that’s about what happened to my shock linkage on the Blur today.   at first i thought it was the bottom pivot causing problems, then i tried riding and something was definitely not right.   I bolted out the door at 6:15 trying desparately to get to Mine Trail to enjoy some wildflowers before dark.   I had just about made it back to Power Road when this happened at 7.   At first I couldn’t ride, then the pieces adjusted so I could at least pedal slowly home on the road.   Could have been much much worse.

back in the man-cave, I tapped out the pivots and was relieved to see the linkage was a freestanding part and not part of my frame.   Santa Cruz sells replacements for $65; this may or may not be a warranty item.   I was planning on replacing my bearings, and this fix entails like half the job, so figured I might as well order them too.   A nice note was sent to the good folks in the SC Warranty Dept, and hopefully they will get me pointed in the right direction as well as tell me if it was just the result of 4.5 years and thousands of miles and not a problem in my frame or my relatively-new shock (which was sold with later-model Blurs, and mounted by Adventure, so why should it be??).   JB agreed to help me with the work in exchange for beer, and the job itself should not be that tough.   I’m off to Adventure tomorrow anyway to buy prizes for Spring Fling’s Somo ride which I am leading, so will be able to see what the folks there think too.   And since the Fling will be all Heckler rides, I am in good shape for at least a week or so.

Hopefully I can get this all worked out before my parents come in April, or Beckie will be kicking my and the Heckler’s ass all up and down Black Canyon trail.