• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

Is it bad to hang a suspension bike upside down?

Is it bad to hang a suspension bike upside down?

  • Yes - don't hang your suspension bike upside down

    Votes: 2 18.2%
  • No - just do it

    Votes: 3 27.3%
  • Dunno - that's why I'm on this forum, to edumicate myself

    Votes: 6 54.5%

  • Total voters
    11

Doug Briggs

"Douche Bag Local"
Industry Insider
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Posts
7,484
Location
Breckenridge, CO
I recently was told that it was not good to hang bike with suspension upside down. Something to do with the oil going where it wasn't intended to settle.

What do you say?
 

ScottB

Making fresh tracks
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Oct 29, 2016
Posts
2,166
Location
Gloucester, MA
  • I had my hardtail with 100mm front suspension upside down for about 3 months while doing repairs. Didn't seem to bother it, but I don't think it is a good thing to do for the reason stated above. I assume if right side up, the oil is not sitting on the seal and relying on it to not leak.
 
Thread Starter
TS
Doug Briggs

Doug Briggs

"Douche Bag Local"
Industry Insider
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Posts
7,484
Location
Breckenridge, CO
Don't some forks have an oil bath? I have a Fox 34. I haven't looked at the tech manual for it to know about the oil bath.
 

Ron

Seeking the next best ski
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 8, 2015
Posts
9,282
Location
Steamboat Springs, Co
sealed stanchions shouldn't leak. I have stored my bikes upside-down for years without issue. That includes my 34 fox
 
Last edited:

Primoz

Skiing the powder
Skier
Joined
Nov 8, 2016
Posts
2,483
Location
Slovenia, Europe
I definitely can't say for all, but for bikes I have/had (xc bikes, with forks like Fox F32 Factory, which means FIT cartridges not open bath system), hanging bike instead of keeping it on wheels is actually better for forks. Foam under wipers gets dry (yeah I know, based on service manual, I should open them, clean and lubricate pretty much twice a week, 10h or so as they say, but lets be realistic, noone is doing that more then once or twice a season), wipers collect some dirt, and they run worse then when lubricated. Turning bike upside down, that little oil that is in bottom of fork legs actually goes up and reaches wipers and foam under them and lubricates them. So at least for my forks, hanging bike is better, but it's true, I never hang it upside down, but only vertical on wall. But neverhtheless I don't see much difference between vertical or upside down.
 

martyg

Making fresh tracks
Industry Insider
Joined
Nov 24, 2017
Posts
2,216
If you have any air in your brake lines it will exasperate the situation. You may find that you will have to breed more often. Its not that the air never existed in brake lines, it is that it is more apparent when a bike hangs upside down. Other than that, all good.
 

Philpug

Notorious P.U.G.
Admin
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 1, 2015
Posts
42,624
Location
Reno, eNVy
How about hanging a bike from the dropper post, extended? Good or bad?
 

4ster

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
Instructor
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
7,219
Location
Sierra & Wasatch
If you have any air in your brake lines it will exasperate the situation. You may find that you will have to breed more often. Its not that the air never existed in brake lines, it is that it is more apparent when a bike hangs upside down. Other than that, all good.
I have had this issue on more than one occasion. Often when I flip my bike back over one or both brakes are mush till I pump them a number of times. Just bled my brakes yesterday, how often is recommended? I won’t say that I do not turn my bike upside down but I try to avoid it. I have also had dropper post issues.

How about hanging a bike from the dropper post, extended? Good or bad?
I try to keep my seat post fully extended unless I am actually using it.
After experiencing a few dropper post rebuilds and finally a replacement, I try not to even lift my bike by the seat or post. I have no idea of gravity’s effect on the mechanism but that is the habit I have tried to establish.
 
Thread Starter
TS
Doug Briggs

Doug Briggs

"Douche Bag Local"
Industry Insider
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Posts
7,484
Location
Breckenridge, CO
If you have any air in your brake lines it will exasperate the situation. You may find that you will have to breed more often. Its not that the air never existed in brake lines, it is that it is more apparent when a bike hangs upside down. Other than that, all good.

My GF is going to have something to say about that. :eek:
 

martyg

Making fresh tracks
Industry Insider
Joined
Nov 24, 2017
Posts
2,216
I have had this issue on more than one occasion. Often when I flip my bike back over one or both brakes are mush till I pump them a number of times. Just bled my brakes yesterday, how often is recommended? I won’t say that I do not turn my bike upside down but I try to avoid it. I have also had dropper post issues.


I try to keep my seat post fully extended unless I am actually using it.
After experiencing a few dropper post rebuilds and finally a replacement, I try not to even lift my bike by the seat or post. I have no idea of gravity’s effect on the mechanism but that is the habit I have tried to establish.

