This is funny timing. I just bought an 05 Cannondale Scalpel with Lefty fork yesterday and I'm so excited about it.. There is a shop I know of that specializes in service of old Lefty forks. They are called Mendon Cycesmith. I don't know if they do anything about cracks but I think they're a great resource to ask.
I've dealt with my fair amount of failures. The only silver lining is that you weren't on the trail and you weren't injured. I have a friend in Ukraine that just had two replacement hangers machined at a local shop, very reasonable. I bet you can get one for less than $50.
A lot of folks seem to be saying change the fork. I'd suggest taking it apart and getting the cracked part welded. Check any local motorcycle shop that caters to dirt bikers - they either can or know someone with a heliarc. If it took fifteen years to break the first time...
If you can't source a new lefty, or get that one fixed you can always convert to a standard fork using a new headset and either replace the wheel or chage out the lefty hub.
I got you Kev! Cannondale Experts is my go to place when I have to start looking for cannondale parts I have used them over the years including converting from lefty/headshock to standard forks. Eighty-Aid in germany still services Lefty Speed Terralogic (FOX) forks and may have an upper you can swap it out with that isn't cracked. With your rush being a 2006 I don't know for sure if you have the newer 1.5" Steerer tube or a 1.56 (Older lefty/headshock standard) the switch happened in 2006-2007 I have had more that a dozen Cannondale's over the years (and still have 4) from road bikes, cross bikes, hardtails, full suspension and yeah the proprietary parts is super frustrating but you hit the nail on the head, everyone does it with frames or something else when they deviate from standards, especially looking at all the new bikes that have micro suspension in the headsets again. Glad you stayed safe and chose not to ride that fork! Good luck on getting it back on the trail!
The guy definitely has a point. My Cannondale F700 Headshock fork needed an elastomer, there are only reproduction parts and proprietary tools to take it apart. And it's a PIA according to the videos I've seen. No one local would touch it. I had to send it out to "the guy" in NYS who does them. Turns out he is really cool and split the shipping. Did a great job and am riding today. Still if it were a regular fork I could have done it myself or replaced it easily. Take the good with the bad the bike is sub 25lbs. Go try to find a sub 25lb, sub $1000 new bike these days. To me it was worth the $ to send it out. We'll see what kind of shape the bike and the rider (me) are at the next repair cycle.
Is it smoother than a normal air fork? I'm tempted to buy f500 and turn it into gravel bike. But don't know if its worth it. Never tried headshok before.
@@5gvaccinator343 it's smooth, it has linear needle bearings that need to be lubed. Smoother than a modern good standard fork? Probably the same. The big issue is that the elastomer spring/damper turns to mush over the years and all thats left is a spring with no damper. If it's old and acts like a pogo stick it needs to be serviced. Like I said it's not exactly easy, you need specific tools, and the parts may or may not be available. I think if you really like the bike you can get headset adapters to fit a standard fork. That's probably what I'd do if it goes bad again and the bike is in good shape. Or of course find someone who does them.
@@5gvaccinator343 I have an f700 with the air version of the Headshok and I find that it's very smooth. That being said, the fork was designed to soak up smaller bumps on the trail rather than tackling drops and other larger trail features. Depending on the model version, they had between 60-80mm of travel so were meant more for comfort than performance. Works great for gravel type riding or drop bar MTB.
This has actually been my issue with the Lefty to begin with. Cannondale made a solution to a nonexistent problem specifically so they would be selling something nobody else used. And they had to make a frame tgat wasn’t compatible with industry standards, which locked their users into something that, for all intents and purposes, couldn’t be replaced. Also, not coincidentally, why I got a little upset when I found out that the bike I bought was made right before the entire industry switched to tapered head tubes. But back to Cannondale, even though the Lefty isn’t a bad product and does exactly what it was designed to do (and does it well, I might add), I didn’t like it because getting a bike with one meant you’d be locked into it. No upgrading, no mods, no projects. Just Lefty, and Lefty hub, and Lefty axle.
new leftys fit on standard tapered steerer. they sell a scalpel with a rockshox fork. they are easier to service now from what i've heard. the cartridge bearings result in no "sticktion" and it's really light for an XC fork
Kev, so sorry to hear about your bike. All over RUclips budget bikes get a bad rap, and your video is a great example that shows regardless of how much money someone spends on a bike, regardless of the name brand or the quality of the part or bike, any bike or part is subject to failure. I'd like to think with a company like Cannondale that they would find a way to at least sell you a replacement lefty fork, and if not they should at least be able to sell you the parts to convert it to a traditional fork, if that was something you desired.
Back in dayz one of my team riders was sponsored a Cannondale - the shop had some headset reducers machined so he could use a regular fork. But check around and also check the measurements - you may be able to run a 1.5 lower and sort a tapered steerer fork... There are some cycle shops which still deal with servicing Cannondale forks - also you could probably easily get a regular headshok and simply drop it in...
@@KevCentral FSA makes a headset for Cannondale allowing a straight 1 1/'8 fork, I run one on my Jekyll. I'm certain there are headset options for modern tapered forks.
I have a '99 F900 with the Hedshok fork, and the steerer is 1.56", which makes life _interesting_. Which if I remember correctly the Lefty runs as well. With that though, there are adapters and specific headsets to convert to more standard... standards, if you cannot find an OEM answer. Or you might end up like me and looking at a machine shop and unreasonable expense.
@@KevCentral if you can separate that lower clamp from the fork, you can take it to a machine shop to have a new one fabricated. Alternatively, you can cut off the damaged portion, modify the piece a bit, and have that portion remade to mount back onto the fork with a double shear joint and grade 12.7 socket cap bolts. That part looks aluminum, and aluminum does not fatigue well. Considering that a fairly large portion of the load is put through that bottom clamp, it may be worthwhile to beef that up if possible, especially around the bolt hole(s).
I see frames on eBay that can’t sell because of the rear shock it used it’s a pull style and no buddy makes that shock style of shock anymore. Forks they can be replaced.
Yeah, I was thinking about that Cannondale Jekyll with the Fox DYAD RT2 pull-shock. I saw those when shopping around for a used full suspension bike and thought it looked rather unique and uncommon. The Jekyll otherwise looked like a nice bike but I crossed if off my list because of that shock.
