Suspension fork boots

mrlee

Right then. Debate time.

What's everyone's opinions on these fork boots (lizard skins type)? Surely if they are removed and cleaned after every ride, they are okay?

A mate in work has a pair on his Norco Six. He also has a rear suspension boot. He removes them and cleans them after every ride and has had no problems.

rockmonkeysc

That's what dust seals are there for.
Forks are designed to be run with no extra protection.
Looking after your forks and giving them a regular lower lube will do much more good than fitting a boot.

mrlee

RockmonkeySC wrote:

That's what dust seals are there for.
Forks are designed to be run with no extra protection.
Looking after your forks and giving them a regular lower lube will do much more good than fitting a boot.

But would it do any harm?

rockmonkeysc

If dirt gets in, and it will then yes because it has nowhere to go.
I also dont like the idea of fixing a boot to the stanchion, its going to wear the coating as it moves.

brindlescoops

RockmonkeySC wrote:

If dirt gets in, and it will then yes because it has nowhere to go.
I also dont like the idea of fixing a boot to the stanchion, its going to wear the coating as it moves.

+1 no one is more ocd than than me about bike care and protection, but imagine getting a couple of small stones or bits of grit in at the start of a ride and the damage it would do over a proper ride. Just clean and lube your stanchions after each ride and if you have a roof rack, use the lizard skins or similar to protect against motorway stone chips, see I told you I was OCD.

mrlee

But what about stone chips off the trail?

The Rookie

Never seen a stone flick off a front wheel sideways at the top......

YeehaaMcgee

mrlee wrote:

But what about stone chips off the trail?

The anodising/coating on fork stanchions is very hard. Short of a direct hit, they'll (generally) be fine. And a direct hit would wreck them even with boots.

There's a bloody good reason why all forks used to have boots, and no longer do.

mrlee

Ok. Bad example :oops: . I'm just trying to find an advantage to having them on a bike. There obviously isn't one

The Rookie

Only to the person who sells them to mugs!

ilovedirt

They're a pointless bit of kit. I've never had a stone chip on my stanchions.

lbalony

Thought the purpose was to keep them clean? I dont use them but have thought about them due to cleaning my stanchions, then riding bext tines and all the settled muck rising back up in a ring around them. Thought if I had them this would probably keep them cleaner.

Out of interest. What do you use or can use to lube stanchions/seals?

cooldad

Fox Fork Fluid.

pilch

The Rookie wrote:

Never seen a stone flick off a front wheel sideways at the top......

I have... stuck in between the fork brace & the stanchion made a lovely scar.... not that i'd put boots on, just saying

mrlee

I have used them in the past, until I read bad reviews about them. They seemed to keep my forks clean though

ilovedirt

I think if you want to keep your stanchions clean, your best bet is a bender fender or the like, keeps your stanchions pretty clean and keeps the crap out of your face too. Aside from that, clean and lube after every ride. Modern forks are built to be able to withstand general trail crap and water.

swod1

yeah i just use a bender fender on the front which pretty much stops anything from going near the fork stanchions

Kowalski675

lbalony wrote:

Out of interest. What do you use or can use to lube stanchions/seals?

This:

http://www.fenwicks.info/bike/index.php ... lube-spray

YeehaaMcgee

No, no sprays, ever.

rockmonkeysc

I just wipe on a tiny amount of TF Tuned lower lube and compress the fork a few times to lube the seals.
If you do a regular lower lube you don't really need to lube your stanchions because they have plenty of oil in the lowers.

capoz77

I use a bit of silicone bike lust polish on the rubber seals occasionally keeps them supple.

After each ride i wipe the stanchions with kitchen roll, drop a bit of purple extreme around the seals then cycle the forks, then wipe again, jobs a good un!

Stanchions and seals look like new still.

lbalony

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

No, no sprays, ever.

How come? Is muc off bike spray not ok for this?

rockmonkeysc

lbalony wrote:

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

No, no sprays, ever.

How come? Is muc off bike spray not ok for this?

Solvent free silicone lube is fine but I wouldn't use muc off bike spray.

Kowalski675

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

No, no sprays, ever.

Whatever. It's a product specifically designed for the job (and does it very well), but I'm sure you know best (or just think you do, as usual, lol).

YeehaaMcgee

Sprays, even when careful, tend to go everywhere, including some places where you don't want it. That's all.

cooldad

Mainly because you can't stop overspray going where it shouldn't.
Any the propellants etc in aerosols can cause issues with seals etc.

cooldad

Bugger the voices in my head posted before me.

Kowalski675

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

Sprays, even when careful, tend to go everywhere, including some places where you don't want it. That's all.

Only if you're an idiot.

Kowalski675

cooldad wrote:

Any the propellants etc in aerosols can cause issues with seals etc.

Cobblers. The propellants evaporate and don't get anywhere near the seals.

cooldad

You are free to use aerosols. I'll avoid them.

Kowalski675

cooldad wrote:

You are free to use aerosols. I'll avoid them.

Which is entirely your prerogative, but your reasoning remains cobblers.