce the lifespan of your suspension unit. Pressurized water will force foreign particles past your seals into the suspension body, causing irreparable damage if not serviced and cleaned in time.
We also recommend lubing your dust seals with a good seal lubricant (such as Brunox Deo or RSP Hyper Wiper) to keep the rubbers soft and avoid drying and possible cracking of the seals.
Book a maintenance service with us today by calling 021 851 5613 and get your bicycle ride ready!
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