Ask the experts

**joetron** · 11-19-2019, 03:46 PM

The wheezy sound is probably cavitation. You got gas. Makes for very inconsistent performance. Once you start riding for a bit and heat it up and push the bubble around it’ll start to sound and feel shitty.
Cody can fix that

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**kidwoo** · 11-19-2019, 03:47 PM

Ah, when you said 'cranked' I though you meant maxed out, as in clockwise, as in all the damping. Which would be 'over damped'

There are a few things that could be going on. Measure your eye to eye on the shock, you may have overfilled the negative chamber (not something you would have done, it just happens) and it's not equalizing for some reason. Could be as simple as grease in the exchange port between the two chambers. Taking the sleeve off and resetting would fix it. Take the air out first.

Squishing may be a few things:
1) oil breaking down enough that you have bubbles or a messed up seal that's allowed air in.
b)Something came loose or broke on the piston head and is just all (to use a technical term) cattywhompus.

An oil change would find any of these.

edit: dammit joE!

**Boissal** · 11-19-2019, 03:56 PM

Thanks, I've read all kinds of threads about shocks sounding like 2-pack-a-day smokers and cavitation/blown seals are at the top of the culprit list.
The shock came stock with the bike and I got the bike second-hand (300 miles), I added about 900 miles so I'm definitely overdue for a service per Fox's recommendations. I'll have Cody look at it and maybe throw in a volume spacer and I think I blow through the travel a bit too easily but can't justify getting a burlier shock...

Edit: bike is with Cody now. He called this AM, said he'd get it down by Friday. Shock rebuild & tune + fork service. Should have asked for the dropper too.

**Andeh** · 11-22-2019, 11:18 AM

I need a recommendation for an aerosol degreaser spray, specifically for decontaminating brake pads. Finish Line Speed Degreaser? Since it's specifically for brakes not drivetrain, I need something without any foaming or lubricating agents.

**jono** · 11-22-2019, 11:48 AM

Brake cleaner?

**El Chupacabra** · 11-22-2019, 01:03 PM

If anyone has something that really works on cleaning contaminated brake pads, I'm all ears. I've tried -- with varying degrees of success, and in combination --

-rubbing alcohol
-sanding
-light on fire
-light on fire with propane torch
-heat to ridiculous temp in BBQ

Sometimes it works. On some Shimano finned resin pads that got contaminated by Caltrans winter road salt/slush crap, I never was able to make the pads work again without squealing... finally gave up and threw them out.

TruckerCo replacement pads at $8/set saves a lot of time and frustration.

**Boissal** · 11-22-2019, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

If anyone has something that really works on cleaning contaminated brake pads, I'm all ears. I've tried -- with varying degrees of success, and in combination --

-rubbing alcohol
-sanding
-light on fire
-light on fire with propane torch
-heat to ridiculous temp in BBQ

Sometimes it works. On some Shimano finned resin pads that got contaminated by Caltrans winter road salt/slush crap, I never was able to make the pads work again without squealing... finally gave up and threw them out.

TruckerCo replacement pads at $8/set saves a lot of time and frustration.

I have a can of el cheapo brake cleaner at Harbor Freight, spray it on a paper towel, rub the brake pads on, score them with sand paper, reinstall, seems to take care of squealing/loss of power after I rub my greasy fingers on the rotor (or spray lubricant on there by accident). Using IPA or ethanol from the lab never seemed to work as well.

**Andeh** · 11-22-2019, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by Boissal

I have a can of el cheapo brake cleaner at Harbor Freight, spray it on a paper towel, rub the brake pads on, score them with sand paper, reinstall, seems to take care of squealing/loss of power after I rub my greasy fingers on the rotor (or spray lubricant on there by accident). Using IPA or ethanol from the lab never seemed to work as well.

From my research, that's the way to do it, adding in one more rinse of the pads & rotors after sanding. I read that using fire only works with metallic pads, not organic / semi-organic. I've had some success doing it that way. I have a can of some generic cleaner but it only works so-so, and it's almost empty. The only time I've failed to restore them was after I got some truly nasty crap (CRC Disc Brake Quiet, meant to "glue" the pads to the calipers) onto the rotors and pads. There was no saving those. It was a dumb idea to try anyways (was trying to stop Shimano pad rattle).