I don't know what Cannondale calls that headset, but the 'Headshok' is a totally different proprietary part. Before the Lefty, Cannondale tried putting a spring and damper in the headtube. They called that the Headshok. Of course, that meant the headset, fork, and front suspension were ALL proprietary. It's something I both love and hate about Cannondale. :)
that´s a regular 1.5" straight steerer tube, you can run any of the later lefties in it (tapered ones with a bearing adapter). only thing to watch out for is the hub adaptor, i´m not sure if they changed it some time later. also call up cannondale, they may even have replacement parts to sell.
I feel you. I own a canyon strive that has a horizontal dropper like thing, called shapeshifter. It changes geometry and progression. Very nice. In theory. But canyon, in their infinite wisdom, doesn't even provide basic service kits for it. Usual dtuff. Seals etc. If it fail I'm kinda screwed. As for lefty forks they have almost a cult following them. I saw one being rebuilt after at least 10 years in a cold shed. No problem. All spares are still avaliable. So I think you should ask on a forums if you can just weld it. or if there's other known way to fix it. This doesnt look like a unique case.
@mtbboy1993 it's an interesting concept. But yeah, more of a gimmick. My point is canyon should at least sell new shapeshifter assembly. Not just mark your bike as eol. So you are forced to go buy a new frame if this tiny thing fails.
Been working in a bike shop for a bit now and Cannondale has actually proven to be one of the more aggravating brands to work with, they have more proprietary components than most other brands and only one of our distributors sells compatible parts.
Hey, KEV. Don’t go buy any adapter just yet. I’ll send you one so you can use your existing SI headset with a tapered steerer. That way you can decide whether to keep the old style Lefty, install an Ocho, or any other “Normal” fork. Greeting from GA.
My Lefty Max fork similar to yours has a torn accordion boot, which is no longer available from Cannondale. I have an extra at home as well as another Lefty fork for parts, but proprietary parts are now a real consideration for me. Mendon Cyclesmith is definitely an authority on Lefty service but he won't work on the Fox version like yours. The lower clamp might be something he would take on.
I remember there wan an adaptor for the headset so you can run regular shocks up front. That’s one of the reasons I got rid of my Cannondale was due to finding parts to fix it.
Hope you're able to resolve the issue. Having had a Mongoose Dolomite, I somewhat agree with the guy you encountered on the trail. The BB on the Dolo is totally proprietary in length. Total pain to replace. Not impossible, but a pain. Definitely makes me think when purchasing my bikes now.
You can find traditional forks that were intended for Cannondale bikes that have 1.5” straight steerer tubes, I believe Fox and Manitou made forks, there are also headsets that adapt to other sizes of fork steerers as well. I actually just sold a Rush 6 26ER frame with a Fox Float fork that had a 1.5” straight steerer. I was a headset away from having a whole bike but I decided to let someone else take it on the project while I finish a couple of other builds. Sorry about the failure Kev, as others have said, you may be able to find someone to weld the crack in the clamp.
Yeah finding things like that is always a bummer! However getting it welded and repaired seems very doable. Its the price you pay for one off stuff. Its the reason I buy my cars and motorcycles i own from models that have long production runs with not to many changes. There's always a lot of aftermarket and salvage parts available! It gives me piece of mind knowing i can find what i need with my limited budget. I also don't need to have the latest and greatest new thing out. But when you have something unique theres always a work around $$.
There's a guy upstate NY that rebuilds headshoks n leftys. Finding a place to fix those cannondale forks is very hard. However you can run a regular straight or tapered fork on those cannondale head tubes.
@KevCentral yes I like them too. I have a Jekyll 1000 I rebuilt and it originally had a lefty. However I used my headshok fork instead since I didn't have a lefty front wheel.
Oh no, a wall hanger,Kev! lol I used to own a 2011 Trek Fuel EX8 with a proprietary Fox shock. When that went and I couldn't figure it out, and this was just about 3 years or so ago, it was done. I stripped it for parts and sold the frame and fork as is.
they make headsets so that you can get rid of the lefty. I had an old f700 with a headshok fork and replaced it with an old rockshox fork for cheaper than a repair on the headshok that I had no clue how to fix.
You can find replacements of that specific fork, but they are neither common nor cheap. Older lefty forks besides the Speed Carbon version are fairly common. If you don't care about keeping a lefty on that bike, you can find some normal forks with the 1.5" straight steerer like the RST Deuce. Otherwise you can get a headset conversion kit. (KP205). I have used this with just the top bearing adapter to allow for tapered forks to fit the frame.
Just fyi, that headset wouldn’t be a headshock. Headshock was ANOTHER proprietary headset with a small amount of suspension built into it on older Cannondale models. That headset is an Si headset, which stands for “System Integration”
Hope you and the community can find a fix and update us. Brings to mind those guys at Orange County Choppers and one of their favorite words and phrases, fabrication and back in the day. :)
2:16 This is why you should check the valves regularly, they come loose eventually and might unthread completely. also regularly check the nut too, it can get loose too, also always have caps on to prevent damage.
Mavic does still sell those tubeless valves for their rims, the main problem is they are a bit of a challenge to find sometimes and they take forever to ship out and arrive (About a month on average as I’ve found through my own experience looking around.) I just bought some Muc-Off valves and used the adapter and called it a day.
@@KevCentral Well they are and aren’t(?) The gasket for the valve and the valve body are generally what are different from the standard ones you see anywhere else but it still uses presta valves. Sorry for the confusion. I was more saying if you find that you do end up needing to replace them in the future prepare to have a “fun” (in air quotes for sarcastic effect) time.
Makes you miss your XR-Pro now doesn't It. You could be trying out those small jumps and tricks without worry and you could still get a replacement fork and some sort of replacement bushing/bearing as long as you don't go too crazy on 6ft drops etc.
@@KevCentral You are correct, also the newer Lefty's also have less travel since they are made for 29" wheels 👎 They are ALSO VERY VERY EXPENSIVE!!!! ($1500ish)👎👎👎You can install one using the Cannondale part # KP205 since the newer ones use a standard tapered steer tube.
