The XC bike is causing me grief at the moment. Always picks the moment the weather improves to spit the dummy!
It has now developed a substantial clunk you can feel through the bars when climbing or putting in effort on the flat.
Annoyingly, the first couple of miles of a ride is normally OK, which is not helping with the process of elimination. Have changed headset bearings and checked everything around there. Front wheel spins nicely and the bearings feel smooth.
Fork bushings, maybe? It has had a lowers service reasonably recently - would worn bushings produce that kind of rattle? The normal 'front brake on and rock the bike' method isn't conclusive. Happens regardless of whether the fork is locked out or not.
Any other candidates I should be considering? BB is good, frame bearings are OK as well.
Are you sure its the fork, hollow tubes and all are notorious for transferring noises from one end of the bike to the other.
Have you another fork you could fit ?
Isnt it funny though when you feel an issue at the front end, then spend ages examining each part, looking for a source which then presents itself as a loose chainring bolt or such 😆
Yeah, the previous creak was a wobbly direct mount chainring, so I know what one of these sounds like.
I've got another Fox 34 on a different bike I can sling in there.
Another lower leg service tonight though, to see if there's anything obviously amiss.
Shock bushings? Do the saddle lift test..
A lower leg service made it perfect - for about two rides. The knocking is now back, there's a tiny bit of movement into the travel when locked out, and the open mode adjust knob just spins with no end point.
So a damper rebuild service would seem to be the most likely fix.
Normally I'd use TFTuned, but their earliest workshop date is about a month away. Any recommendations for good suspension service places which are more likely to have space?
Plush turned my forks around in about a week recently: https://plushsuspension.uk
No doubt a long waiting list too (I assume) but J-Tech are also good.
