jaja5456

New to these forums and I haven't been into bikes for a long time. Decided to get back into it.

My bike is a Cannondale F4 caffeine from 2009. I looked at it and the front shock is definitely bad now as it bottoms out when I sit on the bike. I assume the oil has leaked out? Brakes are surprisingly very firm and I feel no squishy-ness in them. Should I still get the fluid flushed? Also I haven't been savvy with bikes in awhile so I might just take it to a shop. I haven't been to one before for service so I am not sure what a reasonable cost is.

How about bearings/hubs/chain/gear etc. I plan to degrease them and lube them. I'd imagine they don't need to replaced.
Anything else?
Thanks!

veganbikes

Without seeing the bike it is hard to give a good sense of what is needed but yes suspension overhaul, new rubber, pull and grease or lubricate things as needed and maybe not a re-bleed but depending on the fluid used it might not be a bad idea. I would take the bike to a shop and maybe have them give it a look over. Doing a shock or fork rebuild is not something most home mechanics can do and even many shop mechanics don't have the tools to really overhaul things and if it is a Cannondale with Headshock it might be tough to find parts.

A reasonable cost will probably be the price they give you. Most mechanics aren't trying to do extra work if they don't have to and won't recommend stuff that isn't needed unless requested by the customer. Sometimes they will do something to prevent you coming back in a couple months but usually they aren't trying to just spend your money for no good reason unless you request it. Keep in mind you are paying for the knowledge of that technician as well as the tools and the space in which to do it so that all adds up and in the end as well time is money so while working on bikes is a lot of fun you may just want to ride so pay the piper and they will get it running more quickly and you can be out riding faster.

alcjphil

Is your fork an air shock? Maybe all it needs is to be pumped up to the correct pressure. The hydraulic damper does not keep your fork from bottoming out

GamblerGORD53

Easy question..... Throw the POS in the GARBAGE. Bye.

jimc101

The Headshok is the major issue you're going to have as per veganbikes first would be to find either a good LBS that sells and services Cannondale or specialist suspension shop who can work on them, 2009 is a long time and an owner ago for Cannondale, so as noted, spares maybe hard to find. As long as you can get this serviced, then would see what levels of service a good LBS can offer, as they may offer a package then overs everything that needs to be done as an all in one price.

veganbikes

While I am not a Crackandfail fan, I think that was a little harsh. Yes Headshock was not a great system and yes SRAM/Avid brakes at that time were a bit more like dookie (and not Green Day's seminal album) but the bike isn't total crap and is definitely not a candidate for the garbage bin unless the bike is actually trashed and the frame is done but then some parts could potentially be saved and re-used.

70sSanO

To cut to the chase. You'll probably need to replace the headshok with a traditional suspension fork. I've never dealt with a headshok, but I guess you can't just drop in a 1-1/8 straight steerer fork or use a tapered fork. Problem Solvers has a reducer that will let you run a 1-1/8" straight steerer with an EC34 headset. The other good news is I think your bike has disc brakes, since no one makes rim brake forks even cheap ones.

The first thing you need to do is to go through the bike and make sure the hubs, bottom bracket, crank, wheels, derailleurs and shifters are usable. You should replace the cables, brake pads, tires, chain and maybe the cassette and chainrings.

If you have to start replacing components, it most likely won't be worth fixing it up. But if everything is in good condition you'll have to replace the fork. Suntour makes a Exipon (have absolutely no clue about it) that will use a 1-1/8" steerer and 9mm QR. And there are all sorts of new cheap knock-off 26" pogo stick forks like Bolany and Bucklos. You might find a Manitou. If you can find a refurbished/rebuilt Fox or Marzocchi, that would be a plus.

Your wheel size, steerer (if you have to go with 1-1/8"), and QR mtb disc hubs are obsolete, so you can only use what you can get.

John

jimc101

IF it can be serviced, getting it serviced will be way cheaper (yes you can put a regular fork in, but you need to budget for the cost of that fork and adapters) than a good replacement conventional fork, the 'IF' is the key thing, for forks with rim brake mounts, Rock Shox still has at least one, although they can be HTF and is at the bottom of its range.

70sSanO

The spec I saw was the 2009 F4 has disc brakes. Rim brake 26er fork is a tougher question. I know since I use them.

If the bike and components are good, the OP needs to decide if $400-500 is better spent on old tech and design or towards a new $1500 bike. A lot depends on how it will be used.

John

jaja5456

Thanks for the replies!

I'm going to do the simple stuff like tires, lube and whatnot as well as brakes/fluid and ride with the lockout for now. If I find myself getting a lot of hours of riding in I may consider replacing the fork as it sounds like servicing the cannondale seems very specialized and hard to get parts for. I did also attempt to pump it up with air as it is indeed an air shock but it doesnt seem to hold pressure.

70sSanO

If you like the way it rides with the lockout, you can get a rigid fork. You will need adapters, headset, and stem, but the bike should be serviceable for a long time.

You should measure the axle-to-crown distance of the locked out fork. You can get a slightly longer fork to slow down the steering and make it more stable. Slightly shorter does the opposite.

John

Rgv700

Take a look at Mendon Cycle in New York. They service Headshok and Leftys.