Another MTB question! (forks again)

[kieran]

Finally got a pair of forks, 2nd hand marzocchi MX comp - recently serviced - but do I still need to bring it to a bike shop to get the forks adjusted to my weight? or can this be done at home with a little know how?

[Grahame]

Assuming that they are air sprung forks, it's easy to do at home - if you have a suitable pump (you are welcome to borrow mine)

The method is:

Find a wall to lean against.
Put a zip tie loosly enough to move, tight enough to stay where it is moved to, around one of the stanchions of your fork (stanchions are the bits that the sliders move up and down on), resting against the top of the slider.
Gently sit on the bike and get into your normal (seated) cycling position.
Gently get off the bike (trying not to compress the forks any further).
Look at where the zip tie has moved to. You are looking to get about 25% of the forks travel used as "sag" - this allows the legs to extend into dips as well as compress over bumps.
Add or remove air from the fork and repeat until you are happy.

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote]Finally got a pair of forks,

[Elliot M]

just to note that you can just about use some types of tyre pump, but it's pretty fiddly. if you do get a shock pump you will need a low pressure one, rather than the high pressure that rockshox etc need, and it will cost you about £25. i think most mx comps are air, but possibly some have steel springs?

[kieran]

fork tech details:

Damping system: Dual SSv
Adjustability: 1 side: ETA
1 side: SSV air
Spring type: Air - longer negative coil spring

does that help?

[higg]

I use a high pressure pump for the marzocchi forks also but you lose some accuracy because of the scale on the pressure dial (marz forks take about 2-3bar). You can try to use a normal pump with a car type valve but becasue the valve is recessed into the fork most pumps can't connect to it, maybe if you have an old style one with the flexible hose. Another advantage with shock pumps is they are designed so you minimise air loss when you disconnect therefore keeping the same pressure.

[Marky Mark]

Which forks would you recommend for this?



[img]http://www.steve-z.com/images/2008/robtrestle.jpg[/img]

[kieran]

depends on the size of the drop at the end, probably full sus would be required as you land on your rear wheel?

[Will]

you need some bottle to ride that...

... wearing those trousers

[Andrew G]

[quote="Will"]... wearing those trousers

[kieran]

another question,

front hub spacing is 100mm standard for QR hubs?

I got a hope pro 2 front hub with the QR conversion kit which will not fit into the fork, hub measures around 105mm, fork spacing 100mm.