Has anyone fitted a Canondale lefty to another frame

anronmor
anronmor Posts: 19
edited June 2009 in MTB buying advice
Hi All,
I have a deceased cannondale hardtail, it seems you cannot buy a cannondale hardtail frame without a fork, so I have a fork thats no good to me, unless...

I've read that you can get an adapter to fit the lefty to another frame, has anyone tried this or seen a bike with this mod?

I'm interested to see what frames on the market might be suitable for this as I need a bike for the summer racing season and am on a tight budget.
Thanks
Ronan

Comments

  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    you will need to look for a frame with a 1.5 headtube and then get the 1.5 to 'dale reducers.

    but i dont think there are any which would be suitable.

    go itto a 'dale shop and order a frame or sell the fork and get a full fork :wink:
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • rob_mafia
    rob_mafia Posts: 136
    The cannondale lefty....hmmmm one thing I could never get it's strange, but is it any good?
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  • gezzza
    gezzza Posts: 324
    what lefty have you got?
  • Chaz.Harding
    Chaz.Harding Posts: 3,144
    Rob Mafia - yes, very. It's so directionally stiff, it's almost unreal! Double the diameter of a tube, 8 times stiffness ect. And very plush - 88 needle rollers!

    I have seen a lefty on a Lightspeed bike before. Was in Bristol, so I imagine that Argos Racing Cycles probably had something to do with it.

    You'll need a 1.5 headtube, and it needs to be exactly the same height as the bike it comes off, with their own headset. The reason being, is you cannot 'squeeze' the crowns together like a normal dual crown fork, as they are bonded to the leg... I tried to fit a different headset, but no luck....

    Just get a normal fork, or a Cannondale frame!!
    Boo-yah mofo
    Sick to the power of rad
    Fix it 'till it's broke
  • gezzza
    gezzza Posts: 324
    Ive seen leftys fitted to many different bikes so it can be done, you dont need a 1.5 in steer as ive seen quite a few fitted to Scott Scales and Sparks.

    i would like to try one out on my spark
  • Chaz.Harding
    Chaz.Harding Posts: 3,144
    In that case, I dunno!

    Ask the guys who done it, how! :wink:
    Boo-yah mofo
    Sick to the power of rad
    Fix it 'till it's broke
  • Andy B
    Andy B Posts: 8,115
    Sure it's a lefty & not a USE sub fork?
    2385861000_d125abe796_m.jpg
  • gezzza
    gezzza Posts: 324
    Andy_B wrote:
    Sure it's a lefty & not a USE sub fork?

    110% they are leftys

    lefty_spark_002a.jpg
  • supermonkey
    supermonkey Posts: 315
    Is there a reason they don't do rightys?
  • gezzza
    gezzza Posts: 324
    SuperMonkey wrote:
    Is there a reason they don't do rightys?

    yes
  • stevet1992
    stevet1992 Posts: 1,502
    SuperMonkey wrote:
    Is there a reason they don't do rightys?

    as that would be a righty thus defeating the object of having a lefty fork ;)
    On-One 456 Sainsburys Season

    Calling All SouthEastern Riders
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    gezzza wrote:
    Ive seen leftys fitted to many different bikes so it can be done, you dont need a 1.5 in steer as ive seen quite a few fitted to Scott Scales and Sparks.

    i would like to try one out on my spark

    Correct but that would require the 1 1/8th steerer tube conversion. which is a couple of 100 notes.

    no righty due to brake mounts.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • bomberesque
    bomberesque Posts: 1,701
    hmm, I was thinking about this for my tranny

    damn you for suggesting it may be possible :P
    Everything in moderation ... except beer
    Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer

    If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
    then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
    ... or being punched by it, depending on the day
  • jairaj
    jairaj Posts: 3,009
    whats the point of the Lefty / USE one forked suspension setups? Is it just less weight or is there any other advantages of the design?
  • bomberesque
    bomberesque Posts: 1,701
    they're very very laterally stiff, although it seems counter-intuitive what with only one leg. aresingly expensive though, last time I looked

    I must admit I have a problem riding one as I constantly look down and feel off balance
    Everything in moderation ... except beer
    Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer

    If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
    then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
    ... or being punched by it, depending on the day
  • anronmor
    anronmor Posts: 19
    Hi All,
    thanks for the advice

    I've been on to a Cannondale dealer in Belgium and they say you can't buy a cannondale hardtail frame without a lefty fork
    They used to do the prophet without the fork but they don't have any more in XL

    Will have a look into 1.5" headtubes and get on to Argos
  • bomberesque
    bomberesque Posts: 1,701
    anronmor

    you in Belgium? as it happends I have a cannondale frame ('00 F1000, Large) with dead headshock. I don't use it anymore and was going to tart it up to sell, but the cost of getting the bearings done is a bit prohibitive. Maybe we can work something out if you're interested. Pm me if so.
    Everything in moderation ... except beer
    Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer

    If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
    then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
    ... or being punched by it, depending on the day
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,673
    anronmor wrote:
    Hi All,
    thanks for the advice

    I've been on to a Cannondale dealer in Belgium and they say you can't buy a cannondale hardtail frame without a lefty fork
    They used to do the prophet without the fork but they don't have any more in XL

    Will have a look into 1.5" headtubes and get on to Argos

    or look at the 1 1/8 steerer conversion for the fork.

    also have a read of this.

    http://www.cannondale.com/faq/frame_exchange.html
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown

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