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Basic Suspension Question. HELP PlEASE!

1K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  s.berg 
#1 ·
Hi everyone,
I just picked up a Focus Black Forest on Jenson http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/BI262A01-Focus+Black+Forest+Bike+10.aspx

Amazing so far after 3 rides on some local singletrack this weekend. This is my first bike with suspension, coming from a rigid hardrock.

I have the most basic question about how to add air that I can't find answered or demonstrated anywhere. My bike has a Rock Shox Recon Race SL fork. Where is the air valve? I found I can pop off the rebound dampener knob on underside of the right leg but I cant fit my new shock pump on there with the schrader valve or a ball needle.

I'm sure I'm doing something wrong (I'm pretty sure it's an air fork right?), but I couldnt find any answers in the Rock Shox manuals online. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks
 
#3 ·
What highdell said: there is a cap on top of the left leg that you unscrew to get at the air valve.

When you connect your pump, your fork will actually lose some pressure as air goes out from the fork to fill up the pump hose. That little bit of air loss is noticeable at the low volumes we are dealing with. Don't be dismayed by it.

When you pump your fork to your desired pressure and unscrew the pump, you will hear air hissing. Don't be dismayed by that either. That air is from the hose, not from your fork.

If you pump in too much air and want to let some out, there is a little ball-bearing on your pump that you can press to release air in small, controlled bursts.

Good luck. Those Black Forest models looked really good to me. I think you did well in grabbing one.
 
#4 ·
I may be stating the obvious, but the fork is not like a tire, you cant get away with too much pressure, it can blow seals and make the fork action crap.
Take care how much pressure you put in it and set pressure based on sag. The settings on the sticker on the back of the fork leg are nominal and general run high.
If you dont know what I mean by sag - do a search, heaps of info out there.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for all the help. I've done a ton of reading to make sure I use the fork properly and how to maintain it, but I still can't locate the valve.

Here's an image of the top left leg. I removed the preload dial with an allen wrench but no valve underneath..



This is under the rebound adjuster knob where I thought it may be. Couldn't fit the pump, or needle in it though.
 
#6 ·
I see now. You have a coil-spring fork. There is no air valve. You can put the shock pump away now.

I sorta wish Rock Shox wouldn't play around with their model names like they do. It's annoying that a Recon might be air, or might be coil. IMHO, they should give different names to air versus coil forks.
 
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