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I've spotted a nasty patch of low-friction coating loss on my RS Revs, probably due to not servicing frequently enough.
They still feel fine and there's no scratches or gouges - how much can I expect this to affect function & performance of the forks over the next year or two? They're only 18mths old at the moment, don't really want to be buying £400 forks every year and a half.
I've found no difference on my old Rebas that I use in winter and they lost thier coating about 4 years ago
They lose precisely 18.764% No more, no less...
The answer is 4.
Thanks dvatcmark.
Wow, the pedants are pleased with themselves today.
Hard anodising, nitriding, etc are generally hardening processes with some corrosion resistance and occasionally low-friction properties to boot. If you've worn though the coating, you'll generally be through the the softer material underneath and the rate of wear will increase, you'll get knocking and increased friction.
It's not pushbike stuff but kayaba mad a load of GSXR forks on which all the gold coating fell off. On launch, it was "super slippy ti-ni coating", when it fell off it was "cosmetic only" 😉
Thanks all. I'll ride 'em till they die.
It depends what speeds I'm doing. If I'm going around 30 miles per hour their fine. If I then accelerate up to 30 miles per wolf hour I can notice the lack of performance yesterday.
they'll end up knocking and leaking, if they've worn dirt has got in and contaminated the oil which will make them feel rubbish as well as wearing internal components seals/shafts etc too
don't really want to be buying £400 forks every year and a half
Should start servicing them then 😉
Unfortunately, they're going to end up feeling like crap for the reasons LoCo has suggested above. The more you use them with worn stanchions, the more dirt and grit will get into them and ruin the internals.
Your best bet is to get them serviced, and get some new uppers to stop any more damage.
Or just send them into Loco ^^, and he can at least assess the damage and advise.