For those with FS MTB’s

[ChrisL]

And maybe @dennis & @Old#7....

Are you supposed to lubricate the pivots/linkages on the rear suspension?  

My Anthem developed a creak some time ago and I took it to the LBS. they said everything was tightened to spec but the creak persisted so I took it back.  The wrench said oh I know what’s up and took it back but he wasn’t there when I picked it up so am not sure what he did?

After sitting for several weeks due to bad weather the creak came back.  I know the bearings are sealed but I dribbled a little oil in the linkage pivots and the creak stopped.  As the bike gets dirty/dusty I know it’s going to attract dirt so I’m not so sure if this is the best thing to do...

Any thoughts?  

[Further]

something like this, give it a squirt now & then

[Dirtyhip]

We tear ours down every year or so.  It weeds out the random creaks and keeps everything rolling nice.  We have our shocks rebuilt around that time too.  We ride a lot though, so it all depends on your mileage.

[maddmaxx ★]

I do not own a FS bike but I have used this product for years in applications where I didn't want the attraction of dirt and dust that oil has.  I originally purchased it for bike chains but I now use it on bearings and bushings as well.  It's similar to something we used at work that was much more expensive than this.  It's a carrier liquid that contains teflon and the liquid evaporates after application leaving the teflon.  You do have to apply it a bit more often than oil because it washes away in the wet.

[dinneR ★]

1 hour ago, Dirtyhip said:

We tear ours down every year or so.  It weeds out the random creaks and keeps everything rolling nice.  We have our shocks rebuilt around that time too.  We ride a lot though, so it all depends on your mileage.

This is probably the best advice. A friend of mine tears his apart every or every other year and replaces bushings and seals. He says they wear out. And you are supposed to have your suspension rebuilt every year if you ride a lot. I never do. I usually go as long as possible between rebuilds. The same with brake bleeds and your brake pads. All cables and housing. Chain. Shit you should damn near rebuild the bike every year if you ride a lot.

I'd probably do what you do did and lube it to make the noise go away. Think about a rebuild in the off season. 

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

@ChrisL I am not the person to ask but thanks for thinking of me. I have never owned a suspension bike so I'm not really qualified other than working at a bike shop part time. The guys who do ride fs are constantly tuning their shocks and seem to service their bikes after every ride but wtf do I know. If I did have a fs or a shock issue I would take it to one of my trusted mechanics at the shop. Paul, Carlos, Matius. They know their stuff and I trust them. Bike related questions all come with a smart-ass answer free of charge but they do good work and dispense good advice. Find the mechanic at your shop who ride fs and ask for their thoughts. Tip them with a six of good beer; it goes a long way.

 

[Dirtyhip]

7 hours ago, dennis said:

This is probably the best advice. A friend of mine tears his apart every or every other year and replaces bushings and seals. He says they wear out. And you are supposed to have your suspension rebuilt every year if you ride a lot. I never do. I usually go as long as possible between rebuilds. The same with brake bleeds and your brake pads. All cables and housing. Chain. Shit you should damn near rebuild the bike every year if you ride a lot.

I'd probably do what you do did and lube it to make the noise go away. Think about a rebuild in the off season. 

Check out the Fox maintenance schedule,  it's like ever 125 hours.  I believe it is super conservative, and it would require multiple rebuilds over a busy ride season. We do it about once a year, or every other year, if we get lazy.  During those lazy years, we have had failures in the middle of ride season. (which is the worst scenario). So, lately we just send it off during Dec or Jan. when the frame is getting full tear down.  It's a fun winter activity.  Clean all the parts, replace frame tape as needed, etc. 

https://www.ridefox.com/service.php?m=bike

Some of those simple fork things things, my husband can do, but the more complex service we send it to Cascade suspension works.  The guy there is excellent, and he used to work at Fox, so you are getting quality work done.

Chris didn't ask me. Thank you for the props on having solid advice on the matter, Dennis.  

