Originally Posted by MattP.
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.
Non sequitur. I'd keep the stanchion guards for a muddy day, but would keep them off all the rest. If you don't throw your bike on the ground, there aren't going to be many rocks coming up at the stanchions. How would they get there?
Unless you have angered the forest sprites, or unless you plan on tossing your bike where it shouldn't be tossed, the front wheel won't kick rocks up anywhere near the stanchions, if it kicks them up at all. Mud on the backsides is a problem, which is why I would keep the guards for the nasties.