Shocks shock

[journeyman]

My rock shock 30 gold have got some backward and forward play in them making me think the bushes have gone. They're about 18 months old but have had a fair hammering in the gloopy bounds of Dartmoor and bashing round the highlands. There is also wear on the stanchion with the gold galvanising wearing off. Does the collective have an opinion on best way forward? I can get stanchion replaced by RLS in Plymouth, or can I just replace bushes and seals get some miles out of them? I can buy new fork - same model - at a very good price but probably forgo a new set of wheels Id been saving for. Or do I just wing it, bearing in mind I've got the unwingable HT 550 coming up? My prep was going so well but bike and training starting to fall apart..

[Bearbonesnorm]

Just treat it to some rigid forks and enjoy the weight saving knowing that wobbly bushes, worn anodising and potential failure are no longer something to be concerned about.

[Mariner]

For what its worth I would say train on the bike set up you are going to ride.
Get the forks to RLS and see what they have to say.
Forks might be a write off or may be repairable.
I am also trying to decide between keeping rigid with a big squishy tyre or re fitting RS and riding 2.4 front.

[Alpinum]

For what its worth I would say train on the bike set up you are going to ride.
Get the forks to RLS and see what they have to say.
Forks might be a write off or may be repairable.
I am also trying to decide between keeping rigid with a big squishy tyre or re fitting RS and riding 2.4 front.

Give them some love before the HT550 and something better than the original dust wipers.

My forks worked wonderful during last years round. No numbness, no pain, no suffering and heaps of tons of fun hitting the downhill sections.

Bigger tyre and rigid is simply something very different to a 2.4" tyre and 100 oder 120 mm fork.

[ianfitz]

For what its worth I would say train on the bike set up you are going to ride.
Get the forks to RLS and see what they have to say.
Forks might be a write off or may be repairable.
I am also trying to decide between keeping rigid with a big squishy tyre or re fitting RS and riding 2.4 front.

Give them some love before the HT550 and something better than the original dust wipers.

My forks worked wonderful during last years round. No numbness, no pain, no suffering and heaps of tons of fun hitting the downhill sections.

Bigger tyre and rigid is simply something very different to a 2.4" tyre and 100 oder 120 mm fork.

Same here, I rode 120m rebas (on a salsa spearfish) with 'replica' Ti jones loops. Zero hand issues - no pain or discomfort at all. I do most of my riding on a rigid 29er though. Bike set up is near identical though.