Swapping out Cannondale Headshok - recommendations

[skull]

I have a cannondale which is running a Headshok, It has given me grief for the last few years and am thinking of swapping it out for a standard set of forks. I have also contemplated getting a lefty, but have heard they to can be a bit troublesome.

What are some suggestions on what I could get, My prerequisites are it has to be light and good - high end. I am running SRAM x9 and the bike is a hard tail and fairly light.

[Mulger bill]

What size headtube do 'Dales run? Can you get an adaptor to fit a 1 1/8" steerer?

I'm a recent convert to Fox forx. Endless travel and stiff as.

[skull]

yeah there are adapter kits available

[trickle]

right and wrong on all accounts.

Headshock head tube is a 1.56 inch so techincally a IS 1.5 set up wont work. Having said that there is a a whole heap of headset reducers out there to run a 1 1/8th steerer Cane creek and Chris king are notable there or locally try http://rlcsport.com.au/site/products-page/headsets/cannondale-conversion-headset-1-18/

Or

Go the Lefty route, yes the needle bearings need resetting every now and then but man oh man the fork is worth it. Stiff light and plush.

[trailgumby]

The headset is an unusual size: 1 9/16" inches. Adapters are available.

As for Lefty forks being troublesome, we have 4 in our household and they're great. Of my own two bikes, one does 120km a week the other 60km/week. Have been bulletproof.

They do need regular maintenance (eg, bearing resets every 25 hours, which is an easy DIY task), but are no different to any other fork in regard to maintenance levels, and for their travel are the stiffest and lightest forks around. I must admit to taking it for granted... I only really notice how good they are when riding other people's bikes and wondering why I'm so crap at hitting my intended lines.

After an hour or so's riding the brain adapts to the more flexy front end, but getting back on my own bike afterwards always evokes the response "Ah, so it wasn't just me having a bad day after all "

They gobble up the rough stuff and are I find they are just more confidence inspiring in techy terrain.