Just wondering. Been riding hardtails ever since I had an Orange 5 c.3 years ago which I sold for a couple of reasons, one of which being that the rear shock was a pain in the backside, going back to Mojo on a few occasions about 5 months apart for warranty work. Picked up a Banshee Prime second hand 6 months ago, had the Cane Creek DBAir serviced at TF when I bought it and that now has air somewhere it’s not supposed to be, albeit it after a weekend in Chatel with a day or two in the bike park. Aside from that it’s probably been ridden twice a month at a guess on local surrey hills trails so it feels like relatively little use since the service. I weigh 100kg and ride at a reasonable pace but I’m certainly not doing big jumps or hammering through aggressive terrain every weekend. And I don’t jetwash the shock either. Just frustrated again at what seems to be rear suspension faff.

Sounds like you need a coil shock 🙂

less than I should… that reminds me…
Air shocks for years now, service intervals about once every couple of years for a send off one try and do air cans yearly. No real issues (all Fox)

Never.

My old Specialized Enduro from 2004, not once other than a lower can wipe/grease in 7 years.

Everything else i’ve broken/sold within a year so i’ll go with never.

Hmmm. Why the bejesus do I keep destroying rear shocks then? TF set the rebound etc up and I set the sag based on the Canecreek guidance. I guess I run at the upper end of the pressure range because of my weight but that shouldn’t be the issue.

Whoops – never on my Czar. Wipe and dry. 8000 miles. I guess it could do with it.

I used to service air cans on my fox shocks – to be honest don’t bother any more despite how easy it is. reason being they always look immaculate on the inside when taken apart.

I have had both of the current ones PUSH tuned though as the propedal seamed to do nothing – much better for it

When it’s broken, like any normal person.

never service it I can get a replacement for the price of two services or one if buy second hand

Last one lasted 6 years before it completely died

This thread is making me feel much better about my lack of shock care.

OP, i’m afraid you are cursed. You need God my friend, they’ll sort this shock funk out for you.

Junkyards post is food for thought…

Never. It’s a complete waste of money unless it’s broken. I do the basic strip, clean and lube regularly but nothing more until it needs it. Servicing prices are stupid and I would rather run one until it dies and buy the newest and greatest with the money saved. I usually get about 5 years from a shock and have had them serviced in the past but not any more.

Once in 10 years and that was probably a waste of time. Got it done after bike wasn’t used for 18 months but no noticable difference. Perhaps I am not the best marker as front forks serviced every 2-3 years. If I really believed Fox forks need servicing every 3-6 months I’d never have them on a bike

Had mine on a Yeti since 2009 – never serviced and still fine.

Every year.

Fox rear shock on my Sub 5 after about 8years! May get the Cane Creek on the newish bike serviced this year but only cos I’m a tart and want a black shaft. Hang on the sounds not quite right…

if you aren’t bothered about the performance side of things then yeah if it ain’t broke etc
If you are though it makes a massive difference after only a few months of riding
I work on a fair few shocks and a solid couple of weeks in the Alps will have a shock performing way below what it’s capable of , depends a lot on the rider the terrain and the shock in question
For me the the trick is in finding someone that will change the damper oil and charge the ifp for you with out all the full service kit and sending it off expense

My Avy shock starts to sound and feel poorly after 6-8 months of reasonably hard riding so it gets regular services but my old Push’d Float R has only been done twice in 5 years.

Hmmm. Why the bejesus do I keep destroying rear shocks then?

and

I weigh 100kg and ride at a reasonable pace

might be related

might be related

Yes, thought had crossed my mind. Could understand it on the old Five as they’re pretty weedy shocks but thought the DBAir would be different. Besides, although I’m at what is probably the upper end of the range I’m not that heavy!

Worded this topic poorly at the start as it should have been how often do people break their rear shock but the replies pretty much answer that anyway.

yeah, you’re not that heavy, but if you’re moving at a reasonable lick, then you’re still putting a lot of work through the shock. They can get pretty hot (especially in places like Chatel), and air can easily leak past the seals

I never service as frequently as suggested. I’d be servicing the things every couple of weeks!

Left shock and fork on an old bike for years and decided to give it a go servicing and have to say it felt great after that.

I don’t notice that it needs it though until I ride another bike with decent serviced shocks. Noticed that recently with Pikes on one bike feeling way better than the Pike on another. Just reminded me of how the Pike originally felt. So time to service I guess.

Different levels of service also. Basic air can on rear or lowers on forks is dead simple and I should do it more often. Have done upper service also. A little more faff/mess but not difficult.

had the Cane Creek DBAir serviced at TF when I bought it and that now has air somewhere it’s not supposed to be

I seem to recall there was a warning about doing or not doing something on install that can end up with air in the wrong place, but can’t find where I read that now. Or maybe it was another shock.

And then there’s a seal between the chambers that if goes can get the shock stuck down, and the manual warns to never to open the thing if it is stuck down.

Bike is 4 years old, rear shock has been done twice. The second time it was actually pretty broken (needed a new can). Felt like a new bike after that but I’d just got used being half broken for so long.

Every couple of years, tops. Fox Kashima air cans. Just spray with Fenwicks suspension lube after each ride and wipe off. I ride all year round, 10 hours per week, in the shitty Pennines. Orange single pivots.

I seem to recall there was a warning about doing or not doing something on install that can end up with air in the wrong place, but can’t find where I read that now. Or maybe it was another shock.

