Wife has just got an sb5c frame and I was wondering about maintaining the infinity gizmo.

Online says regular greasing. Do I need to unscrew the ports a bit before I try and inject or leave as is?

Lbs also said bush tolerance was very tight so difficult to grease
Anyone any real world experience on these?

Ta
Will

http://www.ridefox.com/help.php?m=bike&id=465

Also
http://forums.mtbr.com/yeti/switch-infinity-maintenance-advice-needed-1011913.html
Haven’t tried to grease mine as yet. The Yeti folk seems to say less is more!

Yeah, but the Yeti folk also insist their rear triangles are “not gonna break, they’re sorted now”, and have done for the preceding 10 years.

I am on my third Infinity link in 18 months, each replaced under warranty through my LBS. The grease ports just don’t really work as you try and pump grease through a small hole that actually butts right up to the kashima stanchion so the force required to get it to seep around is too great and I find it just comes back out at me!

The suspension performance is absolutely awesome but, the whole link just isn’t sealed well enough to cope with Scottish/UK grit, grime, mud and the inevitable washing. My previous two links when taken apart after 3-4 months have had large patches of no kashima coating left on them and the bearings seized. The remedy is easy, to take the link out once a month, give it a good clean and regrease but, that requires a bit of mechanical confidence and the whole link area must be spotless and torqued correctly when putting it back together so that the alignment of the rails and link are spot on. Any deviation can create tiny gaps in the seal allowing more grit into the link etc. And at £270 for a new link, once the warranty period (2 years on the link) runs out, it could be an expensive bill every few months if not regularly maintained. I wrote to Yeti/Fox asking what their R&D departments are doing to make the link more robust for anywhere else but the Colorado dust but not had a response.

Best bike and suspension performance I have ever ridden, but needs TLC. As the whole bike is based around that link, if it’s not working at full awesomeness the whole ride is affected.

I wrote to Yeti/Fox asking what their R&D departments are doing to make the link more robust for anywhere else but the Colorado dust but not had a response.

UK riding conditions are notoriously ‘challenging’ though; can’t imagine they’re worse than eg. British Columbia but do you remember the thing in the mag a while back where Californians were introduced to Calderdale mud?

Sadly there are quite a lot of products made in the states that just don’t work in the UK conditions.

Crank Bros, E13 wheels to name a few.

If it was my bike Id see if you can get a new one under warranty then flog it.

cheers guys. its brand new last week so trying to understand how to keep it going without toing and froing on warranties. I wonder if a thinner grease/oil may help with lubing as its tight?

BC does look like it would be similarly hard on bikes but I wonder what the underlying geology is?

Like down here in the south east of England, some of the hills are on chalk, some are on sandstone. The trails on sandstone drain much better but the mud destroys brake pads and knackers anything it gets into that moves, whilst the mud on the chalky trails is friendly to components (but really difficult to ride in the winter!) And some of these trails are literally only miles apart.

It isn’t just the amount of mud and wet but what the mud is made of, particle size, particle hardness, etc.

the whole link just isn’t sealed well enough to cope with Scottish/UK grit, grime, mud and the inevitable washing

😯

I would’ve thought this was patently obvious… 😉

Seriously, if I had one of these beautiful bikes (or could even afford one), there is no way on Earth it would get anywhere near the worst UK, grit, grime and a jetwash. Ever.

I’d use a crapper bike for those conditions and take the Yeti out when things were mintier.

These top-end boutique bikes are like F1 cars, or racehorses – ready to explode hysterically into pieces at a moment’s notice, but amazing to ride if looked after carefully and when conditions are right.

UK conditions at their worst simply aren’t normal.

I wonder if a thinner grease/oil may help with lubing as its tight?

I think there is a specific make/model of grease recommended, probably for a good reason.

I think the combination of UK conditions and our love of using aggressive degreasers like muc off and jetwashes to clean bikes instead of carefully brushing and rinsing mud off are beyond the nightmares of most US bike designers.

Seriously, if I had one of these beautiful bikes (or could even afford one), there is no way on Earth it would get anywhere near the worst UK, grit, grime and a jetwash. Ever.

It would never get ridden!

OK, cards on the table, I’m a Yeti fanboy.

