[jdcamb]

I work on my bike because of necessity. I have no money and if I can't do it then it doesn't get done. So for this reason I only buy parts I can service. The latest wiz bang stuff is cool but most of it can't be serviced without going to the shop and having them send it in for service, then waiting to get it back. You basically have to pay to play. My question is why don't more shops service suspension components themselves? I have never found a fork I couldn't rebuild. I know it is a pain in the ass but if you charged accordingly then instead of making no money you could atleast make some right? It would keep your staff busy during slow times. And hey if you did a good job then you most certainly bring more folks into your shop to spend money. Locally if you want your fork or shock serviced not one shop will do it for you. Even something as simple as changing the oil on your Marz or putting new seals on your Fox. They all send it out. Even shops with seasoned mechanics do this. I was even told by a shop (not a local one) that you can't rebuild a Fox Talas. Well when I told the guy I had just done it he was like "are you sure you did it" ?? Yeah I going to recommend my bud to go there... So in order to get my buds fork serviced he either has to ship his fork here, have me service it, then send it back to him. or take it to his local shop, have them send it to Fox, let them sit on it until they get around to it, then pick it up 2/3 weeks later. Plus he has to pay $75 plus shippng. All for something that takes 1 hour to do. If a local shop did it they could have it done in maybe 2 days and everyone would be happier. The money would stay local too. Man I should open a shop just to do fork/shock service. I will never understand the fear folks have working on thier bikes? ........jdcamb

 

[stosh]

I work on my bike because of necessity. I have no money and if I can't do it then it doesn't get done. So for this reason I only buy parts I can service. The latest wiz bang stuff is cool but most of it can't be serviced without going to the shop and having them send it in for service, then waiting to get it back. You basically have to pay to play. My question is why don't more shops service suspension components themselves? I have never found a fork I couldn't rebuild. I know it is a pain in the ass but if you charged accordingly then instead of making no money you could atleast make some right? It would keep your staff busy during slow times. And hey if you did a good job then you most certainly bring more folks into your shop to spend money. Locally if you want your fork or shock serviced not one shop will do it for you. Even something as simple as changing the oil on your Marz or putting new seals on your Fox. They all send it out. Even shops with seasoned mechanics do this. I was even told by a shop (not a local one) that you can't rebuild a Fox Talas. Well when I told the guy I had just done it he was like "are you sure you did it" ?? Yeah I going to recommend my bud to go there... So in order to get my buds fork serviced he either has to ship his fork here, have me service it, then send it back to him. or take it to his local shop, have them send it to Fox, let them sit on it until they get around to it, then pick it up 2/3 weeks later. Plus he has to pay $75 plus shippng. All for something that takes 1 hour to do. If a local shop did it they could have it done in maybe 2 days and everyone would be happier. The money would stay local too. Man I should open a shop just to do fork/shock service. I will never understand the fear folks have working on thier bikes? ........jdcamb

Can I pay you to rebuild a fork for me?

 

[jdcamb]

Can I pay you to rebuild a fork for me?

Sure....PM me....

 

[binary visions]

Hmm... May just be a locale issue. My shop will service anything short of rear shocks.

I thought the cartridges in the TALAS were not user servicable? I know you can pull the fork apart and change the bath oil, seals, bushings and such but...

 

[Echo]

You know a shop that will do that stuff... unless you don't consider it "local".

 

[jdcamb]

You know a shop that will do that stuff... unless you don't consider it "local".

I do I do, my bad. How much for a Fox Forx Float RLC service?

 

[MMcG]

I think Push Industries may be on to something mighty big in the rebuild work they do on shocks and forks. I have yet to read a negative about their work and their prices are cheap.

So maybe you are on to something jdcamb - but instead of just repairing, what about improving people's shocks over the way they arrive stock?

 

[CHOP]

There are 8 shops within 35 miles of me and I know of only 1 that would even attempt to fool with a fork. Pretty sure they would change the oil, but doubt they would rebuid it. Safe to say that they would touch a rear shock tho....

 

[stosh]

Jdcamb you got a PM.

 

[Transcend]

When i worked for fox in Montreal, the local shop did everything from DHX rear shocks to float forx. Handy having the fox distributor sharing the same building!

All non fox stuff was also serviced by the regular mechanics downstairs. Should be an easy $75 for a shop with halfway competent mechanics.

 

[ALEXIS_DH]

haha, i service mine in a motocross shop here.
they service everything, from shivers, boxxers to 5th elements.
20 bucks the complete rebuild for most rear shocks, new oil, seals and labor.

hell, they even ghetto-rig them to fine tune them for the rider.....

 

[mplutodh1]

Shop I worked at over the summer and holidays will work on almost all forks. Shocks are a different story due to the fact that you have to charge them and make sure their is no air in the oil (not hard but most shops aren't going to know how).

I was given the title "Suspension Expert" over the summer which had its goods and bads, any suspension question or repair came my way (in addition to all disc brakes). I rebuilt several forks over my stay. The problem is that forks and shocks are not things you can easily start... put down and come back to without risking problems (ie oil spilling by someone bumping it, contamination, etc) this causes a problem in most shops because they are short staffed, when someone walks in you have to go help them. Although the sign says "EMPLOYEES ONLY" its only a matter of time before some idiot pushes his 1950s schwinn into the back and bumps the repair stand/bench causing problems.

Plus suspension parts are expensive when worked on imporperly. Put a BMX bike in the hands of a newbie mechanic and you probably wont have problems. Put a $1000 fork in someones hands and who knows what you'll come up with. Put the wrong size wrench on something and strip it the bill climbs QUICK! if you can even get the parts.