**Boissal** · 11-22-2019, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by Andeh

From my research, that's the way to do it, adding in one more rinse of the pads & rotors after sanding. I read that using fire only works with metallic pads, not organic / semi-organic. I've had some success doing it that way. I have a can of some generic cleaner but it only works so-so, and it's almost empty. The only time I've failed to restore them was after I got some truly nasty crap (CRC Disc Brake Quiet, meant to "glue" the pads to the calipers) onto the rotors and pads. There was no saving those. It was a dumb idea to try anyways (was trying to stop Shimano pad rattle).

I can't imagine a non-sintered resin pad would like to be torched. The compound is pretty damn soft and it probably doesn't take much heat to change the surface property and ruin it.
And you are correct, another round of cleaning after sanding the pads helps remove loose stuff. I had a set of pads that seemed unredeemable until I fully cleaned the rotor (with the brake cleaner spray) and roughed it up a bit with fine sandpaper. Pads have been quiet ever since.

**jm2e** · 11-23-2019, 10:01 AM

I've been suffering with squeal for the last couple years. More often on mrs2e's bikes, but sometimes on mine. I've spent enough time sanding and cleaning pads and rotors that my paltry hourly rate at work would have paid for new rotors and pads.
Most of the time I write it off to poor bedding in, but even then I've had squealers.
Right now, wife's bikes are all set up with Trixtuff pads which seem way more resistant to squeal and still have a metric shit ton of grab. I'm quickly burning through all the pads/rotors I've pulled off her bikes.
If you told me Sram/Hope/Magura were squeal-less compared with Saint/Zee, I might finally consider switching. (edit-if you told me that about Sram I might spit coffee through my nose from laughing so hard)

**nortonwhis** · 11-23-2019, 11:10 AM

Never had luck with cleaning pads. If your rotors are contaminated, you need to handle that too. Better off just getting new everything, though rotors are brutally expensive for what they are if youre paying MSRP

**Beaver** · 11-23-2019, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by Boissal

I have a can of el cheapo brake cleaner at Harbor Freight, spray it on a paper towel, rub the brake pads on, score them with sand paper, reinstall, seems to take care of squealing/loss of power after I rub my greasy fingers on the rotor (or spray lubricant on there by accident). Using IPA or ethanol from the lab never seemed to work as well.

I've found that after a few IPAs I just don't give a fuck anymore.

**bagtagley** · 11-23-2019, 12:49 PM

Cook off the whatever’s on the pads, wipe the rotor off with alcohol, rub some dirt on the pads and rotor (f’realz). They may feel marginal at first. I’d be living on the street if I replaced the pads every time they got Shimano’d all over.

**jono** · 11-23-2019, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by jm2e

If you told me Sram/Hope/Magura were squeal-less compared with Saint/Zee, I might finally consider switching. (edit-if you told me that about Sram I might spit coffee through my nose from laughing so hard)

I don't think anything is totally squeal-free, but your comment got me thinking: I run Maguras and while I think the pads wear a little quicker for it, but they squeal so rarely that I make a mental note every time. So far half of those noises have meant it was time for new pads.

**Boissal** · 11-23-2019, 09:00 PM

Rode the rebuilt shock today. Apparently there was nothing significantly wrong other than being overdue for service by about 500 miles. New valves, new volume spacer, new tune, and the improvement is huge. I used to blow through the travel and bottom out despite running low-ish sag (25% give or take). Now I'm not wallowing though the travel and can bounce all over the place on a significantly livelier shock. The fork got some love too but no major adjustment. Should have done the dropper as it decided to start sticking today. Oh well...

Anyway, I highly recommend the Suspension Syndicate if you need someone to service/improve your shock/fork. Cody obviously knows his shit. We talked about the way I ride and what I was hoping to improve and he told me what I needed without overselling me on anything. He turned my stuff around in 48 hours as promised and didn't charge me an arm and a leg. He did some little things that I hadn't asked for show that he cares about what he does (replacing ghetto tape with clear stickers on spots with cable rub).
So, positive experience, highly recommended, and thanks for the suggestions to try that place. I love my bike even more now!