I’ve ridden my SB5C in some hideous slop and thick clag since January last year. I’ve greased the SI link once, using the right grease and it’s just fine. The zerk fittings get clogged easily which is a pain, but they can be easily unscrewed and flushed with a bit of GT85. You don’t get much grease in, so once it starts to come out of the body and onto the little Kashima coated stanchions, stop.

Admittedly, I have never used a hose to wash my bike, always a brush and bucket. Maybe that helps?

Yetis are designed in Colorado. They have plenty of mud in the Colorado Rockies to test them on…

Seriously, if I had one of these beautiful bikes (or could even afford one), there is no way on Earth it would get anywhere near the worst UK, grit, grime and a jetwash. Ever.

Pfft. Then Tom wouldn’t have ridden the bike from September to May! Seriously, it’s been awful mud conditions this winter. I’ve been through all 12 bearings in my Reign, a headset, BB, chainring, chain ,cassette, dropper post. All in 4 months from December.

The US guys don’t rid in mud. Their trails are closed when the weather is pants.

They don’t do R&D in the mud.

Its a race to make the latest product, testing it doesn’t happen.

Gosh, some quotes from STW when the Switch-magic-infinlink first came out…

– does look like a mud magnet – and one which is fiddly to get to so the temptation to blast it to buggery with a jet wash

– all the extra gubbins around the bb. Extra maintenance, extra stuff to keep clean

– Will wait and see how reliable that link is….

– Be interesting to see how that link holds up in the grit and grime of a UK winter

Makes you think… maybe we’re not so stupid

The US guys don’t rid in mud. Their trails are closed when the weather is pants.

that’s balls, Transition for example are pacific north west and it’s a very wet place. My Transition bearings lasted amazingly well compared to the Giant and Yeti I had before, very well protected indeed. Santa Cruz seem to last very well too on some friends’ bikes.

They don’t do R&D in the mud.

Its a race to make the latest product, testing it doesn’t happen.

That’s balls too – I know you’re just trolling but if you were so inclined there’s quite a bit about the testing online.

Makes you think… maybe we’re not so stupid

Stupid would be using a sample size of 1 to make a judgement about something, but this is stw so that probably passes as conclusive proof.

Stupid would be using a sample size of 1

Good job I used 4 quotes from 4 different people then eh. Stupid would be making incorrect assumptions.

Stupid would be using a sample size of 1 to make a judgement about something, but this is stw so that probably passes as conclusive proof.

This.

Good job I used 4 quotes from 4 different people then eh. Stupid would be making incorrect assumptions.

Your 4 quotes are randoms off the internet hypothetically pondering, not real world events

The sample size I mention of 1 is the one person in this thread who has had wear problems which you are suggesting substantiates your quotes

It’s not rocket science.

BY that same token, there are plenty of folk with switch infinity bikes who haven’t had problems. Myself included.

Big thumbs up here 🙂

Get ready for the “you call that muddy!?!?!” comments, Pinetree…

am under no impression its not going to be easy to keep clean and running smooth and living up north I expect it will get dirty – a lot. so thanks for the experiences of those that have the bike i’ll take them on board and let you all know if disaster strikes

wife loves the bike and just wants us to do all we can to keep it running

cheers

Bigjim – I have a Transition, had it for about 6 years and the bearings have only needed changing once. I ride all winter and jet wash it to death 🙂

So not all US bike makers are poor with mud. But I have read quite a few comments about Yeti in particular. A good mate of mine had one with bearings that needed changing so much the frame wore out. You could tip them out, no need for a press 🙂 At least it made changing them quick.

Remember that DH bike they made with the sliding plastic bit the shock was mounted to – that was plain daft.

The difference between Transition and Yeti is that they test their bikes in the Pacific Midwest (where it’s nearly always wet and muddy in the woods) as opposed to lovely sunny Colorado and their bikes hold up well in our less than favourable weather conditions.
Transition also take their time getting products into production (as far as I can see). We had an original TR450 and not only was it indestructable and one of the best DH bikes I’ve ever ridden, it barely needed any maintenance (besides a bit of a wipe and lube) and performed flawlessly regardless of if it had been put away clean or not the previous time. It was the same with the GF’s Covert, only problem with that was it came with Fox 34 CTDs, she wore out the complete drivetrain, brakes and wheels before it even needed a bearing change/

So while I agree that the Yanks can make bikes that survive in the UK, I just don’t think Yeti do.

