Fork Boots.

[dyna-ti]

What model & travel forks?

Acedemic really, but I reckon the original offenders were 98 bombers as we all took the gaiters off as they looked cooler.

 

[eshew]

Gotcha, have a few sets of those forks laying around. Boots as well.

I think the main reason you don't see them around is with longer travel forks the boots themselves can ride up upon compression and vacuum during rebound. Solution is to have small vent holes which can introduce dirt mud and other grit that can stick to the inside of the boots and wear the stanchions.

I've been running long travel forks without boots for close to two decades and while they have been scratched a little file work and I've yet to leak oil due to a knick or scratch. Others obviously haven't been so lucky but it's fairly uncommon.

Do notice the fenders do keep the fork seals much cleaner though and can imagine they would help to extend seal life but seals will last seasons and can be easily replaced every other service.

 

[ishaw]

Re:

Anyone bought any lizard skin or similar boots recently? Cant find any decent ones, just cheap from China. Need a set to protect some sid stanchions from scuffs as are on a kids bike and I have already seen danger signs.

 

[dyna-ti]

I'm now on a dedicated search for something, though I can envision me getting my sewing machine out.

They are available in the US
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LIZARD-SKINS ... SwAuJb7CAK

So maybe a note to them to find a UK distributor, and even if not UK available normally, they would likely send over a pair.

Also maybe just down tot he wording of the search as im getting results on 'Bicycle fork protective pads'
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Safety-Bicyc ... SwHGxb2ltL

 

[ishaw]

Re:

Cheers, found plenty of those ones for less, from China. They just look poor quality and probably similar to the stay protectors which haven't seen any neoprene, and are a bit scratchy.

 

[mattr]

Aftermarket shock boots for forks ?

To protect the stanchions. seems dumb to me not to have them given they help prevent damage and increase seal life.

A conspiracy :shock:

I've checked and outside of some lizard skins in the US, there appears to be nothing available.

Anyone know of or am i searching for the right thing, which i think i am as the general search brings up boots for motorbikes, just not mtb's :?

From (many years shop) experience, they simply don't seal well enough. The "genuine"/OE ones wouldn't locate correctly onto the top of the lowers once they'd been moved a few times, or got some suspension lube/oil on them and would allow water (and grit/sand/silt) into the void. Also not sealed at the top. So a freshly cleaned gaiter and fork plus one muddy/wet ride would quite often let enough stuff in to scratch the stanchion. Lizard skins were worse as they actually held the grit against the fork leg. Even on *my* bike which was pretty much kept showroom clean i got scratches on a Mag fork stanchion from a lizard skin (one ride, peak district) made no difference to the complete lack of performance though!!

The seal on its own managed many more years without any visible damage.

Modern coatings are harder and smoother and the seals are better. Also, a lot of modern forks use *almost* all of the visible stanchion. Even a single zip tie placed on the stanchion could damage the seal.

Only notable exception was some versions of the cannondale headshok and lefty gaiters which had specific, zip tie compatible gaiter locations, like most (many/all?) motorbikes do. Not seen *that* many MTB ones that do that.

So on one hand you protect against small impacts, but increase the risk of scratching the stanchion.

Maybe you need those protective blades like the Maverick SC32s used to have.

 

[dyna-ti]

If they arent needed, why claim they're no good as they don't seal effectively.

A bit of a double negative going on there Matt

Modern coatings are harder and smoother and the seals are better

Harder than stone :? Ultra smooth coating versus Ultra rough stone. Be Captain Sensible now chap Anything inbetween, even 2mm of neoprene is obviously going to afford some protection is it not.

 

[mattr]

If they arent needed, why claim they're no good as they don't seal effectively.

A bit of a double negative going on there Matt

What? No double negative there.
The gaiter design is shit, allows exactly the shit it's trying to stop, in, then holds it against what it's meant to be protecting, bodging to improve sealing is ineffective at best, can damage the forks at worst. The seals wipe the stanchions clean far more effectively than trying to stop the fine silt in suspension that's being propelled at the forks at speed. Victory of selling "feature" that doesn't actually do anything to people. Simple enough for you?

Modern coatings are harder and smoother and the seals are better

Harder than stone :? Ultra smooth coating versus Ultra rough stone. Be Captain Sensible now chap Anything inbetween, even 2mm of neoprene is obviously going to afford some protection is it not.

[/quote]Yes, except it will do damage all the time where you can't see it. Rather than an infrequent and unlucky event. (I've damaged one stanchion with a stone impact in 28 years of racing/riding/playing silly buggers, probably only seen 20 or 30. Most were easy to repair.)

As i said, you'd be better with some Maverick Fork shields. 2mm of neoprene is a bit like people wearing body armour expecting it to prevent broken bones.

 

[dyna-ti]

Let me try something.......

Black isn't white...

 

[mattr]

:roll: You carry on.