Cannondale slate

[MichaelB]

So the New Year begins !!

After a delay in being busy riding and waiting for bits and pieces to come in, the Slate with it's Xmas goodies is finally mobile again. Everything fitted easily and really happy with the ride this morning bedding in the various bits and pieces. Tackling a harder ride on way home to give it a proper workout.

Mods done and dusted - s/h SISL2 cranks with Quarq PM & 50/34 chainrings, MT520 calipers F&R, 11-34 R7000 cassette and RX800 RD.

Only changes to go is to get a longer stem and some different bars with flatter tops (prob get the alloy version of the Ergonova Pro from 3T).

Dirt & gravel, here I come

[MichaelB]

Just finished updating the Slate - changed front rings to 36/46, added the Stans Valor Pro wheelset fitted with 10-42 XG-1199 cassette and WTB Resolute tyres.

1st shakedown ride went well, with the lower gearing bettrer for the steep technical climbs. Very happy. Dropped 650g overall too.

Before :


After :

[MichaelB]

Well, as much as I love my Slate, there are 2 bugbears about it - crappy tyre clearance and that damn BB30A.

So, after spotting something on Farceberk, I'm looking at getting a "Slate Mk2" custom made in Ti and making some improvements.

Two things so far are width for 50mm wide 650B tyres and a T47 BB (so I can reuse my existing cranks).

The other thing I'd love to do, because of the trails in my neighbourhood is to increase fork travel by fitting a Lefty with 80mm or so travel.

Key issue is that it's bloody hard to find a well priced fork that has a decent headtube clamp spacing (I ride a Large Slate with a 160mm Headtube) - most are 97 or 110mm clamp spacing, or those that are larger tend to be older units. :madman:

Given that the MTB's that these longer travel Lefty's came from have slacker headtube angles, any idea of what the impact on trail is if installed on a 2 degree steeper headtube angle (71.5 degree vs 69.5 degrees) ?

HELP !!!

Specs below for numbers

Slate :
Head tube angle - Small 71 degree, and 71.5 degree on Med, Large & X-Large
Head tube length - 110mm for Small, 134mm for Medium, and 160mm for Large & X-Large
Trail - 69mm for Small, and 66mm on Med, Large & X-Large

Scalpel Si :
Head tube angle - 69.5 degrees for all sizes - XS to XL
Head tube length - 97mm for X-Small & Small, 110mm for Medium, 122mm for Large, and 134mm for X-Large
Trail - 75mm for Small & X-Small, and 77mm on Medium, Large & X-Large

[AP81]

Given that the MTB's that these longer travel Lefty's came from have slacker headtube angles, any idea of what the impact on trail is if installed on a 2 degree steeper headtube angle (71.5 degree vs 69.5 degrees) ?

Should be a case of just swapping the fork springs (assuming same dimensions), which will drop the HTA. Either that, or using spacers with shorter springs. Anyone competent with working on forks should be able to get something to work to drop that travel.

[MichaelB]

Given that the MTB's that these longer travel Lefty's came from have slacker headtube angles, any idea of what the impact on trail is if installed on a 2 degree steeper headtube angle (71.5 degree vs 69.5 degrees) ?

Should be a case of just swapping the fork springs (assuming same dimensions), which will drop the HTA. Either that, or using spacers with shorter springs. Anyone competent with working on forks should be able to get something to work to drop that travel.

But wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of going for a Lefty with longer travel in the 1st place ??

[AP81]

But wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of going for a Lefty with longer travel in the 1st place ??

Sorry, I misread.

Seeing as you're getting it custom made, wouldn't it be easier to slightly adjust the HTA to compensate for longer travel? Would be a hell of a bike with the long travel fork and the same geo. You can also cut a fork down, maintaining travel- so I think you need to research what's going to be the best option.

Otherwise you'll end up with a slightly more relaxed geo. Not necessarily a bad thing, you could semi compensate with a negative rise stem, but may as well do it properly if you're going to the trouble.

[MichaelB]

But wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of going for a Lefty with longer travel in the 1st place ??

Sorry, I misread.

Seeing as you're getting it custom made, wouldn't it be easier to slightly adjust the HTA to compensate for longer travel? Would be a hell of a bike with the long travel fork and the same geo. You can also cut a fork down, maintaining travel- so I think you need to research what's going to be the best option.

Otherwise you'll end up with a slightly more relaxed geo. Not necessarily a bad thing, you could semi compensate with a negative rise stem, but may as well do it properly if you're going to the trouble.

The Lefty forks are complex enough as it is, to consider modifying one is something I'm not really prepared to do.

A more relaxed geo will probably be fine. as an example, many years ago, I put a CX fork on my Argona18 roadie to try out disc brakes - "The handling will be rubbish" was the general cry due to higher A2C dimension. The absolute reverse was true for me in that the handling became a tad slower and the bike descended better.

I already run the 5 degree stem down as it is, so if I need to go to a steeper drop, that's easy (there are options available).

As it actually happens, I have managed to find the magical piece of proverbial rocking horse stuff - a Lefty, in good condition, at a reasonable price, reasonable shipping from the US AND critically, the right clamp spacing to slap straight onto the Slate to trial the longer travel !!

So the plan may be done in two steps - if the fork ends up at a reasonable price, try it out on the Slate, and if good - go ahead with the Ti frame - if not, take it off and sell it.

Easy !!!

I think …...

[AP81]

As it actually happens, I have managed to find the magical piece of proverbial rocking horse stuff - a Lefty, in good condition, at a reasonable price, reasonable shipping from the US AND critically, the right clamp spacing to slap straight onto the Slate to trial the longer travel !!

So the plan may be done in two steps - if the fork ends up at a reasonable price, try it out on the Slate, and if good - go ahead with the Ti frame - if not, take it off and sell it.

Easy !!!

I think …...

Cutting a lefty down would make me a little nervous too, as they aren't cheap forks, plus it'd affect re-sale should you change your mind. I have seen it done before though.

In any case, 2 degrees isn't a lot, and you might prefer it. Sounds like you have a good plan though.

[MichaelB]

Well, the more I dig, the more complicated it gets !!

The fork I'm looking at, if I understand the A2C measurement correctly, will be between 30-60mm different. I need to measure the Oliver fork to see what it is and confirm that.

Waiting on some replies in other forums and on confirmation of the A2C of the fork I'm looking at.

Standby to standby

[MichaelB]

OK, so that latest learnings are :
[*] Hybrid Leftys are not the best as their design renders them expensive to rebuild
[*] Booted forks are best in terms of serviceability & longevity
[*] The Slates (my L size anyway) means that to find a Lefty fork to fit, I need to find the Unicorn as well. Very few made, and only the Speed Carbon version (c 2010) is about the only beast - not an issue if I go custom, frame

So plan on hold a bit, but will still keep looking

[singlespeedscott]

Why don’t you just go a regular 650b XC fork?

[MichaelB]

Why don’t you just go a regular 650b XC fork?

Defeats the purpose of having a Lefty

[MichaelB]

Did my 1st 'Oil Bath' service on the Oliver

Once I get my workbench cleaned up, will tackle the 100hr seal repalcement service.

Then again, may wait till after the Dirty Clare weekend in case I stuff it up .....