We all know very well that the forks of the bike are very essential to a good driving experience!

Of course, we will not discuss oils (religious thread, this one!) or springs, here! These are really left to one's tastes, as well as their feel of the bike, not to mention the specific needs of the day (damp, cold, wet, dry, hot etc) or the track's available traction.

However, I have seen a few forks that BIND when moving up and down, and this is a shame, as the operation of the forks will greatly affect the bike's performance.

So, here we go!

First please watch these videos, by Clark, very carefully:

Jabber Fork 1 (3 min 5 sec)

In this video, Clark took the time to show how a fork leg should be assembled.
No more words needed here, it's very clear.

In the next video, Clark shows us how to put the fork legs into the triples. Make sure to have the Lightscale tool. It will make your life a lot easier. Trust me on this! I'm not advertising! I'm just a happy user!!!

Jabber Fork 2 (1 min 46 sec)

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Watch the video carefully, first and then read on:

Jabber Fork (0 min 52 sec)

Even though the video above shows the 2013 forks, the 2015 forks work in exactly the same way. The method of securing the triples is quite different, but in the end the way to adjust is the same.

So, do the test, as Clark shows in the video.

If the fork assembly does not go smoothly from side to side, two things might happen:

1. The ball bearings may be bad.

These ball bearings are a thing that we often overlook when servicing the bike, but, trust me, they are one of the most important things for the bike to drive perfectly.

Remove them and check them. If they grind when you turn them by hand, throw them away and replace with new ones!

Also, put them one by one on the steering head axle, and see if they have side play. If they do, throw them away.

They are a cheap part, costing one dollar/pound/euro each, so please don't hesitate to do it!!!

What may cause them to break or deteriorate is very obvious: Crashing! And don't tell me you never crash! You do! I DO! (OK, I crash more than you!).
But... in the event of a crash, and since there is no crash-back protection, all the forces of the crash happen to end on these bearings. OK, if the bearings stay together, then the white plastic triangles break. Then the lower carbon plate, then the chassis main plates. But these happen after severe and multiple crashes in the course of a year's time, or more...

2. Adjust the steering head axle
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Well... I have been sort of struggling with the JABBER forks for some time, now! yep, it's been a year or so since I first got the bike!




Two things are critical for the smooth fork operation:

1. The forks' side to side movement and
2. the forks' up and down sliding.

For these, I have asked Clark Wohlert himself as well other World Class drivers of JABBER bikes, who have always been very helpful, while also referring to Clark's very explaining videos on Youtube.


To be continued!