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The official Lefty thread, tech, mechanical, etc

448K views 1K replies 397 participants last post by  MendonCycleSmith 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
#399 ·
Lighter and more $.

*Should* you upgrade? No.

Do you want to? I can't answer that....

Personally, I find the OPI stems to be a giant PITA when it comes to installation or removal, add that you need to buy more material and spend more to do it, just to change angle or length, and you can count me out.

YMMV.
 
#1,041 ·
All part of Cannondales end game (now).

Change the design entirely, every couple years, and dropping *old* product parts immediately.

Buyer beware, you're not buying "cutting edge" you're buying profit driven design obsolescence.

Sad, considering how long the old company kept existing designs supported, and even retrofittable....
 
#1,161 ·
In simplest terms, if you can't get it to 137 or less, don't bother.

Unless you want to just dremel off come of the clamps material to make up the space.

And if you don't recognize a truly horrible idea, proffered as humor, when you see one, read the above sentence, again.

Personally? Get a Pike, you can get up to 140, and you won't have an overpriced time bomb, just waiting to cost you more money at every turn, and then have it and all parts, discontinued within a year or three.
 
#1,229 ·
Hybrids are offered in shorter clamp spacings, but by a lot, not a little, might not find happiness there, and if you did, the fork would still suck... :)

2012? Yep, Dorel made.

Lefty with sag? When you sit on a fork, and it moves to a lower position, that's called sag, and every suspension front or rear, it's used as a metric for tuning.

Not sure if that's what you meant? But movement when locked out could be two things. Air in the damper, if it gets firm after an initial movement under load, or, blow off valving, which is present in all the PBR controlled forks. Twist lever? No blow off. Blow off is intentional, and firms the fork, but allows movement during a bigger hit.

Frankly, I think it looks just fine how it is, spacer wise, but you do you....
 
#1,230 · (Edited)
Hybrids are offered in shorter clamp spacings, but by a lot, not a little, might not find happiness there, and if you did, the fork would still suck... :)

2012? Yep, Dorel made.

....
Oh well, can win them all.

Anyway, still works well, and think I'll live with the spacers. Just getting a bit pedantic :)

Still learning how to setup the booted Lefty.

If there is air in the damper, what's the best way of fixing that ?

Did another test ride tonight, and it felt gooooood :)

Edit : To try and clarify re the Lockout feel.
Need to tweak the air pressure setting to get the sag right. A bit fiddly when only 1 person doing it.
When I operate the PBR lockout (for climbing or on road), with the Oliver, there was virtually no compression of the fork, but with the Speed on the bike now, it feels like there is a bit, maybe 5mm ?
Definite difference with PBR On/Off, so it does what it's meant to.

Just querying whether when locked out, should there be any travel (except when hitting a bump and relief is used).

Hope that makes sense ?
 
#1,391 ·
I'll be able to service it for many years to come, as long as the materials themselves, allow it.

I've also recently made a large investment in boots, so those will be available for years to come, too.

A lot of parts, actually, I now get made for me....
 
#1,435 ·
Seth's Lefty (Ocho) Overview - surprisingly fair and well-informed.
My biggest thing about his review (he did a fair job) is he KEEPS SAYING IT'S WIERD. How will it even become "normal" as he talks about if and keeps propagating that image? All he would have to say is: "It's no different that the front strut on your car" and BAM done.

All this being said, I am still on the dual crown Lefties and have stayed away from the Ocho thus far: Heavier, do flex more than a dual crown?... the issues being discussed here, and pretty proprietary.

Personally I love the Lefty concept, I just wish C'dale would get their act together. For someone who supported Lefties for years (not the whole C'dale bikes) why would I try something new that is just as heavy as a conventional fork, and takes special tools and/or proprietary shop service? Lefties were never a big following anyway and I feel that the following (like me) will just fade away...
Bicycle Bicycles--Equipment and supplies Wheel Tire Bicycle frame
My first Lefty Project: Santa Cruz Tallboy... and some of my others: SC Highballs, Ibis Ripley's, mMost came in around 23 lbs, even the early Tallboy. The lightest MTB was the Tallboy 2c @ 22.4 lbs - an XC ripper. I even did a "Monster Graveler" which came in at 18.5 lbs w/suspension dropper. :)
Bicycle Bicycles--Equipment and supplies Tire Wheel Crankset
Bicycle Wheel Bicycles--Equipment and supplies Tire Crankset
Bicycle Tire Wheel Bicycles--Equipment and supplies Bicycle wheel rim
Bicycle Wheel Tire Bicycles--Equipment and supplies Land vehicle
Bicycle Tire Wheel Bicycles--Equipment and supplies Crankset
Bicycle Tire Bicycles--Equipment and supplies Wheel Land vehicle
 
#6 ·
Lefty swap in Perth Australia

I have a F900 with the original lefty (2000). Love it and will not get rid of it. My Lefty is getting very tired and to service it in Perth, it has to be removed from the bike and shipped to Sydney (min $300 for a service). I have done it twice already.
I would like to replace the old lefty with Lefty Max Fork TPC or Lefty Jake Fork TPC.

I can't get any help from the local shops with informationon whether the forks can be swapped straight across or which new fork is compatible with my old machine.

Purchasing a new Cannondale in Perth is crazy. I can get on a flight to LA return, buy the same bike for less thn the bikes here.

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheer
 
#7 ·
Hi Chaps, I have a Rush 2 Carbon 2007 with a 110 DLR shock. The shock has always been really bad on small bumps, bridalways a couple of days after a wet patch is like handling a jackhammer. Whilst my hardtail's R-Seven's just soak things up. Is there a way to set the spring softer on the 110 or do I have to have another spring installed? No idea what spring I have. Had the top cap off to see if resetting the the shock would help and that did not expose the spring unfortunately... Any help appreciated!
 
#10 ·
Hi,
sorry, but I am looking for the pure technical diagrams and "pseudo" CAD drawings of the Leftys (in particular the 110mm XC models for 26er and the ones for 29er).
In particular I am very much interested in height from axle below head set, above, diameter of the forks, etc. for a custom drawing/ custom build.
Anyone aware where PDFs like that would be available?
Thanks!!!
 
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