Hanging bikes by the seat with a dropper post is a no-no. Many recommend that you can hang it with the post fully extended, but it is best if you just don't go there. A dropper post that is NFG just ruins a ride.
 

oldschoolskier

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Dec 6, 2015
Posts
4,229
Location
Ontario Canada
Sorry my engineering mind seems to think that these products are poorly designed and continued to be designed that way.

The fact that customers will pay for products that have these short comings surprise me. The fact that they accept it surprises me even more.
 

Tom K.

Skier Ordinaire
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Dec 20, 2015
Posts
8,402
Sorry my engineering mind seems to think that these products are poorly designed and continued to be designed that way.

The fact that customers will pay for products that have these short comings surprise me. The fact that they accept it surprises me even more.

Just a continuing battle between price, weight, and reliability.

The bike world is kinda nuts about weight.
 

oldschoolskier

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Dec 6, 2015
Posts
4,229
Location
Ontario Canada
Just a continuing battle between price, weight, and reliability.

The bike world is kinda nuts about weight.
Price yes, but weight and reliability, don’t be lead down the garden path. The reality is a couple a few dollars more in manufacturing and maybe $20 more in sell price is all that’s needed, but greed being what it is it’s more like $200+ for the end consumer.
 

Tom K.

Skier Ordinaire
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Dec 20, 2015
Posts
8,402
Price yes, but weight and reliability, don’t be lead down the garden path. The reality is a couple a few dollars more in manufacturing and maybe $20 more in sell price is all that’s needed, but greed being what it is it’s more like $200+ for the end consumer.

Well, I guess we'll just agree to disagree on this.

Nobody I know in the bike industry takes this approach.
 

Primoz

Skiing the powder
Skier
Joined
Nov 8, 2016
Posts
2,483
Location
Slovenia, Europe
Price yes, but weight and reliability, don’t be lead down the garden path. The reality is a couple a few dollars more in manufacturing and maybe $20 more in sell price is all that’s needed, but greed being what it is it’s more like $200+ for the end consumer.
I'm with you... completely. I saw so much BS in bike industry it's hard to believe people really buy that. But I'm surprised over and over again, and it's really impossible to tell where to start. It can be with company that wasn't able to design and produce proper working front derailleur and they "invented" 1x and people are going for it, including 400eur worth 11 or 12 rings of metal, which is probably done in China for 0.4eur/piece. Or it can be company selling 70eur super light carbon bottle holder, which is neither super light (20+grams heavier then super sturdy no R&D carbon bottle holder that my brother made for me), nor carbon (only upper layer is carbon, rest is fiberglass which is 10x cheaper but heavier option, therefore also that not so super light weigh). Or it can go to 12.000eur worth bikes, for which people think price is perfectly fine, as these are carbon bikes, and carbon means space tech... in 2018 ;) But bike market seems for me to be really open for all the BS marketing departments thrown to them. Honestly, I have feeling, people in marketing departments on bike companies have competition who can invent more ridiculous and more expensive junk to sell people, and they push this to see how far people will go... and for now, there's seems to be no limits in that.
 

Philpug

Notorious P.U.G.
Admin
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 1, 2015
Posts
42,624
Location
Reno, eNVy
I'm with you... completely. I saw so much BS in bike industry it's hard to believe people really buy that. But I'm surprised over and over again, and it's really impossible to tell where to start. It can be with company that wasn't able to design and produce proper working front derailleur and they "invented" 1x and people are going for it, including 400eur worth 11 or 12 rings of metal, which is probably done in China for 0.4eur/piece. Or it can be company selling 70eur super light carbon bottle holder, which is neither super light (20+grams heavier then super sturdy no R&D carbon bottle holder that my brother made for me), nor carbon (only upper layer is carbon, rest is fiberglass which is 10x cheaper but heavier option, therefore also that not so super light weigh). Or it can go to 12.000eur worth bikes, for which people think price is perfectly fine, as these are carbon bikes, and carbon means space tech... in 2018 ;) But bike market seems for me to be really open for all the BS marketing departments thrown to them. Honestly, I have feeling, people in marketing departments on bike companies have competition who can invent more ridiculous and more expensive junk to sell people, and they push this to see how far people will go... and for now, there's seems to be no limits in that.
Which is nothing compared to say the golf industry ;). It still comes down to, they will stop making them when people stop buyng they until then...there is a demand in the market.
 

Andy Mink

Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
Moderator
SkiTalk Tester
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
12,912
Location
Reno
You may find that you will have to breed more often.
And this is why I don't ride bikes. I already have two kids!:P
 

Sponsor

Staff online

Top