RockShox 50 Hour Service Kit: Rider Review

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for.

Servicing your rear shock is a great way to make it feel brand new.Our customer Blake recently serviced his RockShox Delux and has it feeling like new again. Check out his review to see what he had to say!

Overview

Like many mountain bikers, working on my bike is something I thoroughly enjoy and gain satisfaction from, not to mention the cost savings by not having to take it into the shop. But as I’ve progressed on my mechanic journey, I’ve always heard people talk about how suspension is one thing they are afraid to work on and let a professional mechanic do. After putting about 70 hours on my new rear shock, the small bump sensitivity and overall smoothness through the travel was not where it used to be. After watching a few videos on how to service suspension, I decided I would give the dark art of suspension servicing a shot.

Worldwide Cyclery made it extremely easy to find the right 50 hour suspension service kit for my RockShox Deluxe RT3. A few days after I ordered it, it showed up in the mail with all the necessary seals, wipers, and fluid. Along with the service kit, I had ordered a valve core remover as well as extra volume spacers. After ensuring I had all the necessary parts and tools and a clean workspace, I was ready to go. Following along methodically with the RockShox video on servicing a shock, I was able to successfully complete the service without any problems.

First Impressions

After inspecting the old seals and wipers, it was clear that the service was long overdue. After reinstalling the shock back on my bike and pumping it up to my preferred air pressure, I was eager to go ride around the neighborhood, although I was expecting not to be able to feel a noticeable difference. Immediately after getting on my bike, I could feel the reduced friction from the shock sagging under my weight. After riding around my street and dropping off some curbs, the shock felt brand new, as plush as the day I bought it. I took it on a real ride the following day, and my suspension and ride quality was feeling better than it had in months. Blasting over small rocks and roots felt smoother than ever before and the overall feel of the shock was softer and more supple than it had been in months.

Final Thoughts 

After feeling how poor suspension can become if it’s not serviced at the proper intervals, I’m going to pay much closer attention to the feel of my fork and shock to ensure they get the attention they need. While suspension service may be something that many people are afraid to do and put off for too long, it is really not as hard as people make it out to be. As long as you have all the proper tools and take your time, it is something anybody can do it.