Sendhit Announces Stanchion Scratch Repair Kit

Nov 20, 2019 at 17:08
by Sarah Moore  
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PRESS RELEASE: Sendhit

Scratching your fork stanchion is not uncommon and can be disastrous. We've launched the first repair kit for scratched fork stanchion. With our Scratch Cover, we intend to provide an economical and simple alternative to the complete replacement of the stanchion to preserve the suspension’s operation.

A poorly attached bike, a fall in the rocks or a throwing of stones, the incident quickly happened and the result always annoying. Depending on the depth of the scratch, the consequences can range from a simple unsightly scratch to a degraded suspension operation. The seals can quickly be damaged, resulting in a loss of sealing and/or the intrusion of impurities into the fork legs. Until then, the solutions consisted of an expensive change of the stanchions or an improvised repair with poorly adapted products.

With Scratch Cover, we offer both riders and mechanics a complete kit to repair scratches on all-mountain bike stanchions: fork, air shock, and dropper post. It restores the smooth appearance of the stanchion, visually reduces the scratch mark and preserves the suspension's operation.

The kit contains all the accessories and a manual to ensure a simple and meticulous repair at home or on the move.

The Scratch Cover © kit includes all the accessories you need to repair a stanchion without any other tools, whether you are at home or on the go (travelling or during competitions) :

• 1 file to remove the burr without scraping the stanchion
• 5 cleaning wipes
• 5 ml of epoxy resin and 3 ml of hardener mixed in a 2:1 ratio
• 5 mix tubes
• 5 pipettes
• 1 sanding wedge
• 10 abrasive papers
• 1 pair of gloves
• 1 manual in 6 languages
• 1 safety data sheet in 6 languages

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The use of an epoxy resin meets the mechanical requirements of a stanchion thanks to its strong adhesion to the metal, its high resistance to friction and its tolerance to oily environments. It is available in transparent or black to match the color of the stanchions. A gold version is under study.

The repair is carried out in three steps:

• Removing the burrs with a file
• Precise application of the resin
• Sanding of excess resin after drying (6 to 8 hours depending on temperature and humidity)

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Accessible to everyone, the operations simply require precision and delicacy for an optimal result.

The black and transparent Scratch Cover kits will be available from the end of November at a retail price of €39.99 including VAT in European retailers and online shops.

Learn more here.

Author Info:
sarahmoore avatar

Member since Mar 30, 2011
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103 Comments
  • 104 4
 Files and sandpaper on stanchions, fine for the mechanically capable/patient, a disaster waiting to happen in the hands of an idiot.
  • 5 0
 This. Exactly.
  • 3 1
 I appreciate what you mean, but what could be suggested as an alternative?
  • 5 0
 And what's the bike world full of?
  • 7 0
 @Gackt: if you're not mechanically capable or inclined, try picking the brains of a friend who is, or just ask them to use this kit to do the job for you. Most mechanically skilled people are willing to share tips or just do the job for you, especially if you buy them a few beers/a pizza. Buying them a few beers is much cheaper than trashing stanchions.
  • 3 0
 That's why you don't use anything courser than 1500 grit
  • 8 14
flag RoadStain (Nov 21, 2019 at 12:49) (Below Threshold)
 Do not worry, your average bike mechanic (do it at home or otherwise) will only start such a project after a number of beers (generally some terrible beer with a stupid name and some hipster story).
  • 4 1
 tools require skill to use. ergo tools should not be sold?
  • 2 0
 they are epoxy with a MANUAL AND DATASHEET IN 6 LANGUAGES! ARE WE NOT ENTERTAINED?
  • 2 0
 It's really not that hard.
  • 1 0
 Sounds like a business opportunity to me. Stanchion repair service. Similar to glass repair and paintless dent removal.
  • 1 0
 @Gackt:it's like treating your nails.

some months ago my bike fell on a little wall, hitting the fork.

I've removed the burrs with a nail file, then I've used the cheapest nail polish to fill the scratches.

