Mountain Biking - Ripped my headshock boot-any fixes?

When I was clipping off the zip ties on my headshock, I dug the blade into the boot. So now I have a small slit at the top of the boot, which Im sure will crud the shock eventually. I tried cutting out a tube patch and gluing it over the hole, but the glue seemed to be fighting with the grease that is seeping from inside the boot onto the outside.

Any ideas for a glue or method that I could use that might seal this up?

I would just get a new boot. It shouldn't hurt in the short term, but in the long term, like you said it could crud up.

Contact Cannondale or take the bike back to a Cannondale LBS and ask them to order in a new seal :).

st remove the boot & clean your shock. You don't need those things - they just look cool.

st remove the boot & clean your shock. You don't need those things - they just look cool.

Uh.. that shock has needle bearing races that are exposed when the boot is off. You don't want dirt getting in there. Get a new boot.

Uh.. that shock has needle bearing races that are exposed when the boot is off. You don't want dirt getting in there. Get a new boot.

seconded. i've seen too many lefties and headshoks that were total junk after a few months of riding with tiny cut in the boot. any cannondale dealer should (though they may not) have a boot for you.

It just seems like its going to cost a lot for them to take out the fork and replace the boot. I have no idea the workings of the headshock. This rip is so small though, It just seems like a little silicone or something would cure it.

next time use side cutters...

clean the area with acetone or rubbing alcohol, sand lightly, then use shoe goo.

To remove the fork, take the stem off, then wack it with a dead blow (rubber) hammer. A cannondale shop should be able to fix this for a few bucks, plus the cost of the boot. Don't be so cheap. I had my headshok removed, and oil changed for $20.

To remove the fork, take the stem off, then wack it with a dead blow (rubber) hammer. A cannondale shop should be able to fix this for a few bucks, plus the cost of the boot. Don't be so cheap. I had my headshok removed, and oil changed for $20.


I guess that would be the way to go then. On the subject of headshock maintnence, what kind do you do. Do you have a shop overhaul the whole thing yearly or just keep adding grease (type?).

I guess that would be the way to go then. On the subject of headshock maintnence, what kind do you do. Do you have a shop overhaul the whole thing yearly or just keep adding grease (type?).

Its never had any new seals or anything, although I think the oil seals might be leaking. It started making a knocking noise, and the local cannondale mechanic opened it up and said there was almost no oil left. He refilled it and that was it. Its a '98 fatty sl.. so its getting a little old.

clean the area with acetone or rubbing alcohol, sand lightly, then use shoe goo.


SHOO GOO!! It's the soft version of duct tape. It fixes everything. :)

I talked to the shop today and the mech suggested superglue. Makes sense because it absorbs into the material. Strange though, on the package it says it can hold up to a ton? Is this for real?