What is This Thing on Fork?

SquirrelMadness · 18 Apr 2023 at 09:51

Got a 2nd hand bike and it has this thing wrapped around the compression knob that makes it difficult to turn (the black thing with the rusty bolt):

Can't find it on other forks using image search. It's a Rockshox Recon TK Gold 120mm

Also the rebound stick under the fork is easily bent... should it be like this or does it mean previous owner rammed it? Seems easy enough to bend straight though:

First time with this stuff,

Thanks

fez · 18 Apr 2023 at 10:53

'Tis a remote lockout switch. I think there would normally be a cable in there that goes up to a switch on the bars to allow you to enable/disable the suspension. Usually for when going uphill vs down. If the suspension isn't working as you think it should that might be the culprit. Bear in mind most lockouts don't completely shut the suspension down, they just massively firm it up.

As to the rebound switch be very careful. if you can turn it without straightening I would perhaps just leave it. Its easy to snap those off through fatiguing the metal.

It probably happened when they hit something. Theres no obvious damage around it so it might just have got hit in the shed or car perhaps.

SquirrelMadness · 18 Apr 2023 at 14:39

Thanks. Just bought a remote switch from eBay for 7 quid hopefully will work good with these forks.

Hedge · 22 Apr 2023 at 22:36

Does the red one remove if you pull down on it?

fez · 25 Apr 2023 at 19:29

Hedge said:
Does the red one remove if you pull down on it?

If it does, its probably broken

I don't think its a cap, I'm pretty sure thats the actual rebound knob.

Hedge · 25 Apr 2023 at 20:40

fez said:
If it does, its probably broken

I don't think its a cap, I'm pretty sure thats the actual rebound knob.

I'm sure on some of my older forks the rebound nob actually pulled out and was effectively just a long Allen key. Probs thinking of something else mind you.

Edit.

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That's the thing I had in mind

SquirrelMadness · 26 Apr 2023 at 19:55

Hedge said:
Does the red one remove if you pull down on it?

Yes it pulls out (didn't know until now). Kinda wondering how it stays in place now to be honest.

The lock off lever didn't work (wouldn't spring back). So I ended up taking the damper out after watching some vids... took me over an hour to get my head round how it all works. Managed to get it to spring back and now every thing is working with the lever. This thing is really cool! I lost a low of oil taking the damper out a few times though and when the suspension is open is REALLY soft so will have to figure out how to harden it (maybe more oil).

Hedge · 26 Apr 2023 at 21:34

SquirrelMadness said:
Yes it pulls out (didn't know until now). Kinda wondering how it stays in place now to be honest.

The lock off lever didn't work (wouldn't spring back). So I ended up taking the damper out after watching some vids... took me over an hour to get my head round how it all works. Managed to get it to spring back and now every thing is working with the lever. This thing is really cool! I lost a low of oil taking the damper out a few times though and when the suspension is open is REALLY soft so will have to figure out how to harden it (maybe more oil).

You pumped it back up?

SquirrelMadness · 26 Apr 2023 at 22:10

Hedge said:
You pumped it back up?

I haven't accessed the pump side of the shock yet and don't have a shock pump.

Took bike for a ride and actually really like the soft suspension. Pretty fun going from super soft to hard.

Hedge · 27 Apr 2023 at 06:47

SquirrelMadness said:
I haven't accessed the pump side of the shock yet and don't have a shock pump.

Took bike for a ride and actually really like the soft suspension. Pretty fun going from super soft to hard.

OK well if its got an air chamber you'll need to get some air in there to dampen things. It will stop it diving through its travel too easily too and bottoming out.

mattyfez · 15 May 2023 at 15:47

Yes this is important...
If it's too soft and your going down a slope at any sort of speed and you need to brake...

... The forks will dive and you'll go straight over the handlebars. As the weight of the bike and you will move forward over the front wheel... And compress the fork far too much.

You should set the fork sag with a shock pump according to your weight.

Sag is how much the forks dip from unloaded to when you are sitting on the bike.

SquirrelMadness · 15 May 2023 at 21:52

The softness is perfect for me. It's just under filled with oil cos of me spilling it but I don't feel any negatives of that. Hasn't bottom out.

Been learning to bunny hop like a BMX got the hang of it I think. Important to time the hop with the suspension otherwise it's heavy.

I like the fact I can adjust it so much that I wanna get a similar thing for the rear shock (only have a knob for rebound on rear Rockshox Deluxe).

mattyfez · 15 May 2023 at 23:52

Well they'll need more oil by the sounds of it, otherwise they will wear out fast.

And if your'e not even going to think about air pressure in the fork, then you're basically a liability, but you do you.

Say for example you are riding down a long road, thats slightly down hill, and you have to brake hard, you will crash, head first, due to fork dive.

BMX bikes are very different to hard tail mountain bikes, both are for very different purposes, so please bear that in mind.

GLHF