Michael Hanslip Coaching

If you want to go faster, you have to pedal harder

Overhauling the fork

My single speed has the same fork on it as my trail bike, the Fox 34SC with 120mm travel. The 2 bikes are not otherwise identical, which explains why I run differend pressures in the same fork on two different frames. But it doesn't seem to explain why the difference is SO large. Around 75psi in the Spot's fork versus 90psi in the Ripley's fork. And, it felt like the Spot fork was never getting full travel.
I had my first post-service ride on the Spot. It was a typical Stromlo one-hour lap. No events of note. A few bumps and a few jumps. The o-ring revealed more than 110mm of travel on that ride, where typically I'd barely achieve 100mm on that bike. All I can attribute that to is the new oil in the fork lowers. What came out was crystal clear - as if it had been in there for a couple of months, not 100+ hours of riding over 3 years.
All I can conclude is that fresh oil (with assembly lube mixed in) is more slippery than what I took out?
 
Regardless, the fork now feels more supple and gets more travel. I didn't notice more traction, which might occur if it was tracking the ground better now.
 
I've read many stories of forks of all brands arriving at their first service damaged because they were shipped too dry (or completely dry in one case). That's fine if you can claim warranty on your distressed fork. In my case it is well out of date for a warranty. Luckily, no such claim was required. But it is worth the bother to open up your new fork while it is in warranty, just in case.