I have a cannondale bad boy ultra that I just picked up for cheap. I have the opposite problem. My shock is “locked out” no matter what way the lever is flipped.
Hey there from Germany. I own four Cannondales. Three of them with Leftys (F700 / Jekyll 4000 / Raven 4000) and one with the DLR80 (Scalpel). No problem so far even under hard conditions (24h races and X-Alp challenges). All forks receive regular re-greasings. But that's it. As engineer I'm not happy with the lock-out as it's done using the rebound assembly. Full lockout, high load and bumpy ride might cause the unit to fail as pressures in fluids can quickly exceed design limits of seals, discs and valves. I use the ELO of the leftys only on uphill and asphalt. Cheers .... rob
Sorry but I can't feel sorry for someone who keeps buying bike after bike with the same damn issue. Someone is in need of an intervention. Stop buying their damn bikes!
After seeing this video I'm so glad I didn't buy a Cannondale... So happy with my current bike and shocks... thanks for posting and good luck with your ongoing shock problems :(
I agree completey with Brad... I will never ever purchase another Cannondale as long as I live. I had exactly the same problem as you and They even made me pay for a new assembly even after 4 weeks old! Never again!!!! Just awful!!!
The reason to chose this fork is because of the performance you get when it works. I had the F700 with a Fatty and loved it. The fork died, went flat after a month of ownership, but it was covered under warranty. After it was fixed at my local bike shop I never had another problem for more than two years until I sold the bike. Maybe the people working on his forks are idiots.
Specialized are the best. Offer a huge range from great and cheap starters with good componants to proffesional extreame cyclist bikes.Im on my first Specialized its a Hardrock Sport Disk 2012 and its great. I know i will be with the Specialized brand for a long time to come now !
Rebuilt a headshok in a F400 last night. Super easy as long as you have the right spanner (SPA 1). Refilled it with 15-40 (what I had on hand). Works great now. I'll refill it with some non-detergent / lighter weight oil at some point.
I’ve owned an orange F900 Cannondale since the late 90’s and the head shock has never been serviced and is faultless - lockout works perfectly. I guess the older units had better build quality. My only complaint stems from the fact that the Irish Cannondale distributor has no interest in servicing the fork - suggested that there were a couple of specialists in the UK and Amsterdam who could . My bike has had reasonable use both on fire trails and road for the initial 10-15 years but light road use in the last 10 years. So it’s not all bad news.
I have a 1996 F900 with a DDR60 Headshok, it has been great with only a yearly grease of the bearings, sorry to hear of all your probs. I also have a 2010 Specialised Stump Jumper which has been great, still love my Cannondale which I use as a road bike :)
At this point, being the first real ride of the year, I figured I forgot to check the air pressure in the forks. So I locked out the fork. After about a mile of riding rough dirt trails the fork was compressed again...even when locked out! So again I would unlock the fork, put my foot on the front tire and extended the fork and then locked it out. Every time I did this I could smell something like the air let out of a rubber inner tube. At this point I knew the seals were done in the fork.
Circa 2006 Cannodale F3 Caffeine. (Still states "Handmade in the USA" on the bike by the way It has been a great bike.) While on a short 20 mile ride the other day I noticed my riding position was changing, looked at the down at the noticed the fork (Headshok DLR80) and saw it was fully compressed. Got of the bike and the forks stayed compressed. I could pull up on the handlebars (while holding the front tire down, fork unlocked) and the fork opened.....
Invest in the castle tool and service your self. However, before you do that, just replace the valve inner 1st. I did a partial service on mine (DLR80, 2008), replaced all 'O' rings, suspension oil, 10W as opposed to the 5W that cannondale use, and it works fine. It does take some balls to do, but if you take photos and notes as you go along, it isn't beyond anyone who has basic skills. If you need a walk through, I'll post one.
