Customer Review: Fox Heritage Fork Decal Kit

Fox’s Heritage Decal Kits provide a wonderful opportunity to customize your Fox fork and rear shock with a wide array of colors. Available in 14 different color schemes including: black, white, silver, chrome, gold-chrome, red, blue, green, yellow, orange, purple, pink, turquoise, and a combination of red, white, and blue that will fit most of their forks and shocks. Be sure to check compatibility on Fox’s website before purchasing. Or, better yet, contact the sage folks at Worldwide Cyclery, they’ll hook you up properly.

A word to the wise…Unless you want to trap bubbles galore under your new decals, ignore the cute but worthless beer-swilling gent in the Fox-sponsored decal installation video. It’s very irreverent and funny, but you won’t get the factory-look finish for your decals. Here’s the scoop:

Invest $10 in a 4-ounce bottle of Rapid Tac. A 4-ounce bottle provides enough solution to cover many bikes in decals, including frame-shield vinyl decals.

1. Measure the placement of the original decal(s). If you want to achieve a symmetrical appearance on your finished fork, this is essential. Blue painter’s tape works great but keep it away from the actual gluing area on the fork. Check vertical and horizontal alignment carefully. If you want to get crazy, use an ultraviolet pen with related lighting. You can also use a pencil but be certain not to mark in regions directly under the decal placement.
2. Remove original fork decals gently. If you can’t raise an edge to peel from, insert a plastic credit card underneath, then push gently. A hair dryer might help but I lifted a corner with a fingernail, then pulled the decal free and clear. Some individuals prefer to cover the original decals with new ones. Note: Do not remove the rear shock’s decal as it’s difficult to remove. Apply the rear shock’s decal, without using Rapid Tac, over the original, rubbing gently across the decal’s surface as you wrap it around the existing one. Be careful to achieve the proper alignment of both ends of the decals.
3. Remove all excess adhesive from the fork, then wipe the area with Fast Tac solution. Use a lint free cloth. Be sure these areas are free from lint before proceeding.
4. Now, peel off the decals and place them adhesive side up on a newspaper, plastic mat, etc.
5. Spray the decals thoroughly with Rapid Tac, don’t be stingy with the solution. Let it soak for at least 90 seconds. While you are waiting, spray the surface of the fork, work only one side at a time. Then spray more on the decals and apply to the frame. This solution will allow you to move the decal(s) around. However, do not attempt to apply the entire decal at once unless you’re an expert. Start from the center of the decal and rub it lengthwise as you slowly apply it. The Fox video is excellent at depicting this part of the process. I used a felt-tipped squeegee to smooth out the trapped bubbles as it’s less apt to damage the surface of the decal.
6. Watch carefully for 5-10 minutes as an occasional bubble may appear, even though it appeared that everything was removed on the initial passes.
7. Patience and perseverance will reward you with a beautiful, customized accent to your mountain bike.

You can order the Fox Heritage Decal Kits from our friends at Worldwide Cyclery. These folks are friendly, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and totally committed to bicycling. Their store is loaded with quality bicycles, components, related clothing, and accessories. Checkout their incredible feedback on venues like Facebook, Twitter, and Ebay. A first-class company with world class service, Worldwide Cyclery will help fulfill your bicycling fantasies.