Now I bet that one can't spot the difference neither when seeing or touching the fork.
  • 2 0
 most things on bikes are a "disaster waiting to happen in the hands of an idiot"
  • 92 0
 This is why everyone needs a goth in their life. Black nail polish.
  • 38 0
 Do they also make Kashima nail polish? And Espresso nail polish?
  • 31 0
 @vinay: Kashima would be Steampunk, LOL.
  • 18 6
 It's hard work being Goth man. I still have black nail polish on from my halloween costume (slutty tranny black metal nun). It won't come off.
  • 8 0
 @ImAManCheetah88: cheer up goth!
  • 4 0
 @vinay: gonna take more than nail polish to buff out that marzocchi 350 espresso stanchion wear!
  • 1 1
 my lyrik is now a portion noil polish. cannot recommend it more so long as it's sanded down properly.
  • 5 0
 @howsyourdad No seriously, I repaired my RockShox pike with black nail polish and you cannot tell. I think that's what they use in the manufacturing process. Poop loads of goth polish
  • 51 1
 My wife found my black nail polish in the garage, now thinks I'm into cross dressing
  • 119 2
 There is downhill dressing, xc dressing and cross dressing, (some call it gravel dressing)
  • 11 6
 @PigletOrange: Is that what vegans put on their dandelion salads?
  • 4 2
 That is because you keep stealing her under ware!
  • 6 0
 @aljoburr: but from time to time he needs a piece of cloth to polish his bike
  • 2 5
 is that the tranny tuesday thing
  • 2 0
 @PigletOrange: What about down country dressing??? can't leave that out Smile
  • 1 0
 @PigletOrange: For the win!
  • 3 0
 Admitting you're a cross-dressing tranny will still make less of a fight than saying "honey, I got me a new bike!".
  • 20 0
 DIY hack with very minimal sanding: Remove burs via your choice. 2-part epoxy/Quicksteel to roughly fill gouge (don't use too much, just enough for the epoxy to be proud of the stanchion). Tighten zip tie over stanchion. Slide zip tie down stanchion across fill area to form the fill to the shape of stanchion. Cut zip tie. Remove excess fill around area before it hardens (with IPA and a clean microfiber). Usually no to minimal sanding is necessary after this. This was the method we used in the shop I used to work at.
  • 2 2
 Good idea with the zap strap, thanks for the tips.
  • 1 0
 @mountain-life: Sorry, screwed up your prop cred with a fat-fingered neg (so here's +5 for you). My bad. But no worries on the tips. Method has been bullet proof for me!
  • 2 0
 Why waste a good IPA beer on the fork?
  • 3 0
 @slayerdegnar: bikes love beer, beer loves bikes
  • 1 0
 I use a razor blade to get the burrs, it leaves nothing but the gouge. Thanks for the zip-tie tip!!!!
  • 1 0
 @Bentjammer: no worries it's saved many a stanchions!
  • 1 0
 I like this idea but how do you cleanly cut off a zip tie that is tight enough on the stantion that it forms the epoxy to it? Seems like you would have to get really close to the station with your metal cutters that you would scratch them again?
  • 1 0
 @warmerdamj: Carefully. You can generally cut through half the ziptie and then it will just snap off. Do it all the time on my frames.
  • 19 4
 Ah, a bit like nail varnish then. Only more expensive.
  • 93 7
 Yeah, in the same way a Walmart bike is a bit like a yeti...
  • 5 0
 Yeah Doddy did that on GMBN, seemed alright €38 euros saved towards tyres
  • 3 1