Hi, my shock seems to me too soft. It moves so fast that it bounces back when you remove your body weight from the handlebars. Along the ride, the knockings are very disturbing. It looks like either the oil level has dropped or the viscosity is too thin. Have you ever measured the volume of the oil that is required to fill the shock absorber up? Also how much pressure you put in it? I'm 75 kg's and pump it up to 110 PSI. When I have assembled to dial adjuster, it was locking but after approximately 1000 km's it doesn't lock out nor it's stiffness vary. It looks just an air spring. Thank you for sharing your valuable information with us.
@petsoon93 I have a trail SL 1 with a standard Headshock Fatty, I use the bike nearly every day for road and off road, So far I've had no problems, and the lock out is fully working. This is my second hardtail from cannondale and it fits like a glove, I can highly recomend getting one.
I had a Taurine for a few years with mild usage never a problem. I had 2 lefties with 0 problems, if your shock failed in 1 month return it for repair but sucks you need to wait. I liked my Taurine, very smooth frame
Totally agree iwth you! I switched to Specialized Epics and LOVE THEM. Best fitting bikes I've ever owned. Every Cannondale I ever had, I switched out the stem and bars for something else. The Specialized, I put the stem (which has an insert that can be flipped to give you different angles) to the highest rise and that was the only think I changed. Also the brain shock is the only bike that truly gives you full suspension with the efficiency of a hardtail.
I bought a F500, about 17 years ago. Its headshock after 4 years was out of service Terrible performance. However, I still keep the frame, it is marvelous and I am just close to painting it, and so far this is only piece that I keep from the original bike.
Thanks for posting this video! I have a 2001 Cannonade Jekyll with super fatty fork. It seeps oil out the bottom but still works great. I also have a Specialized Epic with Fox Forx Float 100 RL and it locks 100%
I never had a problem with that shock either. It was the DLR 80's. I miss my Cannondales but have moved on to more reliable shocks. I'd still buy a Cannondale if their high end models didn't have Lefty's. Only way to not get a Lefty is to buy a cheap Cannondale which sucks.
I saved an F1000 from the bin with a Fatty D 60mm travel. The elastomer was rotten, I managed to get a replacement. I just don't like seeing any scrapped. You can service them yourself, but the question is of course if you can be bothered to buy the special tools and do it. But special standards are more hassle, and Cannondale parts are harder to get. I'm not sure I'd buy one new... especially not as it's all made in Taiwan now, like everything else... [this was is an USA made one with pretty paint]
I have a Marzocchi bomber z1 from 1997. Still working perfectly. Only has new seals and one oil change. Super robust. You can buy one at Dr. Marzocchi. Doesn’t have lockout. I can adjust the springs super stiff in a few seconds, which is close enough for me to lock out. Not the cheap crap that has to be rebuilt all the time. shocks where always crap. Cannondale shocks have been. Rap from day one . Everybody knows that. What’s new here. I also have a Killer v Cannondale. Works well with a Marzocchi fork from 1995. And a Jamis Dakar from 1997. With the Marzocchi bomber z1 from 1997. Clearly better than Cannondale.
I hate to say it, but this Brad is a bit silly....why would he purchase one, let alone six (6) bikes with the same problematic shock? Seems like a bit of a glutton for punishment, if you ask me. If you don't like the way something is designed or works, would you go out and buy 6 more of them? The letter from Cannondale, especially regarding the retail price of the shock is simply to say "we covered it under warranty, but here's the value to you..." If they replaced your shock, nothing to get pissy about. Sounds like Brad is a bit of a whiner?
Ron Galvin They ride so nice road or dirt. I've never had a problem with mine even with several thousand miles the only problem I've had was some jackass fiddled with the adjuster and lost the dial.
lambanmartyr NO He is not... Cannondale really are terrible .. no customer service. One month of use and they say that it is normal wear and tear. I did not even use it off road before the shock collapsed and would not fill with air. KRAP ENGINEERING! I had to pay for the repair and it took 2 months to get my bike back. The forks are very good when they work and I can see why Brad likes them BUT I agree that Brad shouldn't have kept on buying Cannondales after his first breakdown. I certainly will never ever buy Cannondale branded stuff again. HOW CAN WE GET THIS TO GO VIRAL AND GET OUR BIKES SORTED AND RUNNING? THEN WE WOULD ALL GO OUT AND BUY ANOTHER CANNONDALE WHEN WE LIKE TO BUY A NEW ONE AND ALSO TELL OUR FRIENDS ABOUT HOW GOOD THEY ARE BUT UNTIL THEN CANNONDALE STINK!