Tom KP

So not all US bike makers are poor with mud

Exactly.

My ASR5 bearings were exposed as were my Giant, they lasted OK though, but jetwashing and mucoff would probably be hard on them. Not sure what both are like these days, looking at the pic up there they look like they are covered now anyway. I test rode an SB6c and the link thingy didn’t hold as much mud as I feared, though it wasn’t claggy mud like pic above. I figured using the specified grease, no jetwash or mucoff and they’d last as well as fork stanchions. Couldn’t afford the bugger in the end though!

How do you clean out crap like in Pinetree’s pic?
That sort of thing that made old mountain bike mates of mine turn roadie! 😉

Get ready for the “you call that muddy!?!?!” comments, Pinetree…

Silverfish staff in “pro Yeti comment shocka”!

How do you clean out crap like in Pinetree’s pic?

Use a very low power hose, like on a flower watering setting, a brush, and some elbow grease.

Or, take it to a car wash a blast the absolute shit out of it with a pressure washer, and whinge about it being poorly sealed on your favourite bike mag website. 😉

rickon,

Or, take it to a car wash a blast the absolute shit out of it with a pressure washer, and whinge about it being poorly sealed on your favourite bike mag website.

I find that quite offensive. I have not whinged, I made a statement that is true fact on how my bike has fared over two Scottish winters. I have never once taken it to a car wash, blasted the **** out of it or used a pressure washer on it. I was trying to answer willv’s question constructively from my experience.

How do you clean out crap like in Pinetree’s pic?

As Rickon says, just a quick hose down really. It’s doesn’t need to be scrubbed to within an inch of its life 🙂

Or yeah, you can pressure wash the shît out of it and then wonder why there’s no grease left inside.

Edit- @tom.nash that’s not directed at you btw. Just a general observation.

In refer nice to the earlier question about grease, they recommend a particular molybdenum (spelling?) grease. Can’t remember what it is exactly, but they’re selling their own specific grease now which is pretty cheap. Seems quite thin, so it slides through the link well.
I normally pop a wee bit of grease in my link every 4 months or so. Depends on conditions though. I don’t ride that much sloppy muddy crap any more, mostly down to my sheer hatred of cleaning my bike, and having to hose down my riding kit after every ride… If I was riding more through winter, I’d probably be greasing it a little bit more often.

How do you clean out crap like in Pinetree’s pic?

How do you clean your botty? With a jetwash and mucoff?

I find that quite offensive.

I don’t think it was necessarily aimed at you, just the general trend of the way things go on the interwebs. eg my headset is rubbish, I fitted it with this rock and it’s damaged.

Someone else’s towel usually.

Silverfish staff in “pro Yeti comment shocka”!

Ha! I don’t work for Silverfish. It’d be quite a commute; they’re 170 miles away. 😆

Ha! I don’t work for Silverfish. It’d be quite a commute; they’re 170 miles away.

I wernt talking about you 😉

I find that quite offensive. I have not whinged

Apologies Tom, my comment wasn’t directed at you at all. It was an observation of newbies to riding that I see at garages trying to get that last piece of mud out of their fork seals by using a jet washer.

Anyone who’s ridden a bike for more than a year wouldn’t get a jet wash near any moving parts or seals.

Seals don’t like jet washes. Oh no.

I once watched in fascination as a guy spent perhaps 2 minutes trying to blast a bit of dried mud from behind his fork wipers with the jetwash at glentress, he ran out of money then came back for more. His fork lowers must have been half full of water by the end

They have plenty of mud in the Colorado Rockies to test them on…

actually it isn’t balls, and it is true they don’t ride wet trails, in Colorado at any rate. We’ve stayed with some ex-pat mates who live in Boulder and ridden various areas of Co, and they are anal about trail protection. Many of their trails have open/closed signs at the starts, and suggesting you ride in or after the rain puts you in the Jimmy Saville bracket.

Which isnt to defend poor US components, Yeti and CB just appear to make fragile kit bought by Americans who don’t ride much.

Which is an excuse to revisit

http://theteamrobot.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/breaking-news-from-team-robot_20.html

and

Brilliant 🙂