 @inked-up-metalhead: lol poor analogy dude. No comparison between those bikes but he's right about this being a more expensive lacquer. I have never blown seals from deep stanchion scratches because I have *carefully* filed down burrs and used hardware store clear coat lacquer. Worked a charm.
  • 2 1
 Yeah and there's no comparison between nail polish and epoxy resin. One dries because the solvent evaporates, the other is a chemical reaction. Acetone removes nail varnish (nail varnish remover is watered down acetone) but doesn't touch cured epoxy. Pretty much nothing does. So it's a perfect analogy, to the uneducated they might seem to be similar but once you actually know then you realise one is far inferior.
  • 1 1
 @nevertoofast: also, no comparison? How not? Both got wheels, brakes, a frame, fork, tyres, crank, chain, derailleur, seatpost, seat, headset, stem, bars, grips and more or less anything else you care to think about with a bike. So ones a really low quality version, the others pretty much the pinnacle. Again, perfect analogy.
  • 1 1
 @inked-up-metalhead: dude I know about different resins. The weak ass part of your analogy is the difference in cost for a high/low quality epoxy vs a yeti/Walmart bike. I can easily purchase an epoxy that will match or outperform that of this "kit"..... where as someone who has a $200 bike budget is not getting a 1/32 of a yeti....
This kit is gimmicky and way overinflated in price simply because it claims to be purpose-built for your stanchions. But the hardware store has all you need for way less.
  • 1 2
 @nevertoofast: right. So now you're saying this epoxy vs other epoxy. Regarding that argument, I agree this is overpriced, but that's an intense vs a yeti. He was saying nail varnish. You know, the stuff you paint fingernails with, and clean off with dilute acetone? The stuff that isn't a patch on epoxy? So in terms of quality of finish isn't a 1/32 of epoxy? Learn some reading comprehension before trying to be smart, backtracking or getting your argument wrong doesn't look good. And yes, I've got diamond files, 5 min epoxy, pigments for it (including gold) wet and dry up to 5000g, so I would never buy it, but someone who doesn't know about it and doesn't have the kit available or know exactly what they need it could be a perfect solution.
  • 9 0
 DIY for cheaps... this worked well for me: remove burrs (bottom of spoon works a dandy) get gleaming clean with toothbrush and IPA, fill scratch (layer if deep) with nail polish or epoxy (patience here let that shit cure) ,sand excess overfill with VERY fine sandpaper 1200,1500,2000 grit in succession (found at auto supply shops) hope you didnt wait too long and shred your seals and rockn'roll
  • 40 1
 You waste Indian Pale Ale on stanchions?
  • 7 0
 @Creg: you use the stanchions as straws, duh
  • 6 3
 @Creg: isopropylalcohol
  • 13 0
 Why do you want to remove me?
  • 1 0
 A stanley knife is also good for removing the burrs
  • 2 0
 @boozed: time to get worried @aljoburr
  • 3 0
 @aljoburr: It's not u; it's me.
  • 1 0
 Doddy @GMBN Tech has a great video on this too!
  • 14 4
 I get properly upset when I scratch my stanchions, so much so that I usually buy new forks. So welcome news (nail polish just doesn’t really cut it for me)
  • 17 0
 As annoying as it is. If it still functions then it’s fine. Bikes should get beat up
  • 4 0
 Try epoxy based nail polish?
  • 2 0
 @Bigwill13: I wish I could upvote this over and over!
  • 9 0
 oh well precision and delicacy......2 things I don't have
  • 5 0
 Tried that nail polish on the stanchions: works for about 6 months unless you ride the west coast.

