Weird X-Fusion Velvet Problem...anyone else?

[jploski]

I have a 2012 X-fusion Velvet RL2 that has the strangest problem. After the bike has been sitting overnight...the fork locks up. I have to push down on the bars pretty hard to break it free. After I initially break it free, it works fine for the rest of the ride. No problems with binding or stickiness. The next day the same thing will happen. I put light pressure on the bars and it feels like the fork is locked out. I then put significant pressure on the bars and the fork breaks loose and works fine on my ride. To clarify a few things...this has happened since I first received the new fork and it has not gotten any worse or better in the last year. I have verified that the lockout knob is not engaged. I even sent the fork in to Xfusion to have them look at it and they checked it out and sent it back. When I received it back from them I installed it on the bike and had the same problem. I contacted their service manager and he said this:

"You are feeling the main air seal breaking free under initial movement. This is normal for the velvet. That seal is very tight and needs to be cycled once or twice to allow oil back in between the seal and stanchion."

I just doesn't seem right that a nice fork like this would have this sort of problem. Is anyone else having a similar issue with their X-Fusion fork?

[keen]

My Manitou Tower Expert exhibits the same action. After sitting the first compression requires more force to breakaway. The stichion comes from the air spring seal. It doesn't effect the ride so I look past this. I am not familiar w/ the X-Fusion but you could try running a few cc's of oil in the air chamber or invert the fork @ night.

[VuDoo11]

Yes... My slide does the same after sitting for a while. I thought it was strange, but it is my first air fork so I have no other basis for comparison. I don't see it affecting anything so I don't think about it much.

[Warp]

It may be the oil running down off from the upper bushing.
Try a more viscous oil for the semi-bath, like Mobil 1 Synthetic 15w-30 or thicker.

Also, look for abnormal wear on the stanchions and bushings.

[honns]

Store it upside down so that the seals are lubricated from the get go.

[semmiho]

I noticed the same with my 2011 X-Fusion Velvet RL, this effect is very similar to that I had with my old 2005 RockShox Duke SL MCD and I'm still having with my 2011 RS Reba RL from the very beginning (serviced already). It's interesting but I don't have this problem with my 2012 RS Reba RLT 29er fork.
According to a service guy who proposed me some quick steps to avoid early wear of those sticky internal rubber seals, I do the following steps. Before I go, I put the bike upside down for 20-30 secs. After that, I turn it back and push the handlebar and compress the fork only once. Then I rinse the front of the bike 4-5 times and then I compress the fork 4-5 times. Done.

[inter]

MY velvet is also acting the same way. I guess it is normal. Never have problem tho. Just need to press hard first time before every ride. My pike didnt act like that at all.
Kind of weird, but I dont really care. I love my velvet.