Cannondale has a history of trying to be unique with proprietary parts and measurements. Lefty fork 25.4 seatpost Ai offset wheels BB30A bottom bracket
How would you have felt if it was a Rockshox or Fox fork and the crown had cracked. What would you be doing then? Probably weighing the cost/benefit ratio of having a suspension shop repair/replace crown of a 17 year old shock and you'd most likely be in the same boat, concluding that it's just not worth it and getting a newer one to replace it with. Not so sure you should be too upset about the proprietary nature of the old Lefty here =) You undoubtedly got a lot of enjoyment from it over the nearly two decades it's existed as you would have from a more "standard" shock too. So don't feel too blue about it other than it's too bad it didn't have more life in it but it seems to have had a pretty long, useful lifespan!
Kev, we just got a beautiful late spring/ early simmer day... I even put air in my '78 yr. Dad's bicycle because He insisted! 😏 Your friend in sunshine and cycling. Father & son... Enjoy. Troy😎
I have a cannondale f400 with the headshock. It’s so proprietary that I just consider it part of the frame and once it breaks we are done. My son rides the bike now and it’s cool and unique but I don’t actually like it much. Bought a marlin 7 and it’s a nicer bike.
Bet you could get a good metal CNC shop to build you a replacement part that was better than the original - if there aren't any already on the market. Youi might be able to recover your costs by selling a few 🙂
SI is "System Integrated." Not a headshock. I had a 2005 Jekyll 2000 with a Lefty. Local Bike Shop repaired Lefty for internals and said don't bring it back, in 2014. The lower clamp is likely replaceable. Also, the Jekyll 2000, made in USA, the frame cracked on a weld. Very disappointing.
If it makes you feel better my chain broke on my home from work today quick link snapped like a Karen in a drive threw had to walk two miles home . Only good news my bike track really nice while walking lol
Looks like the World of planned obsolescence has invaded the realm of the bicycle. I was painting my old steel frame bike when I took a break for the paint to dry to watch this video. I had to smile when frames were discussed. Steel frames can be repaired.
Oh my God man. Your bike is pretty old. Parts failed due to use. Be happy that you got all those years out of it to begin with. I used to sell them way back in the day which had to be at least 15 years ago. And you’re bummed out that the valve stem broke cut me a break. regular maintenance and inspection can help cut down on stuff like this happening but you can never predict when the valve stem will go. It’s just a valve stem!
8:18 Looks like the whole ear of the clamp has elongated...not ideal for aluminum to be massaged back into alignment before grooved and prepped for welding. The material is definitely fatigued on the "good" side opposite the crack. Tricky fix, but could be done by a competent machinist (keeping in mind the crown is bonded to the fork, so due care is needed). It may last one ride, it may last the life of the bike. You could play the long game and keep checking eBay for a donor - but even then, you'll need to send it off for a rebuild because of the proprietary tools to service and rebuild the damper.
Shame that is Kev , I’m sure a good engineering company could make you one possibly out of titanium, that would be light and very strong , cheers shane uk 🇬🇧
Specialized is also known for their use of proprietary parts, none worse than the brain suspension that is used on their S-Works line. The brain suspension can only be serviced by sending it off to Specialized and they stop servicing them right around the 5 year mark. Crazy to spend $10K on a top of the line bike that will be essentially obsolete in a handful of years.
@@KevCentral I have a friend's 2013 S-Works Epic in my garage and the "brain" shock is blown and no way I can repair/rebuild for him. Specialized won't work on it...the only option is a shock replacement hack. Right now it is a very expensive and relatively light paperweight.
I have a 2008 Rockhopper with sliding dropouts. The dropouts are also the derailleur hanger. About 4 years ago I broke the hanger. It took me almost 3 months to get a replacement part from specialized. It wasn't expensive but it's a very uncommon part and a few weeks of my time were explaining to the LBS that the part they wanted to order me was wrong. Now they're almost impossible to find and it's a part that is somewhat likely to break regularly. At least with the lefty they are common enough to have options out there.
I ordered a new battery for my electric bike old eZip trailz. The battery is lithium so I'm going to be doing some modifying lol and hoping my controller can handle it
Major bummer. It is a solid point though, everything wears out eventually so it's nice to not have to go hunting for replacements. On that note: It's very likely you can get a headset kit to convert that headtube to accept a normal tapered fork. Won't be original, but will keep the bike on the trail for a few more decades. 👍
If he wants to keep the fork he can get someone to make him a crown, but won't be cheap. But if the crown has been bonded to the fork it will be tricky.
@@KevCentral A good machinist is worth their weight in gold. This multi-thousand Dollar bicycle is a knickknack without one, unless you can find the part.
I think the US made Cannondale frames had the joke name 'Crack'n'fail' because they put light weight above strength and they had the reputation of not lasting too long. I think the Asian made Cannondales, Taiwan etc are much better nowadays. I've said for a long time I avoid proprietary components like the plague. I just don't see the point of them. They cost more, often perform badly, can't get spares and often cause a bike to be scrapped too early unless you pay through the nose for parts if available. That Cannondale looks great but I would never want one as it could be a huge money pit. Being able to easily customise a bike using a wide range of compatible parts is something I enjoy and allows me to tailor a bike exactly to my needs.
I disagree with your assessment of USA made Cannondale frames failing. I currently have 1992 M700 that I have ridden HARD a lot over the last 30 years. Not to mention my two 1994's,2001 and 2004. The only Cannondale I have that is post 2010 and non US made is a 2020..
@@That_Stealth_Guy To be honest I think it was road bike frames and very lightweight mountain bike models but if you google 'crack and fail' or crack-n-fail and cannondale together you might get more insight on the history of it, maybe it was road bike only. I remember years ago asking in a forum about a mountain bike for myself and I'm a heavy rider and was warned off Cannondale. Someone who was half my weight had, had a Cannondale fail within the first year of use with claimed normal to light use. It was the time of the Kona Hoss model in fact right at the end of the Hoss range (just to date when it was, I can't remember now) and I ended up buying a s/hand Hoss because they had pretty much gone out of stock with no replacement model for the following year.
@@KevCentral It maybe before your time regarding bicycles but it was a huge thing at the time and I'm sure googling will be very revealing. I wonder if it lead to Cannondales demise with all the replacement frames. Nowadays it is just another brand being slapped on bikes manufactured in Asia (in my opinion) but they still hold patents for various proprietary parts or at least the company that bought Cannondale's brand and assets does.
@@bonzobanana1 Gotcha. My experiences with owning a Cannondale since 1992 are significantly different. I will agree 100% that they have some very weird proprietary parts that can cause problems if you don't inspect and maintain your bike or educate yourself on how they function. Especially true if you rely on a LBS mechanic who isn't intimately familiar with Cannondale.
