Mountain Biking - Why get a lefty?

I was just reading an article on the '05 cannondale prophet and was wondering, what are they the advantages of getting a lefty over a normal fork? The only thing i could think of was the weight factor but isnt it better to spread the shock over 2 forks instead of just one?

Edit: There wasnt a complaint about the fork, apparently it was a really smooth ride and easy to ride but you would expect that with a AUS$9000 price tag

That's one thing that is about cannondale. Sometimes their designers are designing like they are designing on crack. I don't know what the appeal of a one legged fork is.

Kona used the word design three times in one sentence.

I'm not even sure the lefty is lighter than a good double fork.

I really like my headshock w/lockout. Light, good, reliable.

Cool factor. Always sells bikes.

Most people don't like the headshock, but for some reason I like them.

Most people don't like the headshock, but for some reason I like them.

Don't ask me...I don't even know why I need suspension for 90% of my riding. I like going up the hills.

I personally think it's just unique appeal. I mean, no other company makes a one-legged fork so c-dale probably just designed one to be different.

Pace makes one. As does another euro fork company actually.

huh, I didn't know that. Well, I learn something new everyday I suppose.


BTW which model is the lefty fork that pace makes? I can't find it on their site.
https://www.pacecycles.com/productlist.asp?catID=2

I don't know. I just know in MBUK a couple of months ago there was 2 other strut forks. I was pretty sure Pace was one of them.

Sorry...it was a company called USE.

Cool, so now that another company makes lefty forks what is the point of getting one. It's not too unique anymore and the only other thing I could think of is weight.

so everyone could instanly recognise that it is a Cannondale, i think its more of a trademark now, i really don't see no advantage, cause to save weight you rather have it distrubuted on both sides.

So they really sell one legged forks!! I saw a guy with one and thought he'd broken it and had the other half in his bag. Surley its an awful lot of stress on the wheel bearings and hubs having the weight on one side?

Apparantly they overbuild anything that bares more stress than it normally would, and I'm sure that C-Dale knows what they are doing.

I've never heard a bad thing about them, and I think that when discussing them the consensus is usually that there isn't really any astounding advantages, but there aren't any real disadvantages either. Its a trademark deal.


Only thing I don't like about them is they are proprietary only.

From what I was told, since only side is attached to the wheel, there is less flex compared to a normal fork. I don't know if the guy was talking out of his ass, but he told me to go SS instead. :D

Thats what they claim...

A friend of mine has one of those cannondales. supposedly Canondale stole the idea from commercial airliners. the front tire on some of those planes only has one tower, the idea being that they can manuever on the runways better.

the one-sided shock on planes and motorcycles is for ease of wheel removal.

Take a close look at the bikes in elite races whether in mags or on TV. Cannondales with Lefty's seem to be over-represented in the top 3 placings! Or am I just noticing them more because I have one?
At least on other advantage: you can change the tire without removing the wheel from the bike.

I had one. Not a bad strut (fork). Even for a big fat fatty fat like me. Held up great, never had a problem with it.

Would I get another one? I doubt it. My riding style has changed and I prefer other products.

Is it bad? No, just different!

I like being different, but with bikes, different costs money!

L8R

I have heard that the lefty have a lot less flex.

Also, and this is just a guess - if you have two seperate shocks - one for each side of the fork - what if they are not operating at the exact same tighteness, range of motion, etc. This could have an impact on performance, so the single sided shock would eliminate that (if it exists) :)

shawn

I have heard that the lefty have a lot less flex.

Also, and this is just a guess - if you have two seperate shocks - one for each side of the fork - what if they are not operating at the exact same tighteness, range of motion, etc. This could have an impact on performance, so the single sided shock would eliminate that (if it exists) :)

shawn

The scenario you posted will never happen to a fork that is working properly. The only time something like that could happen is when the arch is broken or the wheel isn't in if it is an inverted fork.

Agreed. I have never heard of that happening. And since forks usually have individual leg preload I assume it doesn't exist. HEck most forks have one type of damping in one leg and the other type in the other. Very rarely do legs match up at all :)

Why get a lefty?

Cause a Righty wont work