minimizing required maintenance - tips with or alternatives to mountain bike suspension systems?

[NeezyDeezy]

I'm interested in a new build. I rode a KHS softtail with a 9C fed 2k watts for years, but gave up out of frustration from constant maintenance issues, mostly non-ebike mechanical things. For me I've hated constantly replacing disc brake pads, this has been discussed a lot and seems like you can basically fix with regen, so that will be a priority for my new build, probably using a GMAC. Easy. But the one I don't know how to best address is front and rear shock issues - this one I don't see discussed as much... To keep my marzocchi bomber fork and KHS softtail mechanism working correctly requires attention every couple months or more and I've had more costs than I'd want with having the have the lowers replaced on the fork and the softtail rebuilt. The standard advice involves cleaning and lubrication refills every 25 riding hours and a full service (strip down, seal replacement and full oil change) every 200 hours. That's WAY more work than I want to do myself or take the time and expense to have a bike shop do for me!! Plus, we put more use and abuse on ebikes than standard mountain bike parts are designed for.

It seems to me the easiest "solution" from a maintenance perspective is stick with hardtail and rigid fork and go fatbike tires. That might help with comfort but doesn't help as much with stability eg keeping the wheels on the road at speed. But, if people are happy with that at 2k watts and on roads at 35mph, I'd love to hear that as it would be great. What do you think?

Alternatively I see some go with beefier shocks more geared towards motorcycles, but that involves a lot more DIY than I want to do. But the standard here for people using about the amount of power I want to use seems to just be to use downhill mountain bike front and rear suspension, so I'm curious what maintenance do you do on your front and rear shocks? How often do you clean, lube, and service them?

 

[MadRhino]

There is no magic in this world. And, don’t believe racing spec maintenance schedule, because they are for optimal racing requirements and very few riders are expecting such. But, cleaning suspension is everyday routine. Replace your bomber with a monster T and you have a fork for a lifetime with once a year maintenance. Replace it with a modern 6 lbs pro racing fork and it will last a decade changing 50 ml of oil every month, and dust wipers every second year. Buy the best brakes and replace pads fr and rr in 4 minutes keeping fingers clean. Buy a pro single BMX freewheel and a titanium chain, and run it dry for 2 years without any problems...

Good choice of components, and the money to buy them, are making a better bike with lesser maintenance. Higher performance requirements can be costly, in both time and money. Most ebikers don’t need high performance, they just need reliability. Those who need reliability have thoice to use better components at higher cost. Those who do need high performance, are willing to do whatever required to maintain it.

 

[fatty]

It seems to me the easiest "solution" from a maintenance perspective is stick with hardtail and rigid fork and go fatbike tires.

This is the obvious solution, but ebike-rated, puncture-resistant road tires aren't available in widths larger than 2.6-2.8". If you use non-ebike tires, you may just trade suspension maintenance for tire maintenance.

Motorcycles use coil shocks (in part for lower maintenance), but coil shocks are also available for bicycles.

 

[motomech]

Plus, we put more use and abuse on ebikes than standard mountain bike parts are designed for.

Sorry, can't let that go unchallenged. So you are saying street riding an Ebike is harder on suspension pieces than what serious MXB riders do?? Do you do 6 ft drop-offs on the street?

To keep my marzocchi bomber fork and KHS softtail mechanism working correctly requires attention every couple months or more and I've had more costs than I'd want with having the have the lowers replaced on the fork and the softtail rebuilt.

I had a set of Bombers on my 2003 Rocky Mountain Ebike that I rode for years and 1000's of miles before it was stolden and never touched the forks. Thought about changing the oil, but never got around to it.
Not sure what a "softtail mechanism" is, but my Fox air shocks have been mostly reliable. One had a slow leak, but I put their seal kit (around $25 and a hour's time) and it went away.
And why did you have to replace your fork lowers anyway? Not a common thing.

The standard advice involves cleaning and lubrication refills every 25 riding hours and a full service (strip down, seal replacement and full oil change) every 200 hours.

You mean the service manual recommendations?
That's for the worst scenario. brutal off-roading in water and mud.
If you aren't riding in sloppy conditions, the factory chain- stay pivot grease will last for years.
If you are not pounding over rocks and stumps and "cooking" the oil in a shock, that oil will be fine for years. When I put a seal kit in my Fox shock, the two year oil looked fine, still red, not black and smelly.
If a shop is telling you need to do all this stuff, I think that you might want to look for another shop.

Disc brk. pads can be a reoccuring item on ebikes, but they do make "ebike"pads for some systems, besides $15 and 10 minutes to change them out doesn't seem like a big deal to me.

In the 9 years of riding ebikes what I've had to deal with are the ebike power system stuff, wires, connectors, controllers, motors, whl.s, etc., not anything much on donor bikes (Rocky Mountain, GT's and a Motobecane.

I suppose if a guy is an all-weather delivery person or commuter, suspension maintenance could be get to be a hassle, but that's the cost of "doing business" and I doubt someone who's sending lot's of time in the saddle would want to do without suspension.

I just don't want anyone planning their first build to short-sell themselves and forgoing a suspension donor bike over concerns of suspension costs or maintenance. Something that I don't think would effect the vast majority of folks.

 

[MadRhino]

Plus, we put more use and abuse on ebikes than standard mountain bike parts are designed for.

Sorry, can't let that go unchallenged. So you are saying street riding an Ebike is harder on suspension pieces than what serious MXB riders do?? Do you do 6 ft drop-offs on the street

I had the impression of the opposite: that the OP is riding mountain trails with a bike and components that are not up to the task.

I mean, this need to be clarified but it would be a good reason for excessive maintenance to the point of giving up riding the bike. The KHS softail was a primitive pogo stick 1.5 inch rear suspension on a street bike kind of frame, not suitable at all for speeding the mountain trails.

 

[NeezyDeezy]

Thanks for the feedback! Glad to hear that my experience (and preferences) probably aren't typical.

Sorry, can't let that go unchallenged. So you are saying street riding an Ebike is harder on suspension pieces than what serious MXB riders do?? Do you do 6 ft drop-offs on the street?

And why did you have to replace your fork lowers anyway? Not a common thing.

Good points, I just mean speed and time in the saddle as being the unusual parts of ebiking vs mountain biking. The lowers somehow got damaged, but I never crashed... before the pandemic I locked on the street when I was in a store, restaurant, museum, theater, etc (aka whenever I'm not at home or work). There were no real outward signs of being dented but the bike shop told me the legs were "giving them trouble" as part of overall maintenance the sure enough afterward the fork went back to working well... for a time.

The KHS bike was ridden 95% on the street. I took it out on trails about 5 times. I don't baby it though, and take curbs and constant speed bumps. My new build will be entirely street riding. I'm leaning towards using the same bike but just replacing my 9C with a GMAC for stronger regen braking and sucking it up as any maintenance issues come up with the suspension because I think it's worth it. My first build was hardtail and rigid fork Trek and the KHS was much better when riding at speed.

 

[fatty]

Agree with both above

Overbuild with:
coil-sprung (low-maintenance) suspension with synthetic fluid (oxidative stability) and SKF seals
oversize brakes (large pad area) w/ metal sintered pads, finned for easy remove/replace

...should address most of these concerns