Everyone saying "get it repaired" has obviously has no experience with custom/small batch/1 offs. Just buying an entire 2nd hand unit is cheaper, then you can sell your original as individual spares for 3x an entire 2nd unit price or keep it for spares. A local guy is selling lefty spokes for $300 and hub for $150. Just like cars and motorcycles buying a donor bike for 1 part is wiser cost wise
According to a lot of people on Reddit MTB that bike's geometry is so outdated that you'll go OTB just by hitting a root because it's not slack enough.
Believe it or not a machine shop can probably fix it at a reasonable price the owner of the machine shop mite like bikes to probably have to go to three different machine shops to find a good price
Hi i always thought that bike looks dangerous to ride with all pressure on left hand side not distributed like a normal fork. with what you said about that guy who mentioned the bike. i had someone like that i mentioned many many months ago in comment owns a bike shop in my area, and reviews on it are very bad. Bad because of the guys attitude, he runs it by himself from what i saw before but when i had the bike i sold to someone for next to nothing £26 pounds lol even though did upgrades and stuff and bike was original was £279 muddy fox livewire. the bike shop owner as soon as stepped in would not shut up about my bike saying you cant get parts for this and its the worse bike make ever and kept saying the bike is bad. i said i done upgrades on it and he said yes i know you have but its not a good bike and would not stop repeating it like he was trying to force me to say tell you what bike shop owner. i believe my bike is rubbish so tell you what, you can have it. his bikes he had were all second hand in his shop displayed in a disgusting way. they were lying down on top of each other a small pile. all i could think of her is this guy moaning at my bike which i was proud of with upgrades i then asked him what bikes you got and he pointed to the second hand stacked on top of each other bikes which were not boxed but just dumped on top of each other. Guy has a real bad attitude and all customers from reviews give him 1 star on google
non proprietary stuff allows other people keep producing parts. computer security updates is crucial for IOT devices when someone abandons their products those devices are not safe. When its open source someone else can pick up the reigns and keep the products going....
Your comment made me realize something. I’ve seen copies of just about everything you can imagine. Even knockoff zoom brakes. Odd that I haven’t ever seen a knockoff lefty fork 🤔
i mean your right and wrong 😅😅😅 as a lefty owner myself i can still get any lefty fork parts that i need thats because its not too old of a lefty....but unfortunately that bike is on the muuucchh older side and dont make any parts. BUT if you get a lefty bike from 2015 and up will be fine 👍👍
Only 6000 series aluminium can be welded and being a machined component its very unlikely to be 6000. Even if it was it needs to be heat treated afterwards which is a gambling act. It clearly cracked at a stress riser so it will just happen again and again with fatigue. Anyone who's dealt with cracked aluminium knows the crack runs deep, you have to drill the end out to stop it propagating and you never know if you actually stopped it. The obvious answer is, have you even called cannondale yet? Isn't that the point of buying American? Try calling Kent and asking for spares.
This is funny timing. I just bought an 05 Cannondale Scalpel with Lefty fork yesterday and I'm so excited about it.. There is a shop I know of that specializes in service of old Lefty forks. They are called Mendon Cycesmith. I don't know if they do anything about cracks but I think they're a great resource to ask.
Thanks for the suggestion. Congrats on the lefty
I've dealt with my fair amount of failures. The only silver lining is that you weren't on the trail and you weren't injured. I have a friend in Ukraine that just had two replacement hangers machined at a local shop, very reasonable. I bet you can get one for less than $50.
A lot of folks seem to be saying change the fork. I'd suggest taking it apart and getting the cracked part welded. Check any local motorcycle shop that caters to dirt bikers - they either can or know someone with a heliarc. If it took fifteen years to break the first time...
i second that. get that clamp off and weld and redrill
If you can't source a new lefty, or get that one fixed you can always convert to a standard fork using a new headset and either replace the wheel or chage out the lefty hub.
Thanks, but I’m hopeful I can keep it lefty
I got you Kev!
Cannondale Experts is my go to place when I have to start looking for cannondale parts I have used them over the years including converting from lefty/headshock to standard forks.
Eighty-Aid in germany still services Lefty Speed Terralogic (FOX) forks and may have an upper you can swap it out with that isn't cracked.
With your rush being a 2006 I don't know for sure if you have the newer 1.5" Steerer tube or a 1.56 (Older lefty/headshock standard) the switch happened in 2006-2007
I have had more that a dozen Cannondale's over the years (and still have 4) from road bikes, cross bikes, hardtails, full suspension and yeah the proprietary parts is super frustrating but you hit the nail on the head, everyone does it with frames or something else when they deviate from standards, especially looking at all the new bikes that have micro suspension in the headsets again.
Glad you stayed safe and chose not to ride that fork! Good luck on getting it back on the trail!
The guy definitely has a point. My Cannondale F700 Headshock fork needed an elastomer, there are only reproduction parts and proprietary tools to take it apart. And it's a PIA according to the videos I've seen. No one local would touch it. I had to send it out to "the guy" in NYS who does them. Turns out he is really cool and split the shipping. Did a great job and am riding today. Still if it were a regular fork I could have done it myself or replaced it easily. Take the good with the bad the bike is sub 25lbs. Go try to find a sub 25lb, sub $1000 new bike these days. To me it was worth the $ to send it out. We'll see what kind of shape the bike and the rider (me) are at the next repair cycle.
Is it smoother than a normal air fork?
I'm tempted to buy f500 and turn it into gravel bike. But don't know if its worth it. Never tried headshok before.
@@5gvaccinator343 it's smooth, it has linear needle bearings that need to be lubed. Smoother than a modern good standard fork? Probably the same. The big issue is that the elastomer spring/damper turns to mush over the years and all thats left is a spring with no damper. If it's old and acts like a pogo stick it needs to be serviced. Like I said it's not exactly easy, you need specific tools, and the parts may or may not be available. I think if you really like the bike you can get headset adapters to fit a standard fork. That's probably what I'd do if it goes bad again and the bike is in good shape. Or of course find someone who does them.
@@5gvaccinator343 I have an f700 with the air version of the Headshok and I find that it's very smooth. That being said, the fork was designed to soak up smaller bumps on the trail rather than tackling drops and other larger trail features. Depending on the model version, they had between 60-80mm of travel so were meant more for comfort than performance. Works great for gravel type riding or drop bar MTB.
