I’ve said it before, but I think it’s safe to say I have a thing for tools. When I heard from Jason Quade that Abbey had something new to show me at Sea Otter, it was one of my very first stops. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect. What tool could Jason possibly have worked up that would yet again prove to be a better mousetrap?
The answer is sockets. But not just any sockets – suspension sockets. At this point you are either saying ‘yes!’ or scratching your head wondering what makes a suspension socket different than any of the sockets you’ll find in your tool box right now. The answer lies in the chamfer around the edge, or more appropriately, the lack of chamfer. Almost every standard socket uses a chamfered edge to make locating the socket over the bolt easier. In the suspension world though, that chamfer causes the socket to lack proper engagement with the super short wrench flats on the top of your fork. Using a chamfered socket will usually result in damage to the top cap of your fork which certainly isn’t good.
Better mechanics have ground down their own sockets for years or sought out pre-ground sockets from various tool suppliers, but per usual, Abbey is stepping up with a better way…
CNC machined from aluminum, Abbey’s suspension top cap sockets will be available in 5 different sizes to fit most major fork including Fox, RockShox, X-Fusion, MRP, and (some) Marzocchi. The sockets themselves use a shorter profile while will help to keep the tool from slipping off the flats, and they will be built with thumb holds to aid in starting the threads. The inner bore will also offer a tighter fit than most off the shelf sockets to keep scuffing down to a minimum.
Fitted with a 3/8″ drive, finished sockets are expected around July with pricing still to be set.
Not long after visiting with Jason and covering the new sockets, I bumped into him on the other side of the show carrying a small box of sockets. When asked if he was trying to sell them at the show he replied that he was out testing the fit on various forks. It was then that I noticed the lower leg of a RockShox RS-1 in his hand with a nut that looked about the same size as his socket.
“Does it fit?” I asked.
In typical Quade fashion his reply was simply, “it will…”