And then there’s a seal between the chambers that if goes can get the shock stuck down, and the manual warns to never to open the thing if it is stuck down.

When it first went it sounded like the whole rear linkage was loose. Spent ages head scratching whilst checking the bolts before realising it was the shock which made a clanking noise on compression. Left it overnight and the noise had gone but there’s definitely air in the wrong place.

Air sleeve I do myself once or twice a year at most. Damper service – when it starts no damping so well. The last one was nearly three years the oil and nitrogen charge had mixed and it was quacking and getting out of shape in the chop.

I rode my Banshee Prime in Chatel last week (and all over the PDS area)…with an X Fusion Vector HLR Coil. Perhaps look at a coil.

I have an Inline for UK riding, which despite it’s pretty shocking reliability record in general has been perfect for me. Had that 16 months, 2000km, not serviced it yet. Not planning to until it feels ropey.

Interesting ehrob and thanks. Will have a look at the Xfusion. Did cross my mind about stumping up for the cane creek coil given you can get it with a climb switch and just running it all the time although I don’t know if I can get the right length.

Re your DB Inline. Interesting article on pinkbike re the new Cane Creek shock and why the original Inlines were problematic. Sounds like you’ve got one from the post issue period.

Does the ride characteristic change much with the coil?

Damn!!! I must remember never to buy a 2nd hand shock off any of you guys! 😆

I get my rear shock serviced every year, it makes a big difference. I never notice it getting worse, I only ever notice it once it has been done.

Pikes on the Trance have the lower oil changed three times this year so far, every 25hrs of riding or so. Charger damper has been drained and bled once.

Lyriks have done two weeks in Alp D’Huex/Morzine and have had a few rides before hand, will be pulled apart and serviced next week.

When the forks start to feel odd/dry/etc, will service them (atleast a lower oil change). Rear shocks are less frequent at once a year or when needed.
(Forks are done by me, shocks go to TF/Mojo/etc)

FYI, year to date have ridden 2000miles and decended 240,000ft (between two bikes), so in my eyes the servicing is completely reasonable.

I pay a lot of money to get my rear shock serviced every year, and i think it makes a big difference

😉

Having done wasted money like exactly this once before (and been just as ‘convinced’), I’ve since realised rear shock servicing is just not worth it in practice. Forks yes, definitely and regularly. Rear shock hmmmm…

Perhaps if you do thousands of miles in grinding paste gloop each year and leave your bike outside to rot in the rain maybe.. 😉

The biggest in this factor – by far – I’ve found is renewing and regreasing the shock bushings. That really does make a BIG difference. Do the frame bearings at the same time as this and you will be in plushville-central. Costs a few quid.

Rear shock servicing? Simply not convinced it’s even needed or gives any real VFM.

Having done wasted money like exactly this once before (and been just as ‘convinced’), I’ve since realised rear shock servicing is just not worth it in practice. Forks yes, definitely and regularly. Rear shock hmmmm…

Though I’m firmly in the “I only fix it when its broke” camp, I’m wondering why you’d have your forks serviced but not your rear shock.

I think it depends on a whole host of related factors:
The bike design – I’ve had more issues with single pivot directly actuated shocks than any other (Orange single pivots, ‘dale prophets etc). I’m told this is because they place a little bit more sideways stress on the shock.
The leverage ratio – to get the correct sag high leverage ratios require higher spring rates for a given rider weight. This puts extra stress on all the internal seals. The bikes I’ve had that have a high leverage ratio had hot to the touch shocks after a good long DH section, whereas those that had low ratios did not.
My weight – directly related to the leverage ratio and spring rate; a heavier weight rider will always put more stress through a shock than a light weight rider of similar riding style.
How regular I ride – a bit like car service intervals, the more mileage I do the sooner I’ll need a service.

Although forks are often in the firing line of trail crap, so too are many rear shocks. That said, I think the rear shock has to work a lot harder than the forks, so to me, it stands to reason that a rear shock service is just as important as a fork service.

Edit: In fact, whilst reading this its occurred to me that whilst I’ve had a couple of warranty claims on forks, I’ve had warranty issues with every single fox RP23 I’ve owned, which I think is down to the fact they have to work bloody hard compared to the forks.

I must confess that I rarely bother with servicing myself. I’ll normally go for a service every two years or so, the logic being that I have two suspension bikes and therefore I share the wear and tear.

I bought a secondhand Inline from the forums a few months back. So far it’s been absolutely fine, although I did notice some compression noise as I rode around Bedgebury at the weekend. I didn’t feel any degradation in suspension performance though.

To the OP: For what its worth, if you’re a bit heavier than average a coil shock is probably the best bet for you. I bought a very simple Fox Van R and had it Push tuned at a year old – its now about 6 years old and works as good as when new. Ok, its heavier on the bike but I don’t mind because I like the way a coil shock feels (bit more sensitive and quick to react in my opinion), and once I’m riding the weight isn’t noticeable. Also, rather than dithering over losing a few grams from my bike, my riding would probably benefit more from losing a few grams off my arse..!

I’m wondering why you’d have your forks serviced but not your rear shock.

I’ve killed two pairs of forks over the years through a combination of a less-than-totally-zealous servicing regime and riding in really crap conditions.

I’ve never once managed to kill a shock, or see it degrade in performance either. Despite only externally cleaning shock shafts (-ooh er?) and never servicing them whatsoever. They’ve been ridden hard in exactly the same crappy conditions as those two pairs of dead forks for years.