Cannondale, Lefty, Hardtail, Single a Speed, Black. YES!
Moderators: MrCurrieinahurry, maxim809, Moderator Team
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- Posts: 500
- Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:48 am
By no means new here, been kicking around for a while. The drilling, dremelling, paint scraping type. Aaaannnnd this is no different. I've been riding Single speed here in Nz for 5 years. I'm only 19, and having to line up next to my buddy Anton Cooper (Junior World XC champ, and Commonwealth Gold) makes it hard to see the top step of the podium. So I took to the category he wasn't in and did pretty well.
I used to ride an old Reiker. 26" 48-16 Gearing. Won Open Men's night racing series on it 3years in a row, and junior nation single speed champ too. But then a little Cannondale Lefty single speed popped up for sale so I brought it. $800 with a fresh fork service and new Conti Race King Tyres. Awesome deal.
Won another Night race series, this time on 43-15 gearing on a 29er. Now the series is run during winter, and here in NZ it's cold and wet. So post-series I went to give the bearings some more love than usual and found that, one of the headset, bottom bracket and both the rear wheel bearings were completely seized. Yay. Next thing I knew it was down to bare frame.
Over the series of weeks to follow I repainted it. (If you watch a YouTube series called Mighty Car Mods you will understand when I say I painted everything BLAAAAAACK) Used a product called Plast Dip. It's a ruberised paint that can be peeled off if desired later on. I found it whilst working on my cars and it works pretty damn good so why not. I also painted the fork Stanchion, crankset and other wee bits. Binned my Juicy Threes that came on it in favour of some trusty Bb7s and fancy CNC levers. Recovered the prologo scratch I got for free from the rep here to make it black, got some custom stickers made, brought a new chain and every bearing I could and put it all back together. I'd already long term borrowed a 120mm -28 Leonardi Lefty stem from Anton that made the bar drop "acceptable". I want to be longer and lower but it's not easy to do....
Ended up with this....
Oh and while I was at it I finally strapped on a pair of pedals I made (64grams a pair). I must say they work fantastically!
And that's all for now till my new Maxxis Aspen Gum Walls arrive. It's just been tubelessed so should run sweet.
What do you all think? Anything I've missed?
I used to ride an old Reiker. 26" 48-16 Gearing. Won Open Men's night racing series on it 3years in a row, and junior nation single speed champ too. But then a little Cannondale Lefty single speed popped up for sale so I brought it. $800 with a fresh fork service and new Conti Race King Tyres. Awesome deal.
Won another Night race series, this time on 43-15 gearing on a 29er. Now the series is run during winter, and here in NZ it's cold and wet. So post-series I went to give the bearings some more love than usual and found that, one of the headset, bottom bracket and both the rear wheel bearings were completely seized. Yay. Next thing I knew it was down to bare frame.
Over the series of weeks to follow I repainted it. (If you watch a YouTube series called Mighty Car Mods you will understand when I say I painted everything BLAAAAAACK) Used a product called Plast Dip. It's a ruberised paint that can be peeled off if desired later on. I found it whilst working on my cars and it works pretty damn good so why not. I also painted the fork Stanchion, crankset and other wee bits. Binned my Juicy Threes that came on it in favour of some trusty Bb7s and fancy CNC levers. Recovered the prologo scratch I got for free from the rep here to make it black, got some custom stickers made, brought a new chain and every bearing I could and put it all back together. I'd already long term borrowed a 120mm -28 Leonardi Lefty stem from Anton that made the bar drop "acceptable". I want to be longer and lower but it's not easy to do....
Ended up with this....
Oh and while I was at it I finally strapped on a pair of pedals I made (64grams a pair). I must say they work fantastically!
And that's all for now till my new Maxxis Aspen Gum Walls arrive. It's just been tubelessed so should run sweet.
What do you all think? Anything I've missed?
I guess there's worse hobbies than making a bike light? Right?
Looks like a fun bike. As far as what you missed... the weight?
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- Posts: 500
- Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:48 am
@itty, scales are broken... I'll figure it out on the weekend!
@dick, It scared me too but honestly, smoothest fork I've ridden. It's fantastic.
@dick, It scared me too but honestly, smoothest fork I've ridden. It's fantastic.
I guess there's worse hobbies than making a bike light? Right?
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- Posts: 60
- Joined: Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:54 am
- Location: Brisbane, AU
Looks awesome.... well done dude.
I've always liked how "purposeful" the Lefty forks looked.
I've always liked how "purposeful" the Lefty forks looked.
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- Posts: 500
- Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:48 am
Thank you! Put some S-Works Fast Traks on it today, 9.6kg. Not tubeless, stock rims won't allow it. So I think I'll get some Leonardi Hubs, if I get an email back, and one carbon rims and build a nice set of wheels for it. Aim for 9kg I think.
I guess there's worse hobbies than making a bike light? Right?
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- Posts: 500
- Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:48 am
Having issues with the new chain. It's the same width and length in the links than the cruddy Sram Singlespeed chain I had on, but has a different shaped link... Makes a hell of a creaking noise under power... Any suggestions?
I guess there's worse hobbies than making a bike light? Right?
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- Posts: 500
- Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:48 am
New rear cog fixed it.... Sweet
I guess there's worse hobbies than making a bike light? Right?
Dipped parts look awesome I've been riding my Lefty-ed hardtail single speed over the winter and it is such a blast! Seems like quite a heavy bike for how few parts are on it Maybe the wheels, brakes and fork are the main offenders... I'm not sure without a breakdown of weights. Anyway, ignore everything I say because I only ran 32:16 rather than your meaty single speed ratio, you clearly know what you are doing when it comes to racing fast!
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- Posts: 500
- Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:48 am
Hahah my money is wheels and cranks. I can't tubeless these crappy rims so I'll shout it some carbon hoops, new hubs and probably Sapim spokes later this year. The cranks are horrid, so I'll either chuck a SRM to get function from the weight or put something uber weenie on with a custom chainring or drill holes in this one....
I guess there's worse hobbies than making a bike light? Right?
- Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez
- Posts: 2147
- Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 6:21 pm
- Location: around Paris
Hey. Awesome ride!!!
Is it me or it looks long and low not only for the negative stem, but like super low profile frame-fork. Did you reduce the fork travel?
Is it me or it looks long and low not only for the negative stem, but like super low profile frame-fork. Did you reduce the fork travel?
Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓ Broad Selection ✓ Worldwide Delivery ✓
www.starbike.com
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- Posts: 500
- Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:48 am
I haven't reduced the fork at all and it is only 100mm. But yes it is long and low. That's how I like it
I guess there's worse hobbies than making a bike light? Right?