Suspension Forks

[handyandy1100]

Time for me to ask another silly question. I have acquired a number of telescopic forks from old bikes I have stripped parts from. I notice that only one will actual compress when I push down on it. Are some "suspension" forks just made for looks and not really designed to compress? Should all of them compress? If they are rusted solid, is there hope to return them to their original telescopic condition?

 

[Oak Tree]

I’m no website boss or anything special but I do believe this is a site in which all questions are welcome.
Here’s my 2 cent response.
Suspension fork quality is directly related to manufacturer.
Forks on bikes from big box stores are junk at purchase and go downhill immediately afterward. They are designed to look “modern” and are an effort to be a cheap alternative to expensive bikes. Very little real function so they sell cheap. I would not spend any time trying to make them function again because they didn’t really function in the first place, but maybe that’s just me. Scrap metal pile.

Now, if the forks are of some recognizable brand on their own, and have a rebuild kit available, it might be worth it if you want to put the time in. I’ve got a 2006 Rock Shox that really really needs a rebuild but I’d rather work on every other bike that I have. Some knowledgeable people on here might even say a 17 yr old Rock Shox is past the point of rebuild, I don’t know. Technology has come so far on quality suspension.
There ya have it. Hope it helps.

 

[handyandy1100]

I’m no website boss or anything special but I do believe this is a site in which all questions are welcome.
Here’s my 2 cent response.
Suspension fork quality is directly related to manufacturer.
Forks on bikes from big box stores are junk at purchase and go downhill immediately afterward. They are designed to look “modern” and are an effort to be a cheap alternative to expensive bikes. Very little real function so they sell cheap. I would not spend any time trying to make them function again because they didn’t really function in the first place, but maybe that’s just me. Scrap metal pile.

Now, if the forks are of some recognizable brand on their own, and have a rebuild kit available, it might be worth it if you want to put the time in. I’ve got a 2006 Rock Shox that really really needs a rebuild but I’d rather work on every other bike that I have. Some knowledgeable people on here might even say a 17 yr old Rock Shox is past the point of rebuild, I don’t know. Technology has come so far on quality suspension.
There ya have it. Hope it helps.

Thanks Oak Tree. That's what I thought. They will be on board the next time I make a dump run!

 

[68z27]

Thanks Oak Tree. That's what I thought. They will be on board the next time I make a dump run!

HA1100, I too ended up with a few suspension forks with different degrees of "weathering" and agree with Oak Tree about quality. I did, however, find a web site for rebuilding some suntour forks I plan on using for Crash and Burn. They came from a Gary Fisher bike but I think some/all of those are built elsewhere. Hope this helps.....

https://www.srsuntour.com/products/fork/