**toast2266** · 11-23-2019, 10:10 PM

I don't know what you guys are doing to have such persistent problems with squealing brakes. Shimano, sram, magura, whatever - I just don't get much noise out of them. Maybe a chirp here and there, but nothing that warrants any effort to fix.

**jm2e** · 11-24-2019, 07:42 AM

I envy you

**joetron** · 11-24-2019, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by Boissal

Rode the rebuilt shock today. Apparently there was nothing significantly wrong other than being overdue for service by about 500 miles. New valves, new volume spacer, new tune, and the improvement is huge. I used to blow through the travel and bottom out despite running low-ish sag (25% give or take). Now I'm not wallowing though the travel and can bounce all over the place on a significantly livelier shock. The fork got some love too but no major adjustment. Should have done the dropper as it decided to start sticking today. Oh well...

Anyway, I highly recommend the Suspension Syndicate if you need someone to service/improve your shock/fork. Cody obviously knows his shit. We talked about the way I ride and what I was hoping to improve and he told me what I needed without overselling me on anything. He turned my stuff around in 48 hours as promised and didn't charge me an arm and a leg. He did some little things that I hadn't asked for show that he cares about what he does (replacing ghetto tape with clear stickers on spots with cable rub).
So, positive experience, highly recommended, and thanks for the suggestions to try that place. I love my bike even more now!

So glad to hear this. I wrenched with Cody at Go-Ride many moons ago, and he has been the only other person besides me to touch my bikes since then. I was psyched when he decided to take this step and open up his own shop, it’s great to hear feedback like this. I’m glad you noticed the little details.
I need to remember to pull my fork off my bike and bring it down to him next week.

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**El Chupacabra** · 11-24-2019, 10:16 AM

Are there any suspension gurus around Reno /Tahoe? Would be good to know for future use.

There's only one bike shop in Reno that I would trust to do any work, and I don't know if they work on shocks.

**Dantheman** · 11-26-2019, 11:03 AM

Contaminated brake pads? This ought to clean things right up: https://www.instagram.com/p/B5TKN9CBkPE/

**kidwoo** · 11-26-2019, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

Are there any suspension gurus around Reno /Tahoe? Would be good to know for future use.

There's this

http://www.madsuspension.com/

Can't vouch for them but it's there. Judging by the photos on their website, they just moved there from somewhere not reno and just googled 'desert mountain biking'

**muted** · 11-26-2019, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by joetron

So glad to hear this. I wrenched with Cody at Go-Ride many moons ago, and he has been the only other person besides me to touch my bikes since then. I was psyched when he decided to take this step and open up his own shop, it’s great to hear feedback like this. I’m glad you noticed the little details.
I need to remember to pull my fork off my bike and bring it down to him next week.

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Huh, never heard of them. But the shop is 3-4 blocks from my work....I'll have to check them out.

**El Chupacabra** · 11-26-2019, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by kidwoo

There's this

http://www.madsuspension.com/

Can't vouch for them but it's there. Judging by the photos on their website, they just moved there from somewhere not reno and just googled 'desert mountain biking'

I'd heard of them before -- when X Fusion stopped doing work out of Santa Cruz, and made them the official service center -- but haven't talked to anyone who's had work done there.

**scrublover** · 11-26-2019, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by Boissal

Reached out to him this AM, we'll see what he says. Of course the shock sounds perfectly normal now even though I could have sworn I was riding an overweight asthmatic pig this weekend. Something's definitely wrong though, the fucker is way more damp than it should be even with rebound cranked up...

Dates like that, I have had.

**SchralphMacchio** · 11-29-2019, 11:15 PM

Northwet riding experts ...

It’s cold, it’s muddy, riding armored trails or sunny loam 2-3 days after a rain is still fun.

I’m not a dentist so my garage isn’t heated, I’m not a masochist so yes I do hose off my bike after muck rides this time of year.

Do you think, after towel drying, propping a hair dryer over various greased parts of your bike (headset, bb, hubs, etc) for 30-40 seconds each location is an effective voodoo procedure for keeping the rust demons at bay? Even when it’s like 38F/3C inside your garage?

Edit: my air compressor seems much more effective at displacing water than my hair dryer ... also much more effective at waking up my baby when operated at night

Any other expert cold muck season care advice?