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New forks are sticky
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
Fox 34 Talas:
Still waiting for a frame to attach the fork to, but working them they feel very sticky. After a few pumps they get smoother but breaking that initial friction always takes a lot of effort, and after hours of no use the travel is... sticky.
Normal?
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seals, bushes, valves are all in their brand new just machined or molded condition. The sliding components will bed together over the first few rides, so bushes will 'loosen' up and stantions and bushes will get impregnated with fork oil, (the fork fluid will displace the assembly fluid) so the tribology will be correct and get to design levels of sticktion.
Fox apparently use Float Fluid to lube the felt wipers at manufacture, and it's advised in many service videos or intructions, but when you pull the fork down there's usually only ever fork oil on the seals. Seem's that Fox Float fluid is effectively assembly lube for forks and as such stickier to keep it in the bearing/wiper area over the unpredictable time between manufacture and first use and still maintain 'some' lubrication on the sliding surfaces.
Seals will also take on (absorb or get coated in) some lubricant over time and the (relatively) rough molded surface will buff smooth... think sprues and flash wearing off road slick tyres over a few rides as a macro example.
Try standing the fork inverted after your next play with it and see if there's any change in feel afterwards.
Thanks for that.
I figured as much. Just didn't want to build the whole thing only to figure it's not right.
Have left them upside down overnight. No change I can notice. I'll leave them that way till the build
Apparently TALAS have many more seals than a Float or similar. This may be part of the issue?
I have owned 3 TALAS and what you are describing sounds normal.
Like any fork they take a ride or two to wear in when new or after a rebuild.
Compressing a few times is nothing compared to the first km when you put this on a bike.
Also once it is your body weight compressing it through your frame you should be surprised how much less sticky it feels compared to compressing it with your arms.
On rare occasions I have had a fault where the TALAS pressure chamber dumped air into the bottom of the fork which gave no small bump compliance and a ramping spring rate. However I doubt this had happened on a new fork.
Hi Guys
There's an interesting article in What MTB (UK)this month on how manufacturers are allegedly dumbing down their forks as the punters (Us great buying public) are befuddled by the complexity of pos/neg pressure, compression, rebound, threshold blow off, etc etc & are making their minds up on bikes based on the feel of the suspension in the car park outside the shop.
Stiction for the first few rides always used to be accepted as the norm & with some forks like the old basic but super reliable Marzocchi's it took bloody ages to bed in & get smooth. My old ones still feel pretty rough while standing but on the trail work well.
I'd completely dismiss your not even on the bike yet feel for the moment.