So you’ve been out riding, got your bike filthy and now cleaned it. But have you really cleaned it as well as you should? Fork and Shock stanchions are often overlooked, but a few simple steps could have your Fork and Shock clean and running smooth for months to come.
We take a quick look at the simple process of cleaning up your fork and shock
Materials needed:
- Soft cloth
- Fork specific lube such as the Juice Lubes Fork Juice
Our Lube of choice is the Fork Juice from Juice Lubes. Some people say not to use aerosol based lubes, but so long as you’re careful and avoid getting any on your brake discs/callipers, use whatever floats your boat. If you are using an aerosol, just be sure to cover the brake discs and callipers before this process (an old rag will suffice).
Step 1 - take the lubricant and apply a small amount to the stanchions. Make sure you get it all the way around the stanchions and wait around 30 seconds to ensure it soaks into any mud build up in the top of the wiper seal.
Step 2 - Push the fork through its travel (as much as you can, don’t worry about it reaching max travel), and most of the dirt should come off and stick to the stanchions (you’ll see a satisfying collection of dirt, part way up your fork). Use the soft cloth to wipe any dirt away. Be sure to get in between the fork body and stanchion
Step 3 - Repeat the previous two steps until the lubricant on the stanchions is clean, then lightly wipe away the remaining lubricant, to give a clean finish.
SHOCK
Technique for this is much the same as the instructions for forks.
Step 1 – As above (you may need to pop the bike upside down to get the lube around the shock)
Step 2 – As above, cycle the shock through its travel and clean away any mud and excess lube
Step 3 – As above, ensure no more mud is being left on the shock shaft and voila, job done!
SERIVICING
With the worst of the winter weather hopefully behind us and the forecast for the coming weeks set to be warmer, now is an ideal time to get your bike booked in for some TLC. Follow the link to learn more about our range of service options and get yourself booked in.
If you’re not sure of the best choice for your setup check out - servicing & tuning, give us a call on 01743 464486 or email service@j-techsuspension.co.uk