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Garage airline to inflate forks.

MancunianfightingcatMancunianfightingcat Posts: 2,054
edited April 2010 in MTB general
Can't believe what I've just seen,

A scally using a garage forecourt to pressurise his forks on his hard tail.

He was too far away to see what the bike and forks were 9they looked like 160 or even 180mm travel), but I guess he'd nicked the bike anyway.
He was with his girlfriend I think and he had 3 attempts whilst I was filling the car, finally he'd got enough air in them to be fully locked out, which seemed to be his aim as he stopped then and rode off slowly with his lady walking beside.

I tried to follow him and watch the imminent failure of his forks, but he turned down a side street!

I bet he uses super glue on his punctures too! :roll:
Ants
Orange Blood - Orange 5SE - Marin Rocky Ridge

Posts

  • RealManRealMan Posts: 2,166
    Right tool for the job?

    clarkson_hammer_138144a.jpg
  • captainflycaptainfly Posts: 1,001
    Probably won't do any harm to the fork as the pressure ain't going to be that high and when you release it will let air out anyway. Cumb but probably not a fail :cry:
    -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
    Mongoose Teocali
    Giant STP0

    Why are MTB economics; spend twice as much as you intended, but only half as much as you wish you could afford? :roll:
  • stumpyjonstumpyjon Posts: 4,069
    I wouldn't have thought garage airlines were capable of getting up to the pressures required, they're designed for low pressure large volume inflation.
    It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

    I've bought a new bike....ouch - result
    Can I buy a new bike?...No - no result
  • scale20scale20 Posts: 1,300
    I remember inflating the wheel on my Raleigh burner years ago. The tyre and mag wheel blew up, I sh!t myself :lol: stuck to my dad's halfords footpump after that :lol::lol:
    Niner Air 9 Rigid
    Whyte 129S 29er.
  • MancunianfightingcatMancunianfightingcat Posts: 2,054
    Seems it might not be as disastrous as I thought then!

    He must have got some serious pressure in there though, he bounced on the front end of the bike and the forks were solid!
    Ants
    Orange Blood - Orange 5SE - Marin Rocky Ridge
  • abarth_1200abarth_1200 Posts: 370
    Compressors sometimes build up water vapour so bleed the line and empty tank first
  • richg1979richg1979 Posts: 1,087
    whats wrong with that? ive done it before in an emergency,

    garge airlines max out at about 130lb wich is no probs for forks and shocks.
  • mtbikerboymtbikerboy Posts: 325
    Could also have been a coil sprung fork with air preload, like my marzocchi 55R's. it takes less than 15psi (1 bar) to lock them solid.
    I bet he uses super glue on his punctures too! :roll:
    on a light note, i've used masking tape and clear tape on some desparate occassions :)
  • tri-sexualtri-sexual Posts: 672
    richg1979 wrote:
    whats wrong with that? ive done it before in an emergency,

    garge airlines max out at about 130lb wich is no probs for forks and shocks.



    my local tescos petrol station air line does not go beyond 60psi (digital version)
  • MancunianfightingcatMancunianfightingcat Posts: 2,054
    I would have thought that the force of the air coming out into such a small air chamber would not be good for the forks, but maybe I'm wrong.
    Ants
    Orange Blood - Orange 5SE - Marin Rocky Ridge
  • tri-sexualtri-sexual Posts: 672
    can be done but not very well
    the main problem is the locking mechanism on the air line, it doesnt really secure itself to the fork/shock valve. a shock pump has a screw on attachment which makes the job much much easier and will not "pop" off during inflation.
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