Originally Posted by DasProfezzional
They keep 90% of the grime off your stanchions, but keep 100% of the 10% that gets in from getting out. If you take a read on the Lizardskins, (headset and rear shock covers, too,) it'll say only to put them on when stuff is likely to get kicked up at your fork.
So if it's muddy or full up with little rocks everywhere all the time, I'd leave them on. Otherwise, I'd give them the chops. Gouged stanchions or no gouged stanchions, a fork's internals are no good if they're soaked in a mixture of oil and dirt.
True, but internals are no good with gouged stanchions.
Would you either:
1) Run stanchion guards, and possible have to put new oil in it sooner than expected. Maybe $30 at a LBS if you don't know how?
or
2) Not run them, possible ding your stanchion, have to purchase a new upper assembly and send the fork off to be rebuilt? For a Lyrik (just throwing number out there), it runs about $320 for the uppers alone, add on service and you're looking at about $400? That's for RockShox, I'm sure Fox charges quite a bit more.
Choice is a no-brainer for me.