Stupid bloody lefty forks... How do you get the wheel off??
Discussion
A mate I ride with has a Cannondale with one of these stupid bloody Lefty fork things. OK, great, if he gets a puncture, he doesn't have to take the wheel off - but that's not exactly difficult with normal forks, is it? - but it makes packing the bike an utter pain in the arse!!!
We usually take my S-Max when we go. It's big enough that with normal bikes, I can pop out the front wheel in 30 seconds and have a bike either side, firmly held in place by the middle and rear seatbelts.
From what we can see with this stupid lefty thing, however, it looks like you'd actually have to remove the sodding brake caliper - and it's not like that ever screws your alignment with the rotors, is it? - and then somehow take the hub apart???
It can't really be this complicated, can it? If it is, then what the hell were they thinking, releasing such a f
king daft design??? 
We usually take my S-Max when we go. It's big enough that with normal bikes, I can pop out the front wheel in 30 seconds and have a bike either side, firmly held in place by the middle and rear seatbelts.
From what we can see with this stupid lefty thing, however, it looks like you'd actually have to remove the sodding brake caliper - and it's not like that ever screws your alignment with the rotors, is it? - and then somehow take the hub apart???
It can't really be this complicated, can it? If it is, then what the hell were they thinking, releasing such a f
king daft design??? BadgerBenji said:
Welcome to the world of the lefty, fork works lovely, massive mud clearance, but ...... Removing the front is a pain.
So we're really not missing something obvious? They really have sold the most absurd design known to man?I take it nobody ever buys a second one if they've ever tried to get the first one into the back of a car!!
Didn't Cannondale find a solution to a problem that nobody else was having with the lefty?
You've probably sussed this already by now -
Instructions
1
Note the two bolts holding the front brake caliper to the Cannondale Lefty. Loosen both bolts using a 5 mm hex wrench. Swing the lower bolt away away from the Cannondale Lefty to disengage the caliper from the brake rotor.
2
Use a 5 mm hex wrench and turn the hub extraction bolt, at the center of the front wheel hub, counterclockwise to loosen. The extraction bolt is located on the side of the wheel opposite the Lefty.
3
Pull the front wheel away from the Cannondale Lefty, and slide it off the axle. If the wheel cannot be removed with relative ease, loosen the hub extraction bolt further.
4
Use a 4 mm hex wrench to loosen the two Cannondale Lefty clamp bolts. The bolts clamp the Lefty to the upper and lower bicycle frame head tube assembly.
5
Use a 5 mm hex wrench to loosen and remove the "steerer" bolt, on the underside of the head tube assembly.
6
Insert the smaller end of the Cannondale K020 tool through the underside of the head tube.
7
Hold the top of the Lefty with one hand while using a rubber shop mallet to strike the bottom of the Cannondale K2020 tool upward. Striking the bottom of the tool upward drives the handlebar stem "steerer" from the head tube of the bicycle.
8
Set the "steerer" to the side. Grab the Lefty and pull it away from the bicycle to remove.
You've probably sussed this already by now -
Instructions
1
Note the two bolts holding the front brake caliper to the Cannondale Lefty. Loosen both bolts using a 5 mm hex wrench. Swing the lower bolt away away from the Cannondale Lefty to disengage the caliper from the brake rotor.
2
Use a 5 mm hex wrench and turn the hub extraction bolt, at the center of the front wheel hub, counterclockwise to loosen. The extraction bolt is located on the side of the wheel opposite the Lefty.
3
Pull the front wheel away from the Cannondale Lefty, and slide it off the axle. If the wheel cannot be removed with relative ease, loosen the hub extraction bolt further.
4
Use a 4 mm hex wrench to loosen the two Cannondale Lefty clamp bolts. The bolts clamp the Lefty to the upper and lower bicycle frame head tube assembly.
5
Use a 5 mm hex wrench to loosen and remove the "steerer" bolt, on the underside of the head tube assembly.
6
Insert the smaller end of the Cannondale K020 tool through the underside of the head tube.
7
Hold the top of the Lefty with one hand while using a rubber shop mallet to strike the bottom of the Cannondale K2020 tool upward. Striking the bottom of the tool upward drives the handlebar stem "steerer" from the head tube of the bicycle.
8
Set the "steerer" to the side. Grab the Lefty and pull it away from the bicycle to remove.
On my second Cannondale with a Lefty, after my 29er was stolen at Christmas. Marvellous bits of kit. As for transportation, roof rack and Thule carrier or in the back of my Transit.... 
Wheel removal is 1 allen key and slacken the caliper to rotate off the disc. Hardly rocket science.
Snag is as I understand it is they dont stand up very well with the single fork.
Wheel removal is 1 allen key and slacken the caliper to rotate off the disc. Hardly rocket science.
Snag is as I understand it is they dont stand up very well with the single fork.
My friend runs a USE S.U.B fork
Absolutely brilliant fork and with anti dive. So im pro lefty fork and never had an issue getting that in the back of my civic. If I remember rightly it's the same way as a canondale fork to take apart and really doesn't take more than a couple of minutes.
Absolutely brilliant fork and with anti dive. So im pro lefty fork and never had an issue getting that in the back of my civic. If I remember rightly it's the same way as a canondale fork to take apart and really doesn't take more than a couple of minutes.
Recent purchase of a Cannondale with a Lefty and I am mightily impressed. Far better than the other forks I have. Much more linear and progressive. Its not rocket science to remove the wheel. Just need to think than throw toys out the pram. It does tell you in the manual !. Making me consider fitting lefties on my other bikes , they are that good.
No different to the upright on the front of your car in their design of the lefty. Upper and lower pivots ( the balljoints on a car upright) and a spindle to bolt the wheel on is the same as the spindle holding the hub flange on the car. Others say about loosing a wheel, but it cant if it comes loose, as the disc holds it in the caliper and will make a nasty racket if it ever did. I have known people to loose wheels in normal forks, from skewer failures and Pace forks with no lawyer tabs. I was sceptical about them, but they track really well and stay plush with turning loads. Oh and if you get a puncture, why do you need to remove the wheel ?
No different to the upright on the front of your car in their design of the lefty. Upper and lower pivots ( the balljoints on a car upright) and a spindle to bolt the wheel on is the same as the spindle holding the hub flange on the car. Others say about loosing a wheel, but it cant if it comes loose, as the disc holds it in the caliper and will make a nasty racket if it ever did. I have known people to loose wheels in normal forks, from skewer failures and Pace forks with no lawyer tabs. I was sceptical about them, but they track really well and stay plush with turning loads. Oh and if you get a puncture, why do you need to remove the wheel ?
E38 said:
You were daft for doing something cycling related without a multi tool or even a Allen key.
It's three bolts to get the wheel off.....
What on earth makes you think we didn't have multi tools with us? It's three bolts to get the wheel off.....
It was the notion that you had to take the caliper off that we just couldn't quite believe!
Daniel T said:
if you had tools and you gave it a go rather than just look at the thing you would see it is well thought off and you dont have to unscrew the whole brake caliper. just loosen it enough to pull off.
it takes about 30 seconds to do once you are use to the process.
He's probably done it by now.it takes about 30 seconds to do once you are use to the process.
schmunk said:
Daniel T said:
if you had tools and you gave it a go rather than just look at the thing you would see it is well thought off and you dont have to unscrew the whole brake caliper. just loosen it enough to pull off.
it takes about 30 seconds to do once you are use to the process.
He's probably done it by now.it takes about 30 seconds to do once you are use to the process.
4 years good thread resurrection!
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