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Thanks for the vote of confidence Scott 😀
Never wash the bike during winter (or summer for that matter)
Before the next ride, just wipe the dried dirt of the fork stanchions and shock body, and oil the chain . If you can be bothered removed the large clumps of dried mud from the frame and wheels.
😆
love the "3 winters and my bearings are fine" comments.Bet they are not.
A mate thought the bearings on his Commencal were fine till it went in for a service. Turns out the bearings are seized and appear to have been for some time, especially since he's been chasing a creak for months. The inner bearing race has worn a nice groove in the linkage bolt. Now waiting for a new one from Commencal, along with new bearings.
single pivot mafia 8)
I've only got one bike and it's a full susser...... Maybe I should stop riding in the winter!!!
I wasn’t aware that the British summer was that different from winter.
Issue is ongoing Creak/graunch
Are you aware of the issue with plastic suspension bushes creaking on 2016 Kona Process models? I understand that metal bushes are available as a warranty replacement.
https://m.pinkbike.com/forum/listcomments/?threadid=174141&pagenum=2
My 134 sounded like this:
I greased the bushes and it went away for a few months, but it's just come back so I'll be chasing the metal replacements.
Just debating a bearing change on my Jekyll as it faces its third winter but I'll probably wait until Spring as I'll be mainly riding rigid for the next few months and saving the Jekyll for great days.
The only problem is that creaking PF BB. Grrrr.
tilly dog Kona UK are involved guy mentioned what you said mines a 2014 so should have metal ones but he put some new metal ones in with the new bearings mine doesn't sound like that video!
Destroyed a set of Turner bearings in 2 winters. Getting sick of replacing jockey wheels. Currently rigid singlespeeding and about to build up a winter version of that for Ridgeway plugging - constant mud and grit even destroys rigid single speeds!
It’s not the frames/bearings/bushings that I worry about in crap weather, it’s the drivetrain and air suspension.
If things get soggy I tend to drag the road bike out. Or single speed with old bombers or the old Turner with Coil rear, Bombers front and SLX drivetrain.
I can go years between services on the open bath forks, I don’t think the coil Van rc has been opened once in 18 years.
Modern stuff is too needy.
I hear you oldfart, you are not alone. doesn't matter the make, i go through frame bearings like cups of tea.
+1
I clean and repack frame bearings every 3 months or so, with current bike and previous. It's the same story for both, if I wanted to keep them running buttery smooth I'd be replacing every 6 months or so. As it is I get 8-10 months out of a set of bearings.
Add in to that headsets (~10months) and BB's (last one lasted about 6 months with 2 stripdowns and regrease)
It's all just a bit of wear and tear in it.
Turner Czar 10491 miles - 4 Winters
Turner Flux 5381 - 3 winters.
But they've still needed maintenance.
Gratuitous 5 and mud pictures.[img] 
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My old Stumpy was ridden all year round for 8 years without a single service on the suspension. It was fine.
My newer Stumpy is now 2 years old and not the slightest issue. It gets hosed down every now and again and perhaps a bit of lube. Nothing else.
Its odd how some people claim their full suss bearings are fine after x years of riding in all conditions, and others (like me) need to change bearings every 12 months.
I guess its due to one of the following:-
1. riding in different locations
2. People not riding as much as they think they do ( I dont ride as frequently as most, and my bearings are shot after 12 months)
3. lack of rider sensitivity, ie people thinking their bike is still fine after numerous years, but really if they put new bearings in, it would be a night and day difference.
4. Maybe their bearings really do last forever, but I cant believe it , having had 3 full suss bikes over the last 10 years, and them all going through bearings at a similar rate.
Anyway - who cares - I know my bearings are shot after about 12 months, they cost £50 to replace, and its no big deal.
Its odd how some people claim their full suss bearings are fine after x years of riding in all conditions, and others (like me) need to change bearings every 12 months.
Depends quite a bit on the bike I reckon and the forces you put through the frame.
Also whenever bike wear is being talked about, consider geographical location. Different rocks in different parts of the country produce different soils and mud with very different properties.
Not the old "Full Sussers can't be used in winter" chestnut again.........
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Go on,give your bearings a treat. 😉
Reminds me, need some grease for the Zerks.
Is there one full Suss out there that is bombproof for our riding conditions
That Deviate on the front page has potential...
My 2011 5 is also fine. It gets hammered round The Dales & NYM, It's had one bearing change, I'm overweight & I rarely wash it. (apart from the drivetrain)
Debating whether to get rid on my 650b plus bike and invest in a full sus,but it will have to be my only ride throughout winter slop and in to summer.
The bike I'm looking at is a Specialized Camber - what are these like for bearing replacement, etc?
LRS bearing last forever, originals on an 07 and 04 frame.
Not sure on the 98 frame as someone else is riding it.
I don't baby my Hightower or Defy. My road and mountain bikes are year round. I have no winter bike or summer bike. Never had a bike that needed care through the winter. Light hose down after every ride.
Love mud. Replace parts on my hardtail all the time. Always wonder about these 'long time' reviews where nothing fails.
My full suspension bike: bike through evil mud as well. But pamper the suspension bearings. Water bucket and brush. Before I ride I peel off the dried dirt from the suspension bearing locations. Then I spray plenty of silicone onto them. Not for lubrication.
But the water/mud/dirt crap doesn't like the silicone? Doesn't creep into the gaps?
Full suspension silicone woodoo.
andreasrhoen bloke from Kona suggested using silicone spray as well , are they all the same ?
Use right now cheap silicone spray from the hardware store.
Before I used silicone spray from NIGRIN (called silicone hybrid or so). This was the better spray - but can't get it any more.
In summer dust conditions I don't use the spray. Dry dust sticks to the spray as well and might make things worse.
Silicone is not a great lubricant - means I use other stuff on the chain.
But water and mud doesn't like to creep and stick on the silicone. I guess that's the voodoo behind the suspension bushing thing?
Winter time: silicone on these spots before every ride...
SC & WHYTE LIFETIME bearing warranty only covers the bearings not the labour so they will supply you bearings only not fit them or pay to be fitted
pretty pointless considering oe bearings are pretty avg.
I've just ridden all of mine how I want to and never had a problem with any of them. On the infrequent occasions they want a bearing it's usually quick, easy and cheap. I can do every bearing in my remedy in under an hour, frinstance, with no special tools for IIRC £30. But of course it never needs them all done at the same time.
(Oh OK, Cotic Hemlock you get points off for the horst link pivots, which were a pain in the cock and needed done a little bit too often because they were so small. But even then it was an absolute nonissue)
OTOH today I took the rigid out around kirroughtree and now I need a new foot
Sell the bike and get something else OP.
Preferably a hardtail or an Orange.
They lasted as well as on anything else, but got bored of changing 10 bearings on my giants, so went single pivot with an orange. Would be happy to take a bit of a weight penalty for some oversized bearings to make them last longer.
One of the potential problems with cheap ball bearings:
The bearing seal is pretty good in keeping the grease in the bearing but lousy in keeping water and moisture out. Once moisture is in the bearings they will rust quickly - and sooner or later seize...
Possible that some mountain bike manufacturers use higher quality ball bearings for the pivots?
Most will use the (very) cheap stuff of course.
Or: are there really higher quality ball bearings which don't rust (in the "inside" when flooded with water)?