The official BOS thread

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The official BOS thread
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flag yetiboyjay
Posted: May 15, 2014 at 14:44 Quote
So does anyone have any mega recent experiences with BOS suspension servicing and parts?

I'm deciding between a ridden 10 times 2013 Idylle RaRe or a new marzocchi 888 Evo V2...both the same price. I suspect the marzo is the sensible option considering I like to ride and not have my bike in bits but I'd like some real world feedback.

Cheers
flag Raggi-Boy
Posted: May 15, 2014 at 15:18 Quote
yetiboyjay wrote:
So does anyone have any mega recent experiences with BOS suspension servicing and parts?

I'm deciding between a ridden 10 times 2013 Idylle RaRe or a new marzocchi 888 Evo V2...both the same price. I suspect the marzo is the sensible option considering I like to ride and not have my bike in bits but I'd like some real world feedback.

Cheers

Do you mean not servicing it yourself? Not even a simple oil change which is the same procedure as the 888? I have given a fork to J-Tech once on a fork that was in very bad shape for a full strip down of the cartridge (which really doesn't need doing often at all) and that was a very pleasant experience, and he does hold parts. But this is the only paid service any BOS stuff I have has had - I've very easily managed the rest myself. So long as you aren't snapping hard to get parts such as an arch or even the stanchions you would be absolutely fine. But if you wan't to be absolutely sure that parts will be available and want to use the more mainstream service centres then you will be better off with the 888.
flag jskiff
Posted: May 15, 2014 at 15:22 Quote
Raggi-Boy wrote:
yetiboyjay wrote:
So does anyone have any mega recent experiences with BOS suspension servicing and parts?

I'm deciding between a ridden 10 times 2013 Idylle RaRe or a new marzocchi 888 Evo V2...both the same price. I suspect the marzo is the sensible option considering I like to ride and not have my bike in bits but I'd like some real world feedback.

Cheers

Do you mean not servicing it yourself? Not even a simple oil change which is the same procedure as the 888? I have given a fork to J-Tech once on a fork that was in very bad shape for a full strip down of the cartridge (which really doesn't need doing often at all) and that was a very pleasant experience, and he does hold parts. But this is the only paid service any BOS stuff I have has had - I've very easily managed the rest myself. So long as you aren't snapping hard to get parts such as an arch or even the stanchions you would be absolutely fine. But if you wan't to be absolutely sure that parts will be available and want to use the more mainstream service centres then you will be better off with the 888.

Surf sales mate, they're the UK disti all things BOS apparently.

Seem reasonable as well Smile
flag Raggi-Boy
Posted: May 15, 2014 at 15:36 Quote
He did say real world feedback. But yes, I have heard they are all right.
flag yetiboyjay
Posted: May 15, 2014 at 15:43 Quote
I am more than happy servicing forks. Especially open bath ones. Hell I ran a 40 for a few years, if you don't like servicing forks then your stuffed.

I'm more worried about I don't know, needing a special seal or internal part that I have to wait ages for or worse still you can't get it at all.

In the past I only go for pro services once every couple years. Just to check up on things (bushes etc).

If you guys haven't had an issue then it sounds good.

I think I will call J-Tech tomorrow for a chat about reliability and which fork is the best option. I will use them for the pro servicing when I have it done.

Cheers
flag prestigemtb
Posted: May 15, 2014 at 16:14 Quote
I have dealt with both brand... Marzocchi all day!
flag yetiboyjay
Posted: May 16, 2014 at 2:58 Quote
Hmm, my head is saying Marzocchi because of the back up and proven platform...but can i resist a £2k fork for the same money as a £850 fork?!

Surf Sales dropped BOS because of poor customer service to them- availability of parts etc.

Now Jungle UK have taken them on, they also do Santacruz and have done for years. If anyone can make it work its them.

I have spoken to TF Tuned who would not touch them, the tech said they were awesome but the lack of support meant he'd avoid.

J-Tech were very helpfull and even explained how normal service items are always avaiable because Fox 36 main seals and Bushes fit them fine. That has sort of put my mind at ease. He reckoned its only if i was to crash damage something or loose a part that i could be in for a wait...but he didnt expect that to be too long...a few weeks at most. This can also be said for Marzo' in the past ive needed parts that weren't in the country- it took weeks to come from Italy.

I'm just so confused. The head says Marzo' because they are pretty common and I have had them before but I really like the idea of a 'boutique' fork on my rare'ish Rotec RL9.

Although looks aren't the main concern I do think the 888 looks a little 'cheap' particuarly the gloss white lowers. If they did black id be all over them i think.
flag prestigemtb
Posted: May 16, 2014 at 5:57 Quote
Marzocchi 380...

