Personally I would put them into the cheaper catagory. The marks to the touch do feel like a grease as apposed to the seal breaking down. Would the grease used be a blacky/grey colour?.. I havn't a chance to take a photo just yet but I will try a sort one tommorow.

I would be interested in replace the front and rear suspension on the bike, because both are lacking any real form of damping and just seem to be pre-load on the springs. The frame itself is built like Fort Knocks, but there really missed a trick on the suspension.

I think it would be relatively easy to swap the rear shock out for an air shock, or one with a oil resevoir... However the front fork poses a little more of a problem. I am mechanicaly minded and have a trade so the actual work isnt a problem, but if you look in a picture below of the bike the stem on it is absoloutly enormous... and Im not sure if there would be an shock that would fit that. Opinions