Mud Machine

[old crank]

I am getting back into Mtn Biking after ten years, I rode a lot from 83'- 93. I live in the rainy Northwest and was hoping to get a high end FS bike. I am a little worried about all the mud that is around for most of the year destroying the pivot points. What's your experience with FS and mud? From all I have read the Blur is a sweet bike, but the pivot point gets a full dose of muck. Can the pivot points be shielded? What type of maintance schedule do you think I'm looking at?

Thanks.

[derby]

I am getting back into Mtn Biking after ten years, I rode a lot from 83'- 93. I live in the rainy Northwest and was hoping to get a high end FS bike. I am a little worried about all the mud that is around for most of the year destroying the pivot points. What's your experience with FS and mud? From all I have read the Blur is a sweet bike, but the pivot point gets a full dose of muck. Can the pivot points be shielded? What type of maintance schedule do you think I'm looking at?

Thanks.

The Turner custom bushing design has lubrication zerk-fittings to accept grease to repack the pivot bushings. And the pivot bushings have channels to store lube for a long time inside the bushings. The Turner bikes are designed with the slightly greater friction of bushings to act as part of the damping quality of the suspension, a built in mild platform damping effect. Even before stable platform shocks these bikes were more efficient pedaling than just about any other.

Cartridge bearings which get packed with mud loose their lube faster than when just wet or in dry and dusty conditions. The drying mud wicks the lube past the seals. Cartridge bearings are certainly freer rotating than any bushing until they wear out or lock up from rust. It depends much on where the bearings are for their longevity. I had a Superlight that never had a bearing problem in 2 years of wet Nor-Cal muddy rides, while my Tracer I upgraded to afterwards has worn bearings out every year, due mainly to the bearings being more exposed to “mud baths” than the Superlight’s more protected bearings.

Some of the mud effect depends on the quality of mud. Some types of mud wick more than other types. Fine clay (high in organic sedimentary decomposition like we have in California) tends to wick the lube from bearings more than grainy high altitude or desert eroded stone based mud.

A Turner bike would hold up to mud best if maintained frequently in the wet season. But get the bike that appeals to you most. Try to ride as many as possible to get a feel for the differences, for each rider some will feel better than others. And just expect to do bearing maintenance sooner or later. It's well worth the cost and isn't that hard to do yourself if you are mechanical, and shouldn't take a shop more than an hour to replace all the bearings.

- ray

[airwreck]

You should look at the rear tire clearance carefully, you'll want lots of room, and it just so happens that the Turners excel in this feature also.(end of Turner gushing)

You're going from the 83 stumpy to high end FS?

[old crank]

You should look at the rear tire clearance carefully, you'll want lots of room, and it just so happens that the Turners excel in this feature also.(end of Turner gushing)

You're going from the 83 stumpy to high end FS?

Yep. 83' Stumpjumper to 04' FS. I know it will be a world of difference. It's a whole new world out there, so many bikes to choose from.

Thanks for helping.

[older guy]

Yep. 83' Stumpjumper to 04' FS. I know it will be a world of difference. It's a whole new world out there, so many bikes to choose from.

Thanks for helping.

Don't forget disc brakes and eggbeaters or time pedals, they work great with mud too.
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