+Iain Cameron Most Cannondale Bike suppliers have stopped importing and selling Cannondale Bikes here in Berlin Germany due to their Crappy Customer Service
Thanks for the very good and tested information. I was about to buy one cannon date 4 with fatty single head tube fork. Now i am pretty sure, i am not going to get it, instead will install FOX. Thanks so much again, Brad!
I guess I must be one of the lucky ones with a 2006 F800 with over 26,000 miles on the frame and no cracks or problems. I had a air leak problem with the dlr2 that came with the bike acouple years after I bought it but a quick trip to the dealer and the rep fixed it no problem. I now have the 2010 carbon sl model I traded my old one in for and no problems. I sent it to mendone cycles in New york and the guy their upgraded my air chamber and replaced my needle races with new ones no problems.
How old are these bikes? I Was planning on buying a 2012 cannondal Flash 3 but now I got a little bit scared of buying it in case I will get unsatisfied. Thanks for posting so I/we could see the problems! Regards Kristofer
I have a 1998 f400 and I've never serviced the head shock once. When I originally got it I had the Cannondale dealership put an adjustable air shock and take the spring off. However today this air shock will only hold are in the summer in the winter there's no way it holds air. Also the five different adjustments that used to do a bit of difference don't do any difference anymore. I'm looking to get the original shocked that they gave me back installed back in. Finding someone to do this is near impossible.. it is 2024 April now.
I wish the engineers at cannondale could see this. Great video. BTW I have an 02 F700 with a 60mm Fatty D, and believe it or not it still works to this day and lockout is perfect. I guess I'm the exception.
Santa Cruz with Fox at 6:55 had almost completely stiff lockout, guy put his whole weight on it and it barely gave in. Why would you need a stiffer fork?
Took the bike home, flipped it upside-down. Took off the front tire to access the schrader valve and noticed some oil around the cup at the bottom of the fork around the valve. Filled the fork with air. Within minutes, leaked out the air. Now I have a problem....should I spend the money on a repair kit...or convert the fork to other brand?
Wow my AMP research and my sons AMP research forks are almost 20 years old other that a little cleaning and lubing there has been 0 problems. I was just looking at a lefty the other day and considering buying one but now i think ill hold off. Thank you for the information.
If you like 100% lock out then get a full rigid. The lockout keeps the fork from moving while you're pedaling and they don't move much other than that. If they didn't move at all they would break, maybe that's why the headshoks break so much.
I got a cannondale last yead and no nothing about it. Only rode 4 times. Rear shock is cane creek, looks like it takes air and two adjustment screws. Not sure how much pressure goes in? Doesnt seem something is right with it but..front head shock is all black(no red) i can adjust front ride height with it but there is totally no spring at all. Does front take air somewhere as well? If so how and how much. (P.s. I thought was like hydraulic or spring loaded) shows what i know. Thanks for any insight..
Most shocks nowadays are air with a very few coil shocks on really high end bikes. If you have a Cannondale with a Headshock, the air valve is under the bottom arch of the fork. Check out this link: www.eighty-aid.com/sites/default/files/Headshok%20DLR80%3Ared%20.pdf (Page 2 has the location of the air valve and recommended pressure by rider weight).
I still ride my 2009 F4 Caffeine with Headshok Ultra Fatty. No maintenance on the shock, I just ride. This is July 2019. Maybe its the type of riding people do. Its a cross country trail bike not a Down Hill racer or Dirt jump bike.
I never had problems with headshocks till they added the red rebound adjuster knob which I don't think you have... I could go years without even putting air in the old shocks.