This has actually been my issue with the Lefty to begin with. Cannondale made a solution to a nonexistent problem specifically so they would be selling something nobody else used. And they had to make a frame tgat wasn’t compatible with industry standards, which locked their users into something that, for all intents and purposes, couldn’t be replaced. Also, not coincidentally, why I got a little upset when I found out that the bike I bought was made right before the entire industry switched to tapered head tubes. But back to Cannondale, even though the Lefty isn’t a bad product and does exactly what it was designed to do (and does it well, I might add), I didn’t like it because getting a bike with one meant you’d be locked into it. No upgrading, no mods, no projects. Just Lefty, and Lefty hub, and Lefty axle.
new leftys fit on standard tapered steerer. they sell a scalpel with a rockshox fork. they are easier to service now from what i've heard. the cartridge bearings result in no "sticktion" and it's really light for an XC fork
The "screwy bit" is called the "core". :)
Yeah, that
Kev, so sorry to hear about your bike. All over RUclips budget bikes get a bad rap, and your video is a great example that shows regardless of how much money someone spends on a bike, regardless of the name brand or the quality of the part or bike, any bike or part is subject to failure. I'd like to think with a company like Cannondale that they would find a way to at least sell you a replacement lefty fork, and if not they should at least be able to sell you the parts to convert it to a traditional fork, if that was something you desired.
Back in dayz one of my team riders was sponsored a Cannondale - the shop had some headset reducers machined so he could use a regular fork. But check around and also check the measurements - you may be able to run a 1.5 lower and sort a tapered steerer fork... There are some cycle shops which still deal with servicing Cannondale forks - also you could probably easily get a regular headshok and simply drop it in...
I’m hopeful I can keep it lefty
@@KevCentral FSA makes a headset for Cannondale allowing a straight 1 1/'8 fork, I run one on my Jekyll. I'm certain there are headset options for modern tapered forks.
I have a '99 F900 with the Hedshok fork, and the steerer is 1.56", which makes life _interesting_. Which if I remember correctly the Lefty runs as well. With that though, there are adapters and specific headsets to convert to more standard... standards, if you cannot find an OEM answer. Or you might end up like me and looking at a machine shop and unreasonable expense.
@@KevCentral if you can separate that lower clamp from the fork, you can take it to a machine shop to have a new one fabricated. Alternatively, you can cut off the damaged portion, modify the piece a bit, and have that portion remade to mount back onto the fork with a double shear joint and grade 12.7 socket cap bolts.
That part looks aluminum, and aluminum does not fatigue well. Considering that a fairly large portion of the load is put through that bottom clamp, it may be worthwhile to beef that up if possible, especially around the bolt hole(s).
I see frames on eBay that can’t sell because of the rear shock it used it’s a pull style and no buddy makes that shock style of shock anymore. Forks they can be replaced.
Yeah, I was thinking about that Cannondale Jekyll with the Fox DYAD RT2 pull-shock. I saw those when shopping around for a used full suspension bike and thought it looked rather unique and uncommon. The Jekyll otherwise looked like a nice bike but I crossed if off my list because of that shock.
I don't know what Cannondale calls that headset, but the 'Headshok' is a totally different proprietary part. Before the Lefty, Cannondale tried putting a spring and damper in the headtube. They called that the Headshok. Of course, that meant the headset, fork, and front suspension were ALL proprietary.
It's something I both love and hate about Cannondale. :)
I’ve got one of those you literally cannot find parts for it tho it’s so sad even contacted cannondale and fox
that´s a regular 1.5" straight steerer tube, you can run any of the later lefties in it (tapered ones with a bearing adapter). only thing to watch out for is the hub adaptor, i´m not sure if they changed it some time later.
also call up cannondale, they may even have replacement parts to sell.
I want to say I looked it up after I bought the bike and the headset wasn’t completely compatible with standard 1.5 tapers without modification
Kev with modern welding of aircraft alloys etc i reckon that component can be fixed and better than ever good luck mate .
They make adapters for headshok to tapered but you're right, what's special about the bike is the lefty.
get the crack repaired at a motorcycle or machine shop
I agree with custom motorcycle shop - they'd be more willing to take the risk and probably be a lot cheaper than a machine shop.
I feel you. I own a canyon strive that has a horizontal dropper like thing, called shapeshifter. It changes geometry and progression. Very nice. In theory. But canyon, in their infinite wisdom, doesn't even provide basic service kits for it. Usual dtuff. Seals etc. If it fail I'm kinda screwed.
As for lefty forks they have almost a cult following them. I saw one being rebuilt after at least 10 years in a cold shed. No problem. All spares are still avaliable. So I think you should ask on a forums if you can just weld it. or if there's other known way to fix it. This doesnt look like a unique case.
Some had issues with the shapeshifter failing. I don't see a point in this, with a decent geometry you won't need this.
@mtbboy1993 it's an interesting concept. But yeah, more of a gimmick. My point is canyon should at least sell new shapeshifter assembly. Not just mark your bike as eol. So you are forced to go buy a new frame if this tiny thing fails.
Its called right to repair
Been working in a bike shop for a bit now and Cannondale has actually proven to be one of the more aggravating brands to work with, they have more proprietary components than most other brands and only one of our distributors sells compatible parts.
I'm glad you didn't get out there and get injured.
Hey, KEV. Don’t go buy any adapter just yet. I’ll send you one so you can use your existing SI headset with a tapered steerer. That way you can decide whether to keep the old style Lefty, install an Ocho, or any other “Normal” fork. Greeting from GA.
I tried a while back to get Cannondale to send me an Ocho fork and wheel to use as an experiment. They wanted nothing to do with me 😂
My Lefty Max fork similar to yours has a torn accordion boot, which is no longer available from Cannondale. I have an extra at home as well as another Lefty fork for parts, but proprietary parts are now a real consideration for me. Mendon Cyclesmith is definitely an authority on Lefty service but he won't work on the Fox version like yours. The lower clamp might be something he would take on.
I remember there wan an adaptor for the headset so you can run regular shocks up front. That’s one of the reasons I got rid of my Cannondale was due to finding parts to fix it.
