Rode with locked out fork

Stormtrooper
Stormtrooper Posts: 420
edited April 2013 in MTB workshop & tech
Right then I went for a ride round whytes up Glyncorwg the other day, to try out my new bike.
I noticed my forks making a strange pfft noise now and again but didn't really take much notice, once I got back onto the Tarmac track at the end i went to lock out my fork and then realised I had been all they way around with my forks locked out (muppet).
Would I have caused any damage to my forks or frame?

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    And the forks are?
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Stormtrooper
    Stormtrooper Posts: 420
    Recon SL
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Probably not. Hydraulic lockout blows off if they take a big hit.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

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    Parktools
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Which is probably what you were hearing.....

    If you didn't notice, have you considered rigids? :D
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    That's nothing, I rode my old Edinburgh Bike cheapo special for about 2 years with a locked out fork, rust presumably, although its impressive degree of movement forward and backward (and towards the end, sideways) did compensate a bit :shock:
  • Giraffoto
    Giraffoto Posts: 2,078
    cooldad wrote:
    . . .Hydraulic lockout blows off if they take a big hit.

    This^ is true - a locked out Recon has (in my experience) about 20mm of available travel. If you put the bump-o-meter down to the bottom, lock the forks and go for a short ride on tarmac you'll see that they're not solid.

    Swansea eh? I used to ride up and down that hill outside the town with the transmitter on top (Kilvey? Something like that?) on a Muddy Fox Explorer - Rigid forks, cantilever brakes, 3x6 speed gearset, great days!
    Specialized Roubaix Elite 2015
    XM-057 rigid 29er
  • Stormtrooper
    Stormtrooper Posts: 420
    Cheers guys hopefully they are ok then.
    I not know why but to be honest I was more worried about the frame haha.

    Giraffoto
    Kilvey hill there's a pretty good downhill course there now.
  • Giraffoto
    Giraffoto Posts: 2,078
    Stormtrooper wrote:
    Kilvey hill there's a pretty good downhill course there now.

    Back in '87 - '91 (when I was in Swansea) there was just a rough track up one side and a concrete path for maintenance vehicles the other - we used to ride over it and back, so I probably at least crossed the path of that downhill course. Bit of a post hijack, but here's a rough spec of the bike on which I did that . . . .
    Frame and forks made of Tange Cro-Mo steel. No suspension, 1" fork steerer and a threaded headset
    No-name alloy rims on MF's own hubs, with 26x1.9 tyres - also MF branded
    3x6 gears - Suntour, as I recall - with thumb shifters on top of the bars
    Dia-Compe cantilever brakes
    . . . amazing how technology's moved on, but it was still fun back then!
    Specialized Roubaix Elite 2015
    XM-057 rigid 29er
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    Stormtrooper wrote:
    Would I have caused any damage to my forks or frame?
    Matey has ridden his Voodoo Bokor with the forks locked out from day #1 i.e. since late 2010

    He's a big fella and before buying the Bokor he had a rigid bike. Claims the fork moves too much when it's unlocked.

    The forks feel quite good when unlocked presumably because they haven't had to move much

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