I suppose, after having researched a bit on the web today and learning how prevalent this problem is, I must have been pretty lucky and got a set of headshok forks that were actually, unusual and, reliable. Realised about a year ago that they were down on air pressure and pumped them up. They lost pressure over the next month (Sept thru Oct) so pumped up again. Then from Oct. thru April (during the cold months) they held pressure but have recently started losing it at a much quicker rate.
My dad's headshok lasted 17 years without having it rebuilt and I have only had to rebuild my headshok once since I bought it 4 years ago and cannondale rebuilt mine under warranty.
Headshock and leftys are not designed to be ridden locked out and to take hits at the same time, this is how they fail. if you want to run a fork locked out on the trail then you need to ride a different brand fork. The reason other brands do not fully lock out is so that they dont fail while being locked out, they are designed to allow the fork to blow through the lockout if needed, thus saving the internals.
Yep, I have 4 Cannondales, and all their headshocks and leftys have gone after only a little use. Typically I have to service them after about 30 rides so I don't get much 'wear for the money'. I now see they've discontinued the headshock and replaced the whole lefty design. That leaves us mugs that bought earlier bikes unsupported and unloved. I love Cannondales but they really try my patience. I even invested in shares a while back, to see the company go bankrupt chasing false hopes of a motorbike division. I see the ex-CEO now farming himself out as a lead business consultant. Good luck with that.
@@bmo5906 Well no, the lockout just means that it won't lock rigid, that is, it will always be in dampening mode. But if you ride it off a cliff, then yes you would probably die.
Ha - good luck, Cannondale has seen the video and has never done anything to fix their shocks. Cane Creek makes a headset reducer which let's you put a normal 1-1/8" shock on your bike. I'm going to make a video showing that soon. Maybe I'll try to get it out today.
Your problem sounds like the seals, which is something I never had trouble with. Does your fork have the red inner rebound adjustment at the top? If it doesn't, then I'd get it repaired because I found those to be reliable. If it does, then you have something that in my experience fails a lot and I'd replace it with a conventional fork. It'll be expensive. Cane creek makes a reducing headset. I'll make a video real soon and show what I've done.
@3Rbmxer I can agree with you there, but... my much older headshocks with lockout would work for years without service. eventually, they'd get cruddy - the slides would - and i'd have to get them serviced to bring back the nice smooth feel, but actual failures were very rare, in fact, I can't remember if I actually ever had a failure.... unlike the versions with rebound adjustment - which fail like clockwork.
This video is why I spent the extra cash back in 2006 and got the F800 with lefty front fork instead. Unlike this fork which has always been junk the lefty only gave me trouble once two years after I bought it with not holding air. A simple trip to the bike shop where I bought it and the cannondale rep replaced a small part inside of it and did a oil chainge in less than a hour and good as new. I now have a 2010 carbon sl I traded my old one in for and it's been flawless since last year.
I have a 1995 F700 with a shock that's only been rebuilt once. My wife has a 2001 F600 with original headshock. So I've been sold on Cannondale's system. Hate like hell you've had such problems. Hope they've been rectified.
If you want a fork that you can lockout on smooth terrain and have the stiffest fork possible, then ride a cannondale. If you have a high end lefty you will not ever need to lock out your fork on the trail. they have rebound, damping and compression settings for a reason.
As a Cannondale RIZE CARBON & Cannondale Bad Boy owner. I also have problems about lockout. About 7or 8 months ago, my cannondale rize carbon fork lock also failed. Because it is 2009 model, I repaired it by myself, but i wonder if it can last one or two years? and my cannondale bad boy also have lock problem. I really like lefty and fatty shock, but cannondale must pay more attention on it to keep it working!
I am a Cannondale-bikefan since 1992. I have had Headshock, but ride Lefty since about 4 years now. Big difference, much better performance, less problems. However, when there is a problem, Cannondale Corp is like banks and insurancecompanies, they are not there for you, but for themselve, customers are a pain in the a..
You made a Wonderful Work! I bought 4 years ago a cannondale and the fork is my only source of frustration. I would Kille them! But I love my bike for many reasons! Anyway again. Great Work!
