The SKF brand should be familiar if you have ever been hunting down bearings for your bike. The Swedish brand is well known for the bearings they make, but they have expanded into lubricants and seals as well. While their fork seals are used on motorbikes, they also make the original seals for Fox and Marzocchi mountain bike forks.
What is new, is that they are providing their seals as an aftermarket option. We had ours fitted up at Summit Cycles, down in Maroubra. Their mechanic Joe has spent the past 5 years or more up to his elbows in bike builds, suspension servicing and wheel builds.
SKF seals have an upper dust lip to keep contaminants out, but also a lip that keeps the oil in from below. The idea being less contaminants come in, along with less air suction, ending up with better performance and maybe longer service intervals. The foam ring is also impregnated with lubricant, which helps installation and reduces the break in period. According to Joe, it was just like fitting a Fox seal – except they were green, slippery, and the lowers went on really smoothly.
While Fox already spec these seals, they haven’t always done so. The lower stiction right after fitting, and the longer service intervals make them a great upgrade if you have older model forks.
SO GOOD
- A more supple feel for older forks
- longer service intervals
NO GOOD
- not a huge difference for recent models
PRICE 44.99$