BOS is great high quality but man they are so hard to deal with...
flag andyd2506
Posted: May 16, 2014 at 7:46 Quote
jskiff wrote:
Nice one.....Will see what they say Smile
Just being honest save your money, and for a different shock not worth it, Bos are f*cking useless jtech are unofficial service centre so can't do mods only basic service they may offer to do them but don't really have a clue on their systems, Bos have been dropped by 2 distributors and 3 official service centres in the UK in the last 18 months, what does that tell you?
flag jskiff
Posted: May 16, 2014 at 7:59 Quote
andyd2506 wrote:
jskiff wrote:
Nice one.....Will see what they say Smile
Just being honest save your money, and for a different shock not worth it, Bos are f*cking useless jtech are unofficial service centre so can't do mods only basic service they may offer to do them but don't really have a clue on their systems, Bos have been dropped by 2 distributors and 3 official service centres in the UK in the last 18 months, what does that tell you?

It concerns me greatly have recently procured some devilles, but god they're good!
flag rydelean
Posted: May 16, 2014 at 13:00 Quote
jskiff wrote:
andyd2506 wrote:
jskiff wrote:
Nice one.....Will see what they say Smile
Just being honest save your money, and for a different shock not worth it, Bos are f*cking useless jtech are unofficial service centre so can't do mods only basic service they may offer to do them but don't really have a clue on their systems, Bos have been dropped by 2 distributors and 3 official service centres in the UK in the last 18 months, what does that tell you?

It concerns me greatly have recently procured some devilles, but god they're good!
I just got some devilles their amazing but I did have to send them back to creation cycles cos the low speed compression knob got jammed but they fixed them and got some replacement knobs. Bear in mind they make top rate rally shocks and are a verry well known company, their still in the early stages of getting into the mtb seen + theirs a lot of riders running them this session. their coming out on stock bikes aswell now to so their doing well. Don't you lot remember rockshox when they first came along I blow up 3 pairs of judy dh's
flag yetiboyjay
Posted: May 16, 2014 at 14:38 Quote
Well I viewed the Idylles earlier with a view to purchase...NOT IMPRESSED!

For a virtually new fork it was bad to see the brake side oil seal was weeping. That was minor compared to the cracks and flakes in the paint around the inside of the arch. I know the rider and he weighs next to nothing and rode the fork on local tame trails 10 times. At some point it looks like they have flexed and the paint has cracked/flaked- not good.

I got the hell out of there and bought some brand new 2014 888 EVO V2's with 2x Ti springs (med+firm) for £560 delivered.

EVERY company except Jungle (the latest BOS diss) said don't touch them with a barge pole. That included TF Tuned and Surf Sales. j-tech said be aware of the supply issues but otherwise a great fork.

Cheers
flag Raggi-Boy
Posted: May 17, 2014 at 11:52 Quote
There is no way in hell he was being honest with you. You did the right thing.
flag AMartinson
Posted: Aug 25, 2014 at 5:00 Quote
Hey guys I just got a great deal on an idylle and strait of of the box it sounds horrible. There is a squelching noise as well as a sort of grinding and if you shake it around the spring bumps against the side. It is topping out ver hard as well. Is this normal?
flag Ploutre
Posted: Aug 25, 2014 at 5:18 Quote
The squelching noise is normal, it comes from how the damper is made. Had that on an N'dee, an old Idylle RaRe, and the Idylle RaRe from 2014 I now have (and a friend's Idylle RaRe from 2013 aswell)

If the spring rattles around in it, you might need some more preload. On the top of the left stanchion, you should have a silver hex bolt (size 14 I think, not sure tho), put in some clicks until it doesn't make any noise. If you're maxed out, and it still rattles, open the top cap and get everything out (watch out, there was around 100mL of oil in the left stanchion in my old coil Idylle so don't turn it upside down Big Grin )

As for the topping out hard, the damper may be disarmed. You may want to check the oil level in the right stanchion (report to the BOS documentation on how to measure the oil level), and if needed add some. You don't "need" the stock BOS oil, they will run fine with pretty much all the oils on the market (I would avoid Motorex tho). A friend runs his Idylle with some Igol 5W, another one with some Ipone SAE10 ...

Finally, you need to rearm the cartridge. Open the coil side (so you can easily push the fork up and down without resistance). Close the rebound and compression, and bottom out the fork. Pull it up, bottom out, pull it up ... and so on until you don't feel any soft spot (when fully extended and missing some oil, the last 5-10mm of travel are like stiction-free, like if there wasn't any rebound setting slowing it down). Open the rebound/compression by half, and do it again.

And that should be much better.


Now the grinding noise, not sure what you mean but it shouldn't be there ... Let me know if it's still there after you've done all the steps above Smile

 


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