If you started "mountain" biking in the late '70s, early '80s, you had to be wealthy to buy a mountain bike. I could not until the early '90s and that was on installments. The Gary Fishers were not the first trail riders in Marin but the generation before them that did not get famous selling bikes which by the way sold out to the roadies putting roady gears on trail bikes and not a mountain bike hub that to this day is still not available. Growing up in Molesto, the poor kids rode trails, dirt roads, canal banks. The rich stayed on the road.
You sound surprised that they are breaking down my friend you must remember these two words “planned obsolescence”, the breakdown(for monetary reasons)is built into the very blueprints!!!
that's cool how you interview these ppl that give up riding time for your video and then you shitted all over and around their bike for not "fully locking out" (smthng no one I've ever met has cared about enough to bring it up) . I bet they are eager to go riding with you again real soon!
I got two years out of my Headshock, then same exact problem... The worst part about it is Headshocks need rebuilt by Cdale/shops because of special tools. I can rebuild my RockShox in my garage, no issue.
LOL... Yeh - I know... I bought a Specialized Epic last Fall and LOVE IT. I've been slowly selling off all my Cannondale's except one which I converted to a rigid bike. One of my Taurine frames cracked (or more accurately came unglued). Seems like durability isn't something Cannondale worries about.
I recently got a second hand 2005/6 (05 serial number) f700 sl with the dlr80 your showing and it had been unused until 2014 (owner was ill then died :( ). Love the bike (almost as light as my carbon adorned rigid felt) but it just wont hold pressure for too long. Seems OK ish in cold but in the heat atm it looses it. Think due to its age are the seals perished?
I have a F500 and i bought it in 1998. I havent done enything with my head shock and it works fine after all this years. Maybe it´s another suspension than the one in the film. Some years it have done a lot of kilometers with a average of maybe 500 - 2000km/year. Should i be worried?
@zzkokko You should see what I did! Took a carbon fiber Flash (26" wheels) and put a Niner (29") carbon fiber fork on it. I should make a video. It's awesome. 20lbs. Ideal for dirt road riding. I'll try to make a video in a few days. Measure a rigid 29er fork compared to your headshock fork and get a cane creek headset reducer from 1.5" to 1 1/8" and you'll be good. Or - if you could, leave the headshock outside all winter and it might rust in place.
I just bought the F3 lefty and I got some problems with the fork, some noises stared and I don't like... then I bought a SL3 for my girlfriend and it got a frame fracture... I really don't know what will happened with cannon´s reputation. So I will back to my old Giant´s bike with 11 years old and works better!!
Hey I recently bought a cannondale f4 caffeine from my cousin, I'm having trouble finding what year it is exactly, but I guess the question I have is what year is the bike in the video and how to I go about removing the shock so I can get a replacment, I like the the bike its self but not to hot about the headshok. And do you know of any compatible forks that would fit it?????
manitou forks have 100% lockout, they are relatively cheap, and very reliable, I own skareb, in perfect condition, 10+ years and still working perfectly ;) now I bought minute and I love the abs+ damper, it's just awesome :D
I have a new bike - Rocky Mountain Sherpa - with a Manitou fork which is awesome. Not quite 100% lockout, but has a great feel. I've been wondering what ABS+ stands for.
it stand for absolute plus, it has shim stack based lockout (blow off), for me it's 100% lockout, when I ride it doesn't move, but when I hit an obstacle, it works like it was not locked up, I love it :D you can modify the shim stack by removing the top portion of the damper (you just unscrew it and take out, be careful not to spill too much oil or you will have to refill it ;)
This is my new bike: www.bikes.com/en/bikes/sherpa/2016 has a Manitou Magnum www.manitoumtb.com/products/forks/magnum/. It has a great feel to it, better than any fork I've ever had.
