How to perform proper maintenance of your bicycle fork

The fork is one of the most delicate elements on a mountain bike. To neglect your maintenance or not perform a correct cleaning accelerate your wear and can cause you to have to change it earlier than expected, with the consequent economic disbursement it supposes. Many cyclists care not to suffer blows or chopped in the structure of the fork. However, the key element for durability is the maintenance of seals and oil. There is no exact fact about when a fork review should be carried out, since it depends on the type of use that you give to your mountain bike. It is not the same to make quiet routes on forest tracks without large unevenness than launch hill down in a stretch of descent or ascend by trialeras routes. Manufacturers recommend making a review and change of seals in a strip that ranges between 50 and 100 hours of use. But there are some practices that you can follow at home to prolong the useful life of the fork and that your mountain bike does not have to go through the workshop ahead of time.

Should the fork be cleaned before or after use?

It is essential to keep the fork clean to prevent mud, sand or small powder particles from entering the suspension system and increase friction. This is why it is always recommended to clean the fork after each use, especially if mud has adhered to it. However, many cyclists forget that it is even more important to clean the fork before going out with the bicycle, especially if long periods of time pass every time you leave with it. While the bicycle remains stored in the storage room, at home or in the garage, dust is accumulated around the fork seals. This causes dust particles to enter the suspension system once you go out with the bicycle, wearing the seals.

Why you should not use pressure water guns

The fastest way to clean a mountain bike after intense use due to earth and mud paths is to use a pressure water gun. This method is very effective to wash the bicycle box and save time, but it is a very uncommon practice to clean the bicycle fork. The force with which the water comes out can cause damage if it sneaks into the fork and does not get along with the rubber components. To avoid this, just pass a damp cloth or use some Product for cleaning mountain bicycle fork.

Keep the lubricated bars

Mountain bicycle forks are components that are subject to very high wear. When the bars enter the bottles they generate friction with the seals. This accelerates its wear, especially if they are dry. The forks have internal lubrication systems, but the part of the bars that are outside the bottles are exposed to the air, which dried faster. When they are drier, the greater the difficulty with which they will go down and greater will also be friction and wear produced in the seals. That is why it is advisable to lubricate the fork before each output so that the suspension drive is soft and the wear is lower. There are special products indicated in the market to lubricate forks.

Do not forget the air hype

Unless the fork has a full oil or spring suspension system, most often combine oil and air. Air regulation also influences the useful life of the fork. This is achieved using a high pressure hype, although you have doubts about how to regulate it, it is best to go through a workshop and consult a specialized mechanic. Of course, do not forget to take the mountain bike to the workshop when you touch the relevant review.