Bicycle Mechanics - Replacing Cannondale headshok w/ regular fork

My '92 Cannondale F700 headshok won't lockout anymore. So I called a few LBS in my area to see what might be wrong with it and almost all of them said it needs new oil/lube. I then took it to the closes LBS, and they had a hard time removing the fork but finally did. The LBS said it was beyond repair and I need a new fork. I said hell no since all the Cannondale forks were too expensive and I wanted my old fork back on the bike (since the fork was working find, but won't lockout). The LBS said they wouldn't be able too.

So my options now are sending the old fork to Cannondale to repair.

Trade up my old fork for a new Cannondale fork.

Or puting a standard 1 1/8 fork on the bike...This is what I want since it won't hurt my wallet as much.

What would I need to put a standard fork on my Cannondale frame? I know I need some kind of reducer but I can't seem to find any place that sales them...and what else would I need?

The C'Dale Dealer should have the adapter to shrink the head tube down to 1 1/8". If they don't have it in stock, they can order it. If they can't order it, they are idiots. Take your bike elsewhere if the latter happens.

They did order it but that was 2 weeks ago...I would take the bike else where, but I would probably still have pay them for removing the fork and holding my bike hostage for the 2 weeks.

I want to know whats needed so I can do it myself.

ugh, get rid of that cannondale fork, get that adapter, a new fork, and go ride.

The bike will sit a little different as the 3-4" shok part of the fork would be absent with a non shok fork. Your pedals will have an inch or so less ground clearance also. The net effect will be to shift your weight forward on the bike. Probably nothing you can't get used to especially for road or non technical off road but it will be noticeable on steeper downhills.
Steve

I seem to recall something on this when I was thinking of ditching the headshok on the T-800, but if you lose 3 inchs or so of effective fork length won't that really affect the geometry by sharpening up the head tube angle?

Steve W