[Dirtyhip]

1 hour ago, Old#7 said:

@ChrisL I am not the person to ask but thanks for thinking of me. I have never owned a suspension bike so I'm not really qualified other than working at a bike shop part time. The guys who do ride fs are constantly tuning their shocks and seem to service their bikes after every ride but wtf do I know. If I did have a fs or a shock issue I would take it to one of my trusted mechanics at the shop. Paul, Carlos, Matius. They know their stuff and I trust them. Bike related questions all come with a smart-ass answer free of charge but they do good work and dispense good advice. Find the mechanic at your shop who ride fs and ask for their thoughts. Tip them with a six of good beer; it goes a long way.

 

He didn't even think of asking me.     

[ChrisL]

7 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

He didn't even think of asking me.     

Whatcha mean, it was a given based on the title of the thread. I added Dennis & Old#7 as maybe’s based on their overall bike knowledge even though I didnt think they had full sussers.

Thanks all for the good advice!  I don’t know if I ride it “a lot” as I mix in other bikes but it’s probably due for a tear down soon.  

[Dirtyhip]

2 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

Whatcha mean, it was a given based on the title of the thread. I added Dennis & Old#7 as maybe’s based on their overall bike knowledge even though I didnt think they had full sussers.

Thanks all for the good advice!  I don’t know if I ride it “a lot” as I mix in other bikes but it’s probably due for a tear down soon.  

It's ok.  I would get this a lot at the bike shop I worked at too.  

Riding a lot on those given bikes is what I meant.  It's all about the amount of hours you have in on a given bike, and the kind of treatment they get when being ridden.  Example, if you ride in bad weather a lot, you are going to have more issues and need more service.  125 hours is what Fox says, but again...they are really conservative. If we followed that, we would be tearing down twice a year.

[ChrisL]

1 minute ago, Dirtyhip said:

It's ok.  I would get this a lot at the bike shop I worked at too.  

Riding a lot on those given bikes is what I meant.  It's all about the amount of hours you have in on a given bike, and the kind of treatment they get when being ridden.  Example, if you ride in bad weather a lot, you are going to have more issues and need more service.  125 hours is what Fox says, but again...they are really conservative. If we followed that, we would be tearing down twice a year.

Our conditions are dry & dusty.  It rarely gets wet unless I’m cleaning it.  I focused on drivetrain & suspension, they get the most attention.  

For the most part we ride rear round so nothing stoping me from doing a rebuild sooner but I’ll probably wait until i know my shop is open. I know a shock & fork service will be needed soon as well.

[Dirtyhip]

19 minutes ago, ChrisL said:

Our conditions are dry & dusty.  It rarely gets wet unless I’m cleaning it.  I focused on drivetrain & suspension, they get the most attention.  

For the most part we ride rear round so nothing stoping me from doing a rebuild sooner but I’ll probably wait until i know my shop is open. I know a shock & fork service will be needed soon as well.

Dirt is insidious.  The rare creak is often just a little too many grains of dirt.  Sometimes, you search and search, and it turns out to be the seat rails or something.  

Think pedals too.  Those can be the creak.  

[Dirtyhip]

Year round riding is tougher here, so they get all torn down when the snow flies.  That is when we resort to the bikes that handle snow the best, and we tear down the mountainbikes.  You folks are lucky that can ride almost all year, muddy trail excluded of course.  If you leave a track rut, leave the trail.

[dinneR ★]

30 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

Year round riding is tougher here, so they get all torn down when the snow flies.  That is when we resort to the bikes that handle snow the best, and we tear down the mountainbikes.  You folks are lucky that can ride almost all year, muddy trail excluded of course.  If you leave a track rut, leave the trail.

The trail closest to my place is still white. People were skiing yesterday. 

[donkpow]

I am glad you didn't ask me. Hope that helps.

[maddmaxx ★]

1 hour ago, dennis said:

The trail closest to my place is still white. People were skiing yesterday. 

I think if I lived where you do I'd take up RC drag boats.