Tried Araldite 2-part epoxy, works for about 18 months just make sure that you mix a bit less resin to get more firmness from it (40% resin 60% hardener at most).... also add a heat gun/ hairdryer to get excellent adhesion before the epoxy sets and make sure to clean up before anything dries.

And for those of us in Canada / where it's cold... the Araldite is an excellent base repair material for skis and snowboards to the point where add heat and a light clamping force and you can _replace_ core sections of skis with epoxy and still get a decent ski out of it. ( ask me how I know...)
  • 5 1
 Similar to the Ride Wrap product, this product would give an inexperienced DIYer everything they need to fix it. Nothing wrong with that. I fixed my fork stanchion scratch similar to how Doddy recommended on GMBN. Bought a nice firm narrow file to remove the burrs without removing much else around the scratch. Cleaned that up and then I just used superglue to fill it in. Waited almost until it hardened (4-6hrs), then used the file & fine sandpaper (1200-1500g) on a square block (or wetstone) to file the superglue down to the stanchion surface. It's held up great since, even with it passing thru the fork seals on a regular basis (not in sag, but moderate bumps). After half a season the fork oil looks normal, no extra dirt/gunk. I call it a win!
  • 5 0
 All readily available stuff and easy to do but well done on putting it all together and giving it a name, the inter dweebs will be all over it.
  • 7 0
 The demo bikes at my local shop will be thrilled.
  • 3 0
 i had always thought this was the beauty of the never ending csu creak problem.. scratch your stanchions bad? Spend an hour doing aggressive nose picks and endos in the parking lot, make creak start, get new uppers.. scratch fixed?
  • 6 0
 I was reading "Sendshit" :-)
  • 2 0
 Came here to make this exact comment.
  • 4 1
 this will save ypu the indignity of going to your local hardware store, get 10 times the amount for 1/3 of the price and then having to watch a YT tutorial cause you can't figure out.
  • 2 0
 There are just as good alternatives that fall well below the 39.99 cost, I use marine grade epoxy an hardner for my micarta and carbon fibre making, a litre of epoxy with hardner can be had for 20. A singular stanchion replacement costs approx an extra 20 on top of this, and you can get a good 2nd hand CSU with no stanchion damage for 40, some new with uncut steerer for around 60 if you look in the right places. There are so many monkey mechanics out there that this will be another disaster passed down to the 2nd hand resale market, though for your average competent Joe who just wants to pick up a complete kit, this may well be for them.
  • 2 0
 Theres alot of other options… I have an old 2005 xc bike with a pretty deep scratch on the fork that I fixed with jb weld, some beers , sand paper and polishing paste. Still works fine 10 years after the repair…
  • 1 0
 IPA?
  • 5 1
 Hmmm so I could make those giraffe spots on my Kashima black...why not, one for me please, I don´t care if black or gold
  • 1 0
 Lol!!!
  • 5 0
 I just ignore it, works too
  • 1 0
 Well after using this kit for the first time,all a can say is STAY AWAY .By the time you’ve polished the resin down flush,your stanchion is ruined.You can’t trim the excess resin off with a blade it just lifts it all out.Unlike nail varnished.1200 grade wet and dry is too abrasive and 1500/2000 isn’t abrasive enough to polish the excess resin off.
  • 4 0
 €40!
€39.25 of that is profit!
Nice little earner if it sells...
  • 1 0
 Reading these comments is like watching a cooking show, where the cooks are competing to make the best and quickest meal with ingredients picked during a timed shopping spree.
  • 4 1
 Superglue and 600 grade wet and dry. Way cheaper and very effective
  • 14 0
 600 is nowhere near fine enough lol
  • 1 0
 "improvised repair with poorly adapted products"
All they've done is put some epoxy and gloves in a box... it's not exactly rocket science
  • 2 0
 RS components sell black superglue if you need it.
  • 1 0
 Has anyone used the black super glue for this sort of repair? Curious if it cracks/chips?
  • 4 2
 I took a hit and then sent it...
  • 1 0
 FINALLY!!!! I need this so bad! the nail polish on my sanction keep wearing off!
  • 1 0
 There is an other solution to scratches on Stanchions?
Or no longer have to fix them, but why would any one want that?
  • 2 5
 A friend of mine (French) was on a remote trip in New Zeland and scratched his stanchion to the point he was not able to ride. No replacement solution around. It put him off for several days.
If you now consider that even dropper posts are exposed to damages, this makes this kit a must have in your toolbox and well worth the price.
  • 18 0
 If you can scratch a stanchion to the point where you are no longer able to ride, then it's not a scratch!
  • 5 0
 @dicky21: A flesh wound?
  • 1 1
 @dicky21: Was unable to continue out of kahimbarassment.
  • 1 0
 @McFly78 what was wrong with it? How could he no longer ride?
  • 1 0
 I guess fork boots were a good idea after all.
  • 1 0
 This problem solved long time ago

UV-lamp + some polimers....
  • 1 0
 It would be good if they also sold just the resins on their own.
  • 1 0
 Araldite will do the job. Ive done a few nail varnish repairs and it works beautifully The clever bit in this kit is the curved soft sanding block. That's the bit i would pay for.
  • 1 0
 i just use nail polish, probably cheaper...
  • 4 6
 Lol. What a joke. Knock the edges of that scratch down with a diamond file. We don’t use oil seals anymore, unless you gouge the bushings. This is purely aesthetic.
  • 10 0
 Meanwhile in places where it rains
  • 3 0
 Its not stopping oil or air getting out as much as its stopping crap getting in.
  • 2 0
 @OllyR: if you’ve got a several mm deep gouge then maybe. But a scratch isn’t going to flow water into the fork, the seals are plenty snug.
  • 1 0
 @commentsectiontroll: Rain contrary to belief, happens everywhere even little old New Zealand see’s a quite a bit of moisture.
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