Skareb is heavy? Lol what you smokin bro ;) skareb weights about 1400 grams (mine was 1430) with alu steerer, headstock is still better, and lighter because skareb is not as stiff, but still- skareb is more reliable (at least looking by the opinions) my skareb was working perfectly for 10 years, without any service, then I looked inside and the oil was at low amount, but still perfectly clean, so I just added some and continued riding, now I have minute and it's even better (abs+ damper, and stiffer)
If your friends who do not get their forks serviced run into a problem later down the road, the company would not have to warranty anything since they did not follow the specified service plan for their forks. If you never change your cars oil because your car is driving fine and nobody originally told you you have to change it regularly, do you think that car company will warranty your engine when it seizes?
Problem solvers makes a headset reducer. You can then use a standard fork. That's what I did to one of my bikes. Sold the rest, bought Specialized Epic which I LOVE.
@3Rbmxer I primarily lock out my shock when climbing on dirt or paved roads where I want to stand up. I always unlock the shock on downhills and in the woods. One of my most recent failures, I was riding down a dirt road with the shock unlocked and it turned into a pogo stick - no rebound dampening. If you can't use lockout, why'd they put it on there?
Move on from HeadShox. My favorite forks are Rock Shox tho Fox is damn good too. And Suntour has some good ones as well. They lock out almost perfectly. You can't even feel that little movement. And also I have a Rock Shox XC30 for 4 years and it works perfectly. Zero problems in all of these years.
@@MTBIKEXC wow thats a fast response. Yeah its really old I see it now. The only little "problem" I have with Fox is i think they only make high-end forks. Like Rock Shox has more types and not only one for XC, one for DH and one for Enduro. I don't know much about that but I think Cannondale is not makeing HeadShok anymore right?
島風 I am not sure if they make them anymore. My last two bikes came with Fox shocks and they’ve been super reliable. I looked into buying one for my sister’s bike but the price was astonishing. The bike prior to my last two had a Manitou which did have a problem but was fixed quickly at no charge. That shock felt the best of all that I’ve owned.
@@MTBIKEXC My dad also useing a Manitou right now. He used to own a RockShox 30 silver but he wanted to try out air forks. It's a pretty good fork but he really loved his old one so I think his next fork will be a RockShox again. Good Luck on your future adventures and have fun while shredding.
Correct, mine doesn't have a rebound adjuster. The only downside is that it only has 60mm of Are the newer shocks smooth or do they still make that squishy brearing sound?
Other issues: 1/ rigid (with bigger tires) can it do the work of a suspension fork on dirt roads? and 2 / if headshok is blocked, does it work as a rigid fork on asphalt? Thanks!
If you lockout the headshock it is just like a rigid bike on pavement. That was the best part of them. I actually tried rigid but it was too harsh in the woods. I'm riding Specialized Stumpjumper Comp Hard Tail now with a Rock Shox fork which has been super reliable. Also have a Specialized Epic with brain in the rear which is WORSE THAN Cannondale's Headshock as far as reliability goes.
Hi. I have a cannondale 1FG. My headshok bit the dust and because of all the complaints I've read about the the headshok I decided not to rebuild it. Does anyone have experience with the conversion kits?
Does anyone know how to replace the Cannondale F4 DLR with a lefty. Is it a direct conversion or no? I know that I'd have to get a new wheel, but is a head tube converter needed?
Well what I know is that the lockout is only when you are going uphill. So you are not bouncing when pedaling hard. It is NOT to make the fork rigid and thinking you have a solid fork. If you lockout and force it you can brake the mechanism inside. Thats why forks like the Fox 6:53 does not lock out to 100% to prevent any damage.
That's what they tell you however, I had several Cannondale bikes with Head-shocks prior to the DLR80 that never failed and I had friends with Rock Shox and Fox Shocks which never were serviced and never failed. Yes, they would start working less smooth. I did get a Specialized with brain shocks front and rear and the rear would totally die if I rode it in sub-10 degree temps so that was even worse but anyway... I now have a Scott Genius with their twin-lock working my front and rear Fox shocks simultaneously. After 2 years, I decided to have a service and I really can't say they feel that much different. They actually claim the Fox Shocks need service every 125 hours. Anyway, I do have a fully rigid bike but it's miserable on trails, great on gravel roads which is a primary reason I liked the Cannondale hard tail bikes. They were great on gravel roads and also okay in the woods. But two bikes it is.
