Front Air Shocks losing air

[flugelboneman]

Talked about this previous. Question: When forks low on air they bottom out, creating a bit of a bang. Will this harm the mechanism if low on air? Would it be better to lock suspension out when low on air?

 

[Mtl_Biker]

Talked about this previous. Question: When forks low on air they bottom out, creating a bit of a bang. Will this harm the mechanism if low on air? Would it be better to lock suspension out when low on air?

My guess is that if they make a bang when bottoming out, it can't be doing any good. How much harm is hard to tell. What I would do is to lock out the suspension when/if that happens.

Why are your shocks loosing air? Is it normal to loose air over time? How much time? But for now I've been riding with my shock pump (it's really very small) in my pannier, together with spare tube and some tools.

 

[flugelboneman]

Thx for input. Do not know why shocks losing air. Chasing that down with dealer. They already informed me about shock pump and will probably buys one, but do not like fact that forks are losing air.

 

[Mtl_Biker]

Thx for input. Do not know why shocks losing air. Chasing that down with dealer. They already informed me about shock pump and will probably buys one, but do not like fact that forks are losing air.

Funny thing about shocks and particularly air shocks... I have a full front and rear suspension mountain bike, a Specialized StumpJumper Comp XC, which I've ridden for years. I'm not a crazy young jump over stumps kind of guy and mostly used it on nature paths and the road. I'd been finding it somewhat "spongy" the last few times I've used it. When I got my Giant Explore E+1 a few weeks ago, the front air shock was really spongy and I didn't know anything about how they work or how to adjust them. And I even told some people that my experience was only with oil shocks which for some reason I thought the StumpJumper had. Anyway, your tread earlier about loosing air and the research I did convinced me to buy a dedicated shock pump. I was surprised how small and light it was. I pumped up the shock on the E+1 and then noticed for the very first time that the StumpJumper also had air shocks. I really hadn't known or believed they did. So I used my new pump to fill them up appropriately and wow, what a transformation on the bike.

I'd been riding it for years like that without realizing. Duh.

 

[flugelboneman]

Yeh, well I am joining your "DUH" club. Its amazing what we learn, even in later years. I will invest in a shock pump, but still want to know why it is losing air.

 

[rich c]

Could be the core on the valve, or seals inside the tubes. Put a little soapy water on the end of the valve to check it’s core.

 

[flugelboneman]

Thx for tip. Will be taking to shop.

 

[flugelboneman]

Bike Shop tightened air receiver. Shocks down again, so have purchased a shock pump. Now I just need to know what psi to set.

 

[Mtl_Biker]

Bike Shop tightened air receiver. Shocks down again, so have purchased a shock pump. Now I just need to know what psi to set.

Are you saying air is still leaking out after the shop tightened the air receiver? I guess I should check mine, as I haven't checked since first adjusting them about 450 km ago. Mine might be leaking too and I just didn't notice because it's gradual. (Like the frog and the boiling water... gradual and you don't notice.)

 

[flugelboneman]

Yeah, like ur frog and boiling water analogy. It cud be leaking and then it could be my head. Just bought the shock pump so will check air pressure when we get home from rv trip. i just need to know what optimum pressure is. think it depend on ur weight?

 

[Mtl_Biker]

Yeah, like ur frog and boiling water analogy. It cud be leaking and then it could be my head. Just bought the shock pump so will check air pressure when we get home from rv trip. i just need to know what optimum pressure is. think it depend on ur weight?

You've got some answers (including mine) in the other thread you started.