I like lefty
Hope you're able to resolve the issue. Having had a Mongoose Dolomite, I somewhat agree with the guy you encountered on the trail. The BB on the Dolo is totally proprietary in length. Total pain to replace. Not impossible, but a pain. Definitely makes me think when purchasing my bikes now.
You can find traditional forks that were intended for Cannondale bikes that have 1.5” straight steerer tubes, I believe Fox and Manitou made forks, there are also headsets that adapt to other sizes of fork steerers as well. I actually just sold a Rush 6 26ER frame with a Fox Float fork that had a 1.5” straight steerer. I was a headset away from having a whole bike but I decided to let someone else take it on the project while I finish a couple of other builds. Sorry about the failure Kev, as others have said, you may be able to find someone to weld the crack in the clamp.
Yeah finding things like that is always a bummer! However getting it welded and repaired seems very doable. Its the price you pay for one off stuff. Its the reason I buy my cars and motorcycles i own from models that have long production runs with not to many changes. There's always a lot of aftermarket and salvage parts available! It gives me piece of mind knowing i can find what i need with my limited budget. I also don't need to have the latest and greatest new thing out. But when you have something unique theres always a work around $$.
There's a guy upstate NY that rebuilds headshoks n leftys. Finding a place to fix those cannondale forks is very hard. However you can run a regular straight or tapered fork on those cannondale head tubes.
I like it lefty 🙃
@KevCentral yes I like them too. I have a Jekyll 1000 I rebuilt and it originally had a lefty. However I used my headshok fork instead since I didn't have a lefty front wheel.
What do you think about the cannondale badboy 2 ?
Oh no, a wall hanger,Kev! lol I used to own a 2011 Trek Fuel EX8 with a proprietary Fox shock. When that went and I couldn't figure it out, and this was just about 3 years or so ago, it was done. I stripped it for parts and sold the frame and fork as is.
they make headsets so that you can get rid of the lefty. I had an old f700 with a headshok fork and replaced it with an old rockshox fork for cheaper than a repair on the headshok that I had no clue how to fix.
I like the lefty 😁
You can find replacements of that specific fork, but they are neither common nor cheap. Older lefty forks besides the Speed Carbon version are fairly common. If you don't care about keeping a lefty on that bike, you can find some normal forks with the 1.5" straight steerer like the RST Deuce. Otherwise you can get a headset conversion kit. (KP205). I have used this with just the top bearing adapter to allow for tapered forks to fit the frame.
Thanks. I’m hoping to keep it lefty
Screwy bit? Lol. That’s the valve itself. You may have forgotten. To retighten it when you aired it up! Screwy bit! 😊 love your videos!
There are adapters to fit tapered or straight forks
Just fyi, that headset wouldn’t be a headshock. Headshock was ANOTHER proprietary headset with a small amount of suspension built into it on older Cannondale models. That headset is an Si headset, which stands for “System Integration”
Hope you and the community can find a fix and update us. Brings to mind those guys at Orange County Choppers and one of their favorite words and phrases, fabrication and back in the day. :)
2:16 This is why you should check the valves regularly, they come loose eventually and might unthread completely. also regularly check the nut too, it can get loose too, also always have caps on to prevent damage.
Mavic does still sell those tubeless valves for their rims, the main problem is they are a bit of a challenge to find sometimes and they take forever to ship out and arrive (About a month on average as I’ve found through my own experience looking around.) I just bought some Muc-Off valves and used the adapter and called it a day.
Oh. Those aren’t standard presta? I didn’t look at them that closely
@@KevCentral Well they are and aren’t(?) The gasket for the valve and the valve body are generally what are different from the standard ones you see anywhere else but it still uses presta valves. Sorry for the confusion. I was more saying if you find that you do end up needing to replace them in the future prepare to have a “fun” (in air quotes for sarcastic effect) time.
The leftyy is back.
Well….🙃
Makes you miss your XR-Pro now doesn't It. You could be trying out those small jumps and tricks without worry and you could still get a replacement fork and some sort of replacement bushing/bearing as long as you don't go too crazy on 6ft drops etc.
Between the two bikes the Rush fits me better than the XR. It was right at the edge of my tolerance level
Perhaps you can find a group on Facebook and a source for a gently used replacement.
Is it possible to use a newer version of the lefty fork?
They have changed the design significantly since this bike was made. I believe the new lefty forks fit a standard 1.5 tapered headset
@@KevCentral You are correct, also the newer Lefty's also have less travel since they are made for 29" wheels 👎 They are ALSO VERY VERY EXPENSIVE!!!! ($1500ish)👎👎👎You can install one using the Cannondale part # KP205 since the newer ones use a standard tapered steer tube.
Cannondale has a history of trying to be unique with proprietary parts and measurements.
Lefty fork
25.4 seatpost
Ai offset wheels
BB30A bottom bracket
How would you have felt if it was a Rockshox or Fox fork and the crown had cracked. What would you be doing then? Probably weighing the cost/benefit ratio of having a suspension shop repair/replace crown of a 17 year old shock and you'd most likely be in the same boat, concluding that it's just not worth it and getting a newer one to replace it with.
Not so sure you should be too upset about the proprietary nature of the old Lefty here =) You undoubtedly got a lot of enjoyment from it over the nearly two decades it's existed as you would have from a more "standard" shock too. So don't feel too blue about it other than it's too bad it didn't have more life in it but it seems to have had a pretty long, useful lifespan!
I’ve only owned it for the past couple of years 🙃
Kev, we just got a beautiful late spring/ early simmer day... I even put air in my '78 yr. Dad's bicycle because He insisted! 😏
Your friend in sunshine and cycling.
Father & son...
Enjoy.
Troy😎
Quick question, are you still out cycling?
Troy 😎
I’m not sure what you mean. Are you asking if I’m out at this moment?
Yes, Troy
I have a cannondale f400 with the headshock. It’s so proprietary that I just consider it part of the frame and once it breaks we are done. My son rides the bike now and it’s cool and unique but I don’t actually like it much. Bought a marlin 7 and it’s a nicer bike.
what makes the clamp "super"
Bet you could get a good metal CNC shop to build you a replacement part that was better than the original - if there aren't any already on the market. Youi might be able to recover your costs by selling a few 🙂
Possibly, but I’m thinking the market for 2006-era lefty fork parts is very limited
can you plz do a review on the canyon 5 its only 699!!!!! with Shimano door and 12 speed
If I come across one
SI is "System Integrated." Not a headshock.
