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6 Weeks to Spring
19 July 2023 10:14:43 am NZST
Winter is on the run and it's only 6 Weeks to Spring (in the Southern Hemisphere). Here is what we do to get our bikes ready for spring riding. Your suspension or dropper post can be booked in for a Shockcraft service here. If you need some more late winter reading then check out our full range of Technical Support articles here.
Good As New - Get the New Bike Feel
New bikes feel great because all the bearings are smooth, the suspension moves smoothly, the brakes aren't mushy and the gears shift cleanly. You can return any bike to the new-bike feeling with simple maintenance. Check and clean/grease or replace dry bearings, lube up suspension, bleed the brakes and clean or replace the gear cables.
Fork, Rear Shock & Dropper Service
Forks, shocks & droppers need to be serviced regularly to maintain and improve performance, fix and prevent any issues (e.g. stanchion damage) and protect your expensive parts with better lubrication from new fluids and therefore prevent major wear and tear.
When to Service
First check is to slide the suspension or dropper and see how the tubes look. Check the fork stanchions, shock body and dropper stanchion.
The wiper seals on forks and shocks are designed to leave a very fine oil/grease sheen on the fork stanchions or shock damper body. This gives the stanchions/body a shiny appearance.
If your stanchions or shock body look dull, then they're dry and need serviced. Internally it means the reservoir of oil or grease has either been used up (it spreads to the outside and dries off) or displaced to part of the fork/shock where it can't lubricate any more.
If you're unsure, simply clean the stanchions/body with a dry cloth and pump it up and down a few times. If it stays dry then it's service time. If the sheen comes back then you're okay.
We provide support for both Shockcraft Service & DIY Service. You can Book Service with Shockcraft or check out our extensive range of parts, seals, fluids and greases by clicking through our website. Here is a good place to start.
Suspension Service - What Is It? | Service Intervals & Tips for Service | Book Service | DIY Service Supplies
Suspension SetupCorrect suspension setup is as important as appropriate servicing. To get started, try our 1 Page Suspension Guide. This is a basic setup guide produced by Shockcraft to help our customers get their suspension sorted. To dive deep into suspension setup check out our Suspension Setup Series, starting from here. 1 Page Suspension Setup Guide | Suspension Setup Series |
Shock HardwareEvery rear shock has hardware that holds the shock in the bike frame. Check for movement in the eyelets of your rear shock. Most bikes use a pin or two piece hardware system that goes through a bushing in the eyelet. The bushings are wear parts and will need regular replacement. If the hardware/pins are worn then they will also need replaced. Worn hardware leads to very short bushing life. We have a full range of shock hardware and bushing options here and tips here for measuring your shock hardware. Measuring Shock Hardware | Shock Hardware Range | Find Hardware By Size
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Suspension Bearings
Read our full guide on Suspension Bearing Maintenance. Suspension bearings get hammered and go notchy with use. The right bearings for suspension pivots last longer. We have an extensive range of individual suspension bearings and bearing kits for a large number of bike brands.
Suspension Bearing Maintenance | Suspension Bearing Kits | Individual Suspension Bearings | Bearing Search Tool
Headset Bearings
These get moisture in and rust up. They need to turn freely without grinding, crunching or notching. Headset bearings are usually cartridge bearing type and we have a size guide here to make buying replacements easy. We have stainless versions to last longer in wet conditions.
Headset Bearing ID Chart | Headset Bearings | Bearing Search Tool
Bottom Bracket Bearings
Derail the chain and see if the cranks spin freely. Or at least smoothly. If they don't we have a selection of standard and non-standard BB bearings here. Sometimes whole BB units are the only option. See below.
Bottom Bracket Bearings | Bearing Search Tool
New Bottom Brackets
We have complete BSA threaded Bottom Brackets for Shimano HT2 & SRAM GXP. Our Screw-Fit 41 bottom brackets fit 41 mm shell BB86/BB92 for Shimano HT2 & SRAM GXP. Our Screw-Fit 46 bottom brackets fit 46 mm PF30 shells with 30 mm cranks. We can also supply BB units for all other brands.
Bottom Bracket Installation | Bottom Brackets & Undersize Cranks | Bottom Bracket Range
Hub Bearings
You've got front hub bearings, rear hub bearings and rear free-hub bearings. Front hub bearings can get moisture in from riding, rear hub bearings are usually murdered from bad chain-washing techniques. We can supply them all. Our hub bearing listings are here. We have new Hub Bearing Kits for hubs and freehubs from Hope, Industry Nine, SRAM & SUNringlé.
Hub Bearing Kits | Individual Hub Bearings | Bearing Search Tool
Rims
Check your rims for damage. Rims get beaten and bent. Beaten rims can still seal against a tubeless tyre, until it's removed. We have quality rim replacements from SUNringlé - from 29" Enduro and XC down to 20" kids MTB. Our rims are tubeless compatible.
SUNringlé Rim Special | Wheel Builders
Better Than New - Tuning is the Secret Weapon
Here's the secret that bike companies don't want you to know: you can spend $25k on a bike and get the same suspension with the same issues as a $4k bike. So it rides exactly the same.
The only way to actually improve your suspension is by tuning - making the internal changes which the factory couldn't/wouldn't to custom fit your suspension to You, Your Bike, Weight, Terrain and Riding Style. You get better bump absorbtion, better control and complete predictability.
Bikes that stay stable and eat bumps in total comfort aren't bought. They're built. Suspension tuning is a relatively small investment that makes the biggest difference you can make to a bike.
