new too me bike needs some tlc

creamsodauk

hello guys, need a bit of help please

I just picked up a used marin hydro light bike which seems to have all the parts i could want!

it has a few little issues, one being the fox forks seems to have play in the frame, however the bearings where replaced a while back for my older borther and has seen very little use since. Not sure if theirs something that can be tightened, or maybe its had the wrong bearings fitted? but the forks have a slight bit of play

secondly the forks are fox 32's which i need to adjust but none of my pumps seem to fit, is their a specific pump or am i just unlucky too have odd pumps lol

cant wait to get out for a play on it, its insanely light compared to my hard rock which i thought was light weight!

386ka

You probably have worn out bushings and need to change them. To see if you need new bushings, apply the front brake, grab the fork between the lowers and the stanchions and rock the bike forwards and backward. If you notice any play or movement coming from that area, then the time has come for a bushing service. Cheers.

stubs

More likely the headset needs adjusting. Its a very simple check put the front brake on and hold the top headset bearing rock bike back and forwards if you feel movement between the 2 parts of the headset it needs adjusting. Undo the steerer clamp bolts enough so you can twist the bars then tighten the bolt in the headset cap a flat at a time checking each time you want no play in the headset but it must turn smoothly and freely. Nip up the stem bolts and your good to go.

If it isnt the headset then it could be the fork but best send that off to someone who knows what they are doing and has the tools.

Have a look in the FAQs think there is a section on headsets that might explain things better or go onto the parktools website they have lots of good instructions on maintenance

stubs

Headset Adjustment - Threadless Type off Park tools have a read explains it all in proper detail

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/threadless-headset-service#adjust

creamsodauk

cheers guys, adjusting the stem and top bolt seems too have worked and i feel no play, i guess the last shop changed the bearings etc and didn't nip everything up?

anyway now just the shocks to fill, how much air do these things take? i seem to connect a pump and push once and it seems full but im not 100% sure the pump is working. its defiantly putting in some air as i get some rebound etc when pushing them up whereas when i let them go flat the shock pushs up and stays up. So is their a specific pump?

anyway off out for a test ride, hopefully itl survive haha

bennett_346

creamsodauk wrote:

cheers guys, adjusting the stem and top bolt seems too have worked and i feel no play, i guess the last shop changed the bearings etc and didn't nip everything up?

anyway now just the shocks to fill, how much air do these things take? i seem to connect a pump and push once and it seems full but im not 100% sure the pump is working. its defiantly putting in some air as i get some rebound etc when pushing them up whereas when i let them go flat the shock pushs up and stays up. So is their a specific pump?

anyway off out for a test ride, hopefully itl survive haha

You can't use a tyre pump, buy a shock pump.

creamsodauk

ah ok, i got some air into them with a foot pump! so i had a little test ride and what a difference to the hardrock!

the shocks soak up bumps rather then just propel you in a diffrent direction and it weighs nothing when climbing!

im in love all over again haha

only downsides i could see are the pedals are plastic and slippery so il get some new ones like my dmr v8's and the frame is very small which may take some getting used too or at worst a new frame