@@MTBIKEXC no worries im just anxious to get my bike back from the LBS bought a 2013 santa cruz full sus for 500$ and needed to service the whole thing
Have the same problem, head shox or lefty are good but they broke in 2 months, what i do becouse cannondale bike are good for me i buy a rock shox or fox shox and i put it in the cannondale frame,
That is pretty pathetic the they have these crappy shocks. I own a Cannondale FR 1000 bike from 1998 and while the shock does not lock out, it does have a dampener adjustment. After 15 years, it still works and I've never had any maintenance on it! I'll definitely take this into consideration when I replace my MTB now.
I'm actually in the market for a new suspension fork. Just out of curiosity, how much are you looking to get for your 80mm DLRs? I know in your video you said you were having constant problems, but are they functional?
Brad, Cannondale headshox and lefty forks are some the smoothest and stiffest shocks out in the market, period. ALL suspension needs to be serviced at regular intervals, if you were to read in ANY of there manuals, they would tell you this. If you are running your shocks locked out and that is when they are failing, then it is your fault.
I got a B..E..A..Uuuutiful Retro (disk and Vee)Cannondale F1000 frame (black into silver into white with orange and black branding and decals) I'm gonna make up with Top notch new carbon fibre components,gears,crank,stem,bars,forks ALL Carbon.. dunno about wheels..Thinking crossmax's.. Gonna be freakin a Ri-donkulousley light city bike! Just thought I'd mention my plans but if any of You'z lot have any suggestions or any good ideas for Her..Por Favor!..LEMME KNO 🙃
not an issue with leftys. My friend had one for 3 years and never had to service it once. I just got mine and it works perfectly but I dont have lockout on mine. So besides the lockout issue with yours the rebound isnt working either? Thats so annoying. I hope they fix the problem.
The fatty head shock is ment for xc and nice forest tracks. If absolutely must lock it, then use it on asfalt roads. its not made for freeride biking. I've seen several people riding hardcore with this shocks, and then complaining later. By the lefty for light freeride runs...
Hi Brad. I have a vintage'93 delta V with a head shock.It's dead of course and I want to replace the shock.Thanks for the video.For the money you could have tried your nearest college with a mechanical engineering school and asked them to find out why the shock failed and to offer possible solutions.You would at least have answers. I have owned 4 vintage made in USA cannondales and I love them but am bothered by the current quality issues.
I don't remember... I was so fed up with these I sold most of those bikes, kept one and put a rigid Niner carbon fiber fork on it and use it as a dirt road bike. I have two forks I need to put on ebay. :-)
My dad has a super v with the original shock. The shock shit the bed sooo he had a brand new one put on. A month after he got it the lockout and rebound stopped working. Also the travel is not smooth. Alreadyyyyyyy needs a rebuild. It's honestly annoying.
You could replace his headshock with a regular suspension fork. Probably could get a 80mm or 100mm suspension fork and use a Cane Creek Headshock Reducer: Cannondale Headshock Solutions
BTW - I have had ZERO problems with Rockshock Forks. My friends with Rockshock forks have experienced similar good luck - over time, they will need some maintenance but you can get years out of them without doing any and they don't fail, they just get crudded up and don't work as well - at least that's been my recent experience with Rockshock forks! Just an idea. Forks cost a boat load nowadays, but maybe you can find an older 100mm on ebay or something.
the solution is to not use head shok, its an ancient design, grab a 80mm REBA or something, more reliable, more modern. I dont see the advantage of using head shok forks, maybe I just dont know...
I was 53 probably when that video was made, look at the people I ride with, there's no jumping or hucking, but we do a lot of 2 mile long climbs with 2-3 mile continuous descents as fast as I can go. I lock out only on dirt and paved road climbs. My wife, who never rides in the woods, just dirt roads and paved roads has had hers crap out too. Oh - and yeh - I'm heavy, but my wife is 110 lbs. It takes her a lot longer to blow hers out (like 2 years) but she mostly runs, I ride every day.
