Lefty forks...why?

mayan

Heya all
I got my bike and am already thinking of add ons, namely
new forks!! The ones fitted are good but I'm lookin for one with
a dampener and better look :roll: (yes, I am shallow).
However since reading MBR I've come across loads of pics
of mountain bikes with one fork!
How do they compare with double forks,
does anyone know the pros and cons?
(Surely its a little off-kilter for the rider)
x
thnx in advance!

Anonymous

As far as I know, thoise lefty forks are only available on cannondale models, OEM.
They're supposed to be as stiff as a normal fork, but lighter. They're also supposed to be easier to change the tyres on, because you don't have to remove the wheel.

Personally, I think it's a gimmick.


EDIT:
Why have you got the psygnosis logo in your sig?

mayan

Hey Yeehaamcgee
(that's a mouthful!) thnx for the reply m8!
Ah...you mentioned Cannondale - that makes sence as the pics
Ive seen leftys equipped are all with Cannondale bikes - duh..
...I should've seen that...
Why do you think its a gimmick?
Am I able to use lefty forks on a bike that isn't a cannondale?
Is it possible even?

ps
I was experimenting with the avatar options when I came across
the Psygnosis logo - Harks back to my commy amiga dayz
are you familiar with them?

*does the secret amiga handshake*

Andy

I have one on my F800 and absolutely love them. I've not come across a fork that works better.

Fitting a Lefty to your bike would be a problem as they come with a 1.5 steerer instead of a 1.1/8th. A company called Project 321 do a replacement steerer to fit a normal bike but this means major modification to the fork which could prove a costly mistake.

The idea of the tire changes being easier is 100% a side effect and not part of the design brief.

The top of the range Lefty Speed Carbon SL as seen on the Taurine SL is a 110mm travel fork that weighs about the same as a RS SID but without the noodly handling and with an extra 30mm travel.

You should probably stick with some normal forks or buy a Cannondale with one on. You have one final option in the USE Sub Anti Dive fork. CRC had some a while ago which they may or may not still have - not sure - but they will work on a normal frame. Don't forget with a one sided fork you have to account for a new front wheel as well.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=13696

Oh and it''s not cheap.

Aux1

Hmm never tried a lefty, but from what I read on their website it seems to be a bold and pretty revolutionary design, never mind the weird looks (my bro thought it was photoshopped when he first saw a pic lol)

Would like to have a 140mm version when I buy an AM bike one day...
But the issue that they only fit on cannondales is very bad... They could have much more sales if you could put them on other bikes too! Cannondale seem too exclusive, very expensive, somewhat "we are special" brand...

ddoogie

Because the lefty forks are clamped in three places they are a lot stiffer than single crown forks of similar weights. They have exceptional resistance to torsional twisting.

mayan

andrew156 wrote:

I have one on my F800 and absolutely love them. I've not come across a fork that works better.

Fitting a Lefty to your bike would be a problem as they come with a 1.5 steerer instead of a 1.1/8th. A company called Project 321 do a replacement steerer to fit a normal bike but this means major modification to the fork which could prove a costly mistake.

The idea of the tire changes being easier is 100% a side effect and not part of the design brief.

The top of the range Lefty Speed Carbon SL as seen on the Taurine SL is a 110mm travel fork that weighs about the same as a RS SID but without the noodly handling and with an extra 30mm travel.

You should probably stick with some normal forks or buy a Cannondale with one on. You have one final option in the USE Sub Anti Dive fork. CRC had some a while ago which they may or may not still have - not sure - but they will work on a normal frame. Don't forget with a one sided fork you have to account for a new front wheel as well.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=13696

Oh and it''s not cheap.

Thnx for that m8, you're a mine of info
I've just looked around and seen the prices they are asking!
Four Figures!!! whaaaaat? :shock:
I think ill go with your advice and stick to my normal pair.
The only way I can see me ending with a single fork is by
a horrific accident somewhere on a dual carriageway!!
...just gotta aim it for my right side...
thanx again ppl!

Anonymous

Ah, I didn't know they were 1.5" headtubes.
That means that they would fit, for example, a Marin Quake (<-I'm saving up!)

Why you'd want to do that is beyond me though!

ps
I was experimenting with the avatar options when I came across
the Psygnosis logo - Harks back to my commy amiga dayz
are you familiar with them?

Yeah, they made lemmings, didn't they? I'm sure I had a few early PC games by them, but the only one I remember for sure is Lemmings. Which was always better on the amiga!

Hey Yeehaamcgee
(that's a mouthful!) thnx for the reply m8!

Well, when I first tried to get an email account, I tried Sion (my name) and got offered sion109289474 or something, same with soundman, sionJ, or anything else.
Then I tried yeehaamcgee, and lo and behold nobody else had it. I've been using it ever since.
funny thing is, there's actually more than a handful of people using yeehaamcgee these days!

Red Lemon

The lefty will probably invalidate your frame warranty anyway.

L6ON

Gimme normal forks anyday, im a purist.

Psygnosis - Shadow of the beast II, possibly the most amazing game i had ever played... 17 years ago!!

Andy

L6ON wrote:

Gimme normal forks anyday, im a purist.

Psygnosis - Shadow of the beast II, possibly the most amazing game i had ever played... 17 years ago!!

Which means you've never tried a lefty.

Aux1

What would be the cheapest "good" Cndl. bike with a lefty (110 or 140 mm)? I mean, that it has the fork and a good frame, you can upgrade brakes and other bits later if you want to...

Andy

http://www.evanscycles.com/dept.jsp?dep ... 000&page=2

All Cannondale frames are off the highest quality. Any that you buy will generally be worth upgrading if you so wish.

Anonymous

I've always viewed Cannondale as the Audi of MTB. For some reason or other, not inherrently 'cool' but very well built, and worth the money.
(says the guy who rides a marin, and is saving up for another marin!)

One thing I strongly dislike about them is the super-smooth ground down welds. I prefer to see welds in all their glory, like a row of pennies lined up one after another.

Red Lemon

What Marin are you saving up for?

ashleymp777

Those 'lefty forls' scare me! I'd never be very comfortable riding with them! There will always be a part of me thinking that the forks/wheel were goning to give way at any moment!

Anonymous

Marin QUAKE 7.2
I've seen the 7.2, in white - and fallen in love. But depending on how much the prices have come down (I'm intending on saving until spring next year) I may go for the top model the 7.3, although, it doesn't look quite so sexy in black.
Also, my current bikeis black, so there's this silly part of my brain that wants a white one to go with it! :oops: [/url]

---*SD*---

They do look kool to be fair.. :roll:

Anonymous

What looks cool, the Leftys or the Marin? I'm confused, I think I've skewed this thread!