I had a 2005 Jekyll 2000 with a Lefty. Local Bike Shop repaired Lefty for internals and said don't bring it back, in 2014.
The lower clamp is likely replaceable.
Also, the Jekyll 2000, made in USA, the frame cracked on a weld. Very disappointing.
System Integrated is essentially saying it's rider input tuned. All the parts made up the sum, and the sum is "System Integration."
Sorry about your bike, but to get off subject, can you fix the outlet in the wall behind your bike? Its kinda hanging out waiting to grab you!😮
😂
If it makes you feel better my chain broke on my home from work today quick link snapped like a Karen in a drive threw had to walk two miles home .
Only good news my bike track really nice while walking lol
Lol. Sorry to hear that
can. the headtube not accept a straight fork? if so, id put a 27.5 on the front and ride the heck outta it
I bought it for the lefty, so I prefer to keep it that way
I hear you can get adapters top use different forks
Bought it for the lefty 🙃
Yikes! Sorry to see this! I know that I would have it welded up and just kept riding it.... IF I had a welder.....
Very nice
Looks like the World of planned obsolescence has invaded the realm of the bicycle. I was painting my old steel frame bike when I took a break for the paint to dry to watch this video. I had to smile when frames were discussed. Steel frames can be repaired.
They still build steel bikes, though. Besides, use of aluminum does not automatically equal planned obsolescence.
I'm more worried about that outlet on your wall.
Oh my God man. Your bike is pretty old. Parts failed due to use. Be happy that you got all those years out of it to begin with. I used to sell them way back in the day which had to be at least 15 years ago. And you’re bummed out that the valve stem broke cut me a break. regular maintenance and inspection can help cut down on stuff like this happening but you can never predict when the valve stem will go. It’s just a valve stem!
8:18 Looks like the whole ear of the clamp has elongated...not ideal for aluminum to be massaged back into alignment before grooved and prepped for welding. The material is definitely fatigued on the "good" side opposite the crack. Tricky fix, but could be done by a competent machinist (keeping in mind the crown is bonded to the fork, so due care is needed). It may last one ride, it may last the life of the bike. You could play the long game and keep checking eBay for a donor - but even then, you'll need to send it off for a rebuild because of the proprietary tools to service and rebuild the damper.
Thanks for the info 👍🏻
Shame that is Kev , I’m sure a good engineering company could make you one possibly out of titanium, that would be light and very strong , cheers shane uk 🇬🇧
Thanks. Also likely 💰💰💰
the cannondale with the headshock was way worse, because at least you can swap out the fork.
Specialized is also known for their use of proprietary parts, none worse than the brain suspension that is used on their S-Works line. The brain suspension can only be serviced by sending it off to Specialized and they stop servicing them right around the 5 year mark. Crazy to spend $10K on a top of the line bike that will be essentially obsolete in a handful of years.
Wow. I didn’t know that
@@KevCentral I have a friend's 2013 S-Works Epic in my garage and the "brain" shock is blown and no way I can repair/rebuild for him. Specialized won't work on it...the only option is a shock replacement hack. Right now it is a very expensive and relatively light paperweight.
I have a 2008 Rockhopper with sliding dropouts. The dropouts are also the derailleur hanger. About 4 years ago I broke the hanger. It took me almost 3 months to get a replacement part from specialized. It wasn't expensive but it's a very uncommon part and a few weeks of my time were explaining to the LBS that the part they wanted to order me was wrong. Now they're almost impossible to find and it's a part that is somewhat likely to break regularly. At least with the lefty they are common enough to have options out there.
Does anyone make an adapter to put a conventional fork?
I’m sure they do, but to me that would make it just another bike
Could you not buy a new lefty?? I don't own Cannondale, I ride Giant so I have no idea.
The lefty forks they sell now aren’t compatible with this headset. It hasn’t been made in quite some time
I ordered a new battery for my electric bike old eZip trailz. The battery is lithium so I'm going to be doing some modifying lol and hoping my controller can handle it
Like you, I agree with that man.
Major bummer. It is a solid point though, everything wears out eventually so it's nice to not have to go hunting for replacements.
On that note: It's very likely you can get a headset kit to convert that headtube to accept a normal tapered fork. Won't be original, but will keep the bike on the trail for a few more decades. 👍
Thanks, but the only reason I wanted the bike was for the lefty fork 🙃
If he wants to keep the fork he can get someone to make him a crown, but won't be cheap. But if the crown has been bonded to the fork it will be tricky.
You should contact a machine shop and see if they can weld the crack for you.
That’s what I plan on doing. My experience with local machine shops is that they’re expensive. Hopefully I can get a good quote
@@KevCentral A good machinist is worth their weight in gold. This multi-thousand Dollar bicycle is a knickknack without one, unless you can find the part.
Send it over to RJ The Bike Guy. He'll use a pipe wrench and a spare wheel hub and it'll be back on the trail in no time!😅
😂
I think the US made Cannondale frames had the joke name 'Crack'n'fail' because they put light weight above strength and they had the reputation of not lasting too long. I think the Asian made Cannondales, Taiwan etc are much better nowadays.
I've said for a long time I avoid proprietary components like the plague. I just don't see the point of them. They cost more, often perform badly, can't get spares and often cause a bike to be scrapped too early unless you pay through the nose for parts if available. That Cannondale looks great but I would never want one as it could be a huge money pit.
Being able to easily customise a bike using a wide range of compatible parts is something I enjoy and allows me to tailor a bike exactly to my needs.
Thanks for sharing. I hadn’t heard that about the US frames
I disagree with your assessment of USA made Cannondale frames failing. I currently have 1992 M700 that I have ridden HARD a lot over the last 30 years. Not to mention my two 1994's,2001 and 2004. The only Cannondale I have that is post 2010 and non US made is a 2020..
@@That_Stealth_Guy To be honest I think it was road bike frames and very lightweight mountain bike models but if you google 'crack and fail' or crack-n-fail and cannondale together you might get more insight on the history of it, maybe it was road bike only. I remember years ago asking in a forum about a mountain bike for myself and I'm a heavy rider and was warned off Cannondale. Someone who was half my weight had, had a Cannondale fail within the first year of use with claimed normal to light use. It was the time of the Kona Hoss model in fact right at the end of the Hoss range (just to date when it was, I can't remember now) and I ended up buying a s/hand Hoss because they had pretty much gone out of stock with no replacement model for the following year.
