tell me about cannondale lefty forks

[02GF74]

I have a Lefty Speed alloy PBR 100 mm fork and am looking to replace it with lighter - the holy grail would be carbon fibre XLR.

Searching on that well known website, different models are listed, with travel ranging from 100 to 140 mm (BTW I'm talking 26 er)

Anyone have a list of weights for the various lefty forks starting with the one I have and going up in the range? I am not too bothered about a remote lockout.

TIA.

[limba]

Eliflap might know http://eliflap.wordpress.com/
or Dan Gerous http://thedangerousofficial.blogspot.ca/

They're both on the mountain bike review site and probably here too.

[quattrings]

Trading in one lefty for another would be the last upgrade I'd be thinking about. They pretty much ride the same, with varying lengths of travel of course. some claim the carbon one are stiffer and therefor offer even more precise steering.

I'd say spend that money to upgrade wheels, tires, tubes, drivetrain, contact points etc before swapping out an alloy lefty for a carbon one.

I believe the carbon speed pbr 100 is only 80 grams lighter.

[02GF74]

yes indeed - i plan to do wheels, tubes, seatpost (400g!!) first.

quick look around shows my fork to be 1365g, a xlr being 1170 g.

[thisisatest]

FWIW, a lot of the carbon leftys I've worked with suffered from rapid bearing migration. Like every ride. Even after sending them to the FTR to install tighter races. Never had an issue with the aluminum leftys. I personally think the carbon tubes had more outward "give" or "stretch" than the aluminum ones, so it would always end up like that.
Do basically, I would skip the fork unless you get one of the 2013 models with all their improvements, including self-resetting needle bearings.

[Kennyg]

I have always been amazed that there aren't more problems with the lefty as the forces involved are huge. They sure look cool. Good luck!

[cerro]

Where are you located in the world? I hade a Lefty Speed XLR100 before, sent it to Cannondale in the Netherlands and Willy changed the outer tube for me for a carbon instead. Saves around 100-110g. 1260g now, the PBR is lighter so if you want to save weight, keep PBR. Price for changing outer tube including new needle beerings, full service and postage was a little less than 400€.

So it cost but 4€ per saved gram is pretty okey when you have a pretty light bike

The new 2013 Lefty is around same weight but get some new features like better sealing so no boot and instead of having to open the fork for a reset it's just to get it bottom out sometime and it's perfect again.

[jooo]

I have always been amazed that there aren't more problems with the lefty as the forces involved are huge.

Really? This video is, well, annoying - but illustrates how inferior many normal forks are.
http://youtu.be/_WlRqcAQr2w

[TheRookie]

Not that a bike wheel sees anywhere near the side load he's using......you lean a bike over in corners so the loading is still near enough in line with the stanchions....

[02GF74]

my fork weighs 1345 g. 100 mm travel,

[MMMhills]

I have a Lefty Speed alloy PBR 100 mm fork and am looking to replace it with lighter - the holy grail would be carbon fibre XLR.

Searching on that well known website, different models are listed, with travel ranging from 100 to 140 mm (BTW I'm talking 26 er)

Anyone have a list of weights for the various lefty forks starting with the one I have and going up in the range? I am not too bothered about a remote lockout.

TIA.

The aluminum lefty will be stiffer and the carbon lefty will be lighter other than that the internals are the same. There are only 2 different lengths regular and the max. The max has up to 140 travel and the regular up to 100. There are also two different clamp spacing options 5.5" and 6.5" for different length head tubes. Then there are minor internal differences like added air volumizers and spacers to adjust travel and different top caps for different lock out systems. the internals have changed over the years and some years are better than others and a few years really sucked so stay new or at least newer than 2011 and you will be fine.

For a 26er you will probably want the smaller travel unless you do big drops. Yes all leftys need to havbearingng resets done but this is SO SO EASY it should not be a problem. I reset mine at least once a week and it takes me less than two minutes to do. The hardest part is screwing on the shock pump.

[02GF74]

.... one more question - I see Lefty forks listed with different travel options 100mm, 110mm, 120mm and 140mm (I refer to 26 wheels as I believe the same forks can be use for 29 but with reduced travel so the tyre does not bottom out).


Are the fork externals the same for the different travels, the travel being set internaly or do they have longer sliders (if that is the correct term).

Or more specificaly, if I get a 140mm fork, will it weigh same as 100 mm equivalent?

[MMMhills]

.... one more question - I see Lefty forks listed with different travel options 100mm, 110mm, 120mm and 140mm (I refer to 26 wheels as I believe the same forks can be use for 29 but with reduced travel so the tyre does not bottom out).


Are the fork externals the same for the different travels, the travel being set internaly or do they have longer sliders (if that is the correct term).

Or more specificaly, if I get a 140mm fork, will it weigh same as 100 mm equivalent?

No the 100 mm and it might even be 110mm will be a little lighter than the 140 mm as the housing and internals are slightly shorter. Roughly 120 Grams on the carbon fork and close to 200 on the aluminum.

Yes the same fork can be used on both 26" and 29" frames but if the fork has no spacers then it is set up for a 26" frame and if it is used for a 29" frame you need to put spacers in the top that limit the travel (normal 30mm) other wise the fork can compress to the point where the tire has contact with the bottom of the head tube. Then you have one serious endo. Also when you put spacers in the top you need to put volumizers in the bottom. They make the air chamber smaller so that the pressure curve of the fork when compressing is even for best performance. An example of what Canondale does if you look at two identical forks one with 140mm and the other with 120mm or 130mm they will be the exact same fork and the only difference is the travel spacers and the volumizers. you can also take a 120mm fork and convert it to a 140 by removing those two parts. The top travel spacers are very easy and accessible right under the top cap the volumizers are at the bottom and require some specific tools so it is best to have the job done by a person who knows lefty forks.

For a 26" bike unless it is a true downhill rig there is no reason for a larger housing in fact it will be a little to long for your frame affecting the steering angle.

[Maximilian]

How do you do a bearing reset on a 2010 Lefty Max PBR? Thanks.

[MMMhills]

How do you do a bearing reset on a 2010 Lefty Max PBR? Thanks.

It is very easy.
1) you hook up a shock pump and see what pressure you are set at and then drain all the pressure.
2) Remove the top cap. It requires a shimano bottom bracket tool.
3) push the shock up and remove the split ring.
4) Forcefully bottom out the shock 5-8 times. This resets the bearings and it is best done in a stand.
5) Install the split rings and screw the cap back on. I hand tighten it so I can reset the bearings without the tool.
6) Pump up the shock and you are done.

This process should take no more than 3 minutes.