Due to the wonderfully dry conditions we’ve been having my local puddles seem to have turned into lakes and I ended up handlebar deep last night. So wondering if anyone has any experience of what to expect after fully submerging your suspension forks and/or shock in water for a minute of riding? Does much water get in, or do the seals keep it mostly out? I’m a bit tight on time to service them before the bike is used in anger on Sunday, so hoping I can get away without doing so!

The sus in question is a RS Reba and Monarch

Cheers!

No personal experience with anything other than rock shox, but you should be able to drop the lowers off very easily to check. You’ll probably need to replenish the suspension oil and if there’s water in there I’d suggest you replace the seals*. If it were me I’d do a basic service whilst at it.

*My first instinct is that if your seals are in good order you should be ok. I might be horribly wrong though.

seals in good condition no water should get in but I’d probably drop the lowers to check – don’t take long

+1 drop the lowers. takes no time at all and only good can come out of it.

Should be fine – if water can get in you’d have seen oil running out previously.

I’d be more worried about the bottom bracket, wheel bearings, suspension bearings etc.

Thanks guys, I’ll drop the lowers and take a look inside, if it’s a swimming pool in there I’ll attempt to do the shock as well.

Seals should be airtight, which should be plenty good enough to keep water out. Bearings more of an issue.