@@KevCentral It maybe before your time regarding bicycles but it was a huge thing at the time and I'm sure googling will be very revealing. I wonder if it lead to Cannondales demise with all the replacement frames. Nowadays it is just another brand being slapped on bikes manufactured in Asia (in my opinion) but they still hold patents for various proprietary parts or at least the company that bought Cannondale's brand and assets does.
@@bonzobanana1 Gotcha. My experiences with owning a Cannondale since 1992 are significantly different.
I will agree 100% that they have some very weird proprietary parts that can cause problems if you don't inspect and maintain your bike or educate yourself on how they function. Especially true if you rely on a LBS mechanic who isn't intimately familiar with Cannondale.
try JB Weld...
I don’t think that would be something I trust on a front suspension
give it away to sam pilgrim? 😅
you were not meant to ride it thats for sure, weird or what, thanks Kev
Hes not wrong though look at the iphone its uses its own chargers the lefty is great but parts are sometimes a chore to get
One positive about the iPhone is adoption is so massive the parts like charger cables are ubiquitous
Everyone saying "get it repaired" has obviously has no experience with custom/small batch/1 offs. Just buying an entire 2nd hand unit is cheaper, then you can sell your original as individual spares for 3x an entire 2nd unit price or keep it for spares.
A local guy is selling lefty spokes for $300 and hub for $150. Just like cars and motorcycles buying a donor bike for 1 part is wiser cost wise
According to a lot of people on Reddit MTB that bike's geometry is so outdated that you'll go OTB just by hitting a root because it's not slack enough.
It’s amazing how a bike mysteriously becomes unrideable the second something different comes out 😂
Can't imagine the alabama heat 😮, I'm not a fan of heat 🇬🇧
Believe it or not a machine shop can probably fix it at a reasonable price the owner of the machine shop mite like bikes to probably have to go to three different machine shops to find a good price
Hi i always thought that bike looks dangerous to ride with all pressure on left hand side not distributed like a normal fork. with what you said about that guy who mentioned the bike. i had someone like that i mentioned many many months ago in comment owns a bike shop in my area, and reviews on it are very bad. Bad because of the guys attitude, he runs it by himself from what i saw before but when i had the bike i sold to someone for next to nothing £26 pounds lol even though did upgrades and stuff and bike was original was £279 muddy fox livewire. the bike shop owner as soon as stepped in would not shut up about my bike saying you cant get parts for this and its the worse bike make ever and kept saying the bike is bad. i said i done upgrades on it and he said yes i know you have but its not a good bike and would not stop repeating it like he was trying to force me to say tell you what bike shop owner. i believe my bike is rubbish so tell you what, you can have it. his bikes he had were all second hand in his shop displayed in a disgusting way. they were lying down on top of each other a small pile. all i could think of her is this guy moaning at my bike which i was proud of with upgrades i then asked him what bikes you got and he pointed to the second hand stacked on top of each other bikes which were not boxed but just dumped on top of each other. Guy has a real bad attitude and all customers from reviews give him 1 star on google
Wow. Thanks for sharing. Don’t let anyone detract from the joy your bike brings you 👍
non proprietary stuff allows other people keep producing parts. computer security updates is crucial for IOT devices when someone abandons their products those devices are not safe. When its open source someone else can pick up the reigns and keep the products going....
Your comment made me realize something. I’ve seen copies of just about everything you can imagine. Even knockoff zoom brakes. Odd that I haven’t ever seen a knockoff lefty fork 🤔
i mean your right and wrong 😅😅😅 as a lefty owner myself i can still get any lefty fork parts that i need thats because its not too old of a lefty....but unfortunately that bike is on the muuucchh older side and dont make any parts. BUT if you get a lefty bike from 2015 and up will be fine 👍👍
Has anyone else said to call Mendon Cyclesmith yet?
One person, but thanks
Just have the piece welded. Should only be a few bucks
Machine shops here tend to be expensive, but hopefully I can find someone that likes bikes and decides to keep costs down
It is almost like the bike industry has realized this forces people to buy a new bike...
I bet someone could weld it together. A good machinist or welder could probably take care of that crack.
Kevcentral it and upgrade everything.
😂. Did you get the lights?
@KevCentral I did! Thank you so much!! It's just been crazy on my end and I haven't been able to reach out.
that proprietary headset is truly just bad design, whether malicious or not, but you might be able to find someone who can weld a different one on.
I prefer to keep it lefty
@@KevCentral Weren't the new ones standard headsets?
Maybe someone could weld the crack to fix it ??
That crack would ground an airplane or space ship. So... bummer 😢. Sorry kev.
I just can’t see the benefit of presta valves. I love schrader valves as the whole world runs on schrader.
Job shop machine shop could make another part for you.
That’s part of a double shouldered bracket
Just take it to a specialist welder, fabricator, etc and have it fixed. Easy fix. It’s not a complicated problem. It’s not like repairing carbon.
Only 6000 series aluminium can be welded and being a machined component its very unlikely to be 6000. Even if it was it needs to be heat treated afterwards which is a gambling act. It clearly cracked at a stress riser so it will just happen again and again with fatigue. Anyone who's dealt with cracked aluminium knows the crack runs deep, you have to drill the end out to stop it propagating and you never know if you actually stopped it.
The obvious answer is, have you even called cannondale yet? Isn't that the point of buying American? Try calling Kent and asking for spares.
Eye candy to hand on my wall. Or in the gun world a safe queen.
Find somebody that's good with a TIG welder and continue to enjoy the bike
You could get a new piece machined
That lefty shock is a joke
I could fix that crack in under five minutes....Any decent weld shop should be able to.
just weld it
I’m not a welder. I might see if it can be repaired without looking horrible
Somebody can weld that crack for you. Go to a muffler shop and they can do it for you for cheap.
I hate Presta valves. They are so stupid. If they were that cool , why aren't the rest of the vehicles in the World using them?
It's a collector piece, should not be ridden.
I think of it as a functional relic
Presta valves are junk. I'll never have another bike with presta valves.
Lots of new bikes and wheelsets come presta-only, so you might not want to say never 🙃
@@KevCentral Theyre a PITA to air up, and then they cant hold pressure for more than 30 min.
You may as well use a piece of cork.