Lefty anyone?

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Permalink Reply by Chris Mayhew on September 16, 2010 at 10:59am

What frame are you going to get to fit it? How are you going to deal with multiple wheel sets? Where are you racing that you feel you need that much travel? Road lever on a disc brake I assume?

To directly answer your question I can see a lot of disadvantages and no advantages.

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Permalink Reply by RKD on September 16, 2010 at 11:07am

To do some medium to hardcore mountain biking. I didn't realize one needs a special frame for a Lefty fork; is that the case?

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Permalink Reply by Chris Mayhew on September 16, 2010 at 12:06pm

Even with the suspension you'll flat your 'cross tires.

And yes, you need a much larger headtube for a lefty.

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Permalink Reply by MM on September 16, 2010 at 7:51pm

They're building a 1-1/8" Lefty for public consumption and retrofit for 2011. IF built the proto bike to show it off...
http://ifbikesblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/touched-by-strangers-ti-del...

That being said, putting a Lefty on a cross bike is little more than an exercise rooted in a 'hey-look-at-me' attitude.

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Permalink Reply by Geoff Leonard on September 16, 2010 at 6:10pm

I have a Lefty on an older Cannondale Jekyll... not an imressive fork, and certainly not something I would even consider using as a "pit" bike. On the plus side, it has a remote lock-out, which I would use.. essentially eliminating the whole purpose other than adding weight to the front of the bike

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Permalink Reply by Blondie on September 17, 2010 at 8:43am

There is an adapter kit by a company called Project 321 (or something like that) to fit Leftys on a 1 1/8" steer tube. With that said, putting a suspension fork of any kind will likely jack up the geometry of a 'cross bike. Most 'cross bikes will have an Axle-Crown measurement in the range of 395mm and an 80mm travel mountain bike fork will have an A-C in the range of 450mm. That means you will raise the front end of your bike up 2+ inches!

Aside from messing up the geometry of your bike the cost of a Lefty + steer tube adapter + new front wheel + disc brake = the cost of just buying a nice entry level mountain bike.

I'd save the cash and just buy a new bike. Nothing wrong with having a bike for every purpose!

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Permalink Reply by Geoff Leonard on September 17, 2010 at 9:09pm

crap.... I would sell my complete bike for less than that would cost

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Permalink Reply by John Osgood on September 17, 2010 at 1:02pm

Really?

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