MARIN Owner's Manual page 40

fork legs. This enables you to lube the fork with the aid of a grease
gun. Refer to the owner's manual supplied by the fork manufacturer
or check with a Marin dealer for the type of grease that is most rec-
ommended. With other style forks, lift the boots, clean the legs, with
a clean rag and put a light coating of grease on the legs. Next, lower
the boots and make sure they are secure to keep unwanted elements
out. This will help ensure smooth fork action. If further maintenance
is needed either refer to your specific fork manual or take your bike
to an authorized dealer.
WARNING: Bikes equipped with front suspension
will compress and dive under heavy braking. This
tendency can throw a rider off the bike. Take the
time to get used to the handling characteristics
before trying any downhill or high speed decents.
REAR SUSPENSION BICYCLES
Marin full suspension bicycles are designed to offer the rider the max-
imum in performance and fun. Ease of service has also been engi-
neered into our full suspension design to assure years of low mainte-
nance enjoyment.
While much of the service and routine maintenance is exactly the
same as that of a hardtail bicycle, you will need to take extra care to
assure that both the front and rear suspension mechanisms are func-
tioning properly.
REAR SUSPENSION DISCUSSION
Marin full suspension bicycles use two types of rear shocks, "Coil
over" and "Air Spring shocks". Both types of shocks offer different
types of advantages. It is important to understand which type of shock
your bicycle is equipped with before making any adjustments.
The first type of shock to be discussed is called a "coil over" shock.
This type of shock relies on a coil spring to support the weight of the
rider and absorb shock from the trail. Coil over shocks use a hydraulic
rebound damper to control the rebound action of the shock.
While the coil spring is very simple and easy to adjust or replace, it is
important to understand that the hydraulic rebound damper is nitro-
gen charged and should only be serviced by the factory.
The second type of rear shock is called an "air spring shock". This
lightweight type of shock relies only on air pressure to support the
rider's weight.
For this reason, it is essential that proper air pressure is maintained.
Before every ride you should check the air pressure to assure it is cor-
rect. You will need to consult the owner's manual supplied by the
rear shock manufacturer or your Marin dealer to determine the cor-
rect air pressure for a rider of your size.
It is important to understand that air shocks use a very small volume
of air, but the air they do carry is at a very high pressure. For this rea-
son, you should either have a professional bicycle mechanic add air to
your shock or purchase a special shock pump as recommended by the
rear shock manufacturer.
Air spring shocks can lose pressure over time and may require infla-
tion depending on riding conditions and rider.
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