rekindle my love in my hardtail

2wheelzgood

Not sure it's its workshop but I want to have a go myself if poss and not make it cost loads..

about 18onths ago I bought a Commencal Combi disc to use off road in the winter while my motorbike was hibernating.. I have used it a bit and being a novice dirt rider and having Stainburn nearby, it has ben chucked about.

Also cos I am now doing lots of other stuff and loving riding my singlespeed, I have neglected the hardtail. I just find it so much mroe tedious and time consuming to have fun.
Loading it on the car, diesel costs, driving out.. knowing fewer people an it being harder to organise a dirt ride etc,

anyway a mate works in a LBS and I mentioned the state, the forks apparently are known to be rubbish.. juddered and only compress when braking hard (something I cannot do on the front any more.. more later) and only extend fully with the front off the ground :shock: .

Headset bearings are shot ( I can do this myself but not sure about teh whole fork replacement)

I bent a rear disc ages ago, tried a few methods to straighten , but had to buy a new one. I contaminated the other but somehow fixed it with heat, wet and dry and riding with brakes on.. It's done it again (front again) and I cannot cure it.. new pads? new disc? It costs a fair bit..and am kicking myself as I think I dribbled oil onto them when trying to lube up the shoddy fork!

I had to replace the middle chainring too not long ago but it's all good now but the whole bottom bracket is loose.. probably too many hits downhill.

So not wanting to spend much at all, what's the best solution? I was just gonna not ride it much anymore but £500+ bob and under 2 years old and not used much really is a big waste for me.

I will need a new fork as apparently these are rubbish, get water in and rot and replaced under warranty but I'm over 1 year old now.
Was looking on ebay, £££ and I have no idea how.. looks hard having to measure, cut, fit some weird named pieces in the frame for which I doubt I have tools in the Lidl tool kit
I was thinking about getting a cheaper rigid fork? mad?

BB: sealed I bet so not sure.. maybe just tighten?

Brakes... new pads first or will a nasty disc contaminate new pads?

Any tips, parts help advice would be great as I really cannot sell it atm and its a shame just sitting in a state like that...

ironically I never used it much in the winter as the trails we too boggy... hmm