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Submitted by
parsifal
a Cross Country Rider
from denver, co, usa
Date Reviewed: February 7, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | fountainhead VA | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | No independent fork leg movement. Integrated lockout in stem. | | Weaknesses: | NOT RELIABLE!! LEAKS AIR. Repeated service had not solved the problem. Not very supple. Limited travel. Considering converstion to 1 1/8 conventional fork. | | Similar Products Used: | conventional fork | | Bottom Line: | Don't do it. Too many problems. Odd design. A nightmare to service. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Christoph Zimmer
a Cross Country Rider
from Duesseldorf, Germany
Date Reviewed: June 13, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | willingen | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$300.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay (used) | | Strengths: | - light weight
- stiffness (important for disc brakes)
- look (same paint as the frame)
- lockout (it's quiete easy to reach)
- no problems / no maintainance | | Weaknesses: | - no damping adjustment
- only for cannondale frames | | Similar Products Used: | Rock Shox SID
Cannondale Super Fatty | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale CAAD 4 - Mavic CrossMax - Magura Disc | | Bottom Line: | I think that Ultra is the best fork for cc-race because it's super stiff and weights less than any flexy SID. You will never have a feeling of loosing control on track. the lockout is the best working one i ever had. no more monkey-style-action to reach a tiny switch on the fork... the big switch over the stem is the best solution if you can't afford a Lefty ELO.
So buy this fork and get rid of all setup and maintanance problems... | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a
from Portland, OR
Date Reviewed: November 4, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Bottom Line: | Very precise steering. I'm a big rider and really value the fact that the Headshok design eliminates the sketchy handling characteristics that ensue when the legs of conventional forks compress and rebound asymmetrically. It's not real compliant over small stuff, but it keeps the rubber in the dirt when it really matters. Working on it's a bit of a chore, but it's been dependable enough where that hasn't really been too much of an issue. The ability to lock it out makes a big difference on longer climbs. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ming Lee
a Cross Country Rider
from None
Date Reviewed: September 13, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Lantau Island | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$350.00 | | Purchased At: | Flying Ball | | Strengths: | Dependable | | Weaknesses: | Does not soak up small bumps | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | F4000SL | | Bottom Line: | Like it cause it's light, and dependable. Not much travel, find it rather stiff even with the right amount of pressure set in shock.
Question: Anyone out there who has purchased headset adaptor for regular Rock Shox etc set up? I'm thinking about getting a regular fork set up with special headset adaptors but not sure if the set up is dependable or not. I saw some pics of a guy with this set up on his mountain bike, looks really interesting. Please send me an email if you know anything about this type of set up, I'd be interested to hear what you thoughts are.
Thanks, | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Florian Sieder
a Cross Country Rider
from Austria
Date Reviewed: July 6, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Too many... | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$450.00 | | Purchased At: | Hardcore | | Strengths: | god damned stiff! it's the best fork for using disc brakes, it's also very easy to adjust the fork to your weight. the lock-out works very well, i use it at every chance, it really speeds the bike up! | | Weaknesses: | you aren't able to adjust the damping without changing the oil! | | Similar Products Used: | nothing compares to a headshok! | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale F 800 SL (you won't get this bike before september, thanks to my dealer, i've got the first one around 40 miles! :-)) with XT/LX, Magura Louise, Mavic X223, and hardly no CODA parts- just the pedals and front hub... :-) | | Bottom Line: | every one who gets the chance to ride a cannondale for try- DON'T DO IT! - you won't give the bike back! i think the 2003 series of cannondales is going to be the best one...
and may god bless the caad 5! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
XClydesdale
a Racer
from Talli, FL
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Turns sharper and more predicatable than any double leg fork. Really like how smooth those '88 ball bearings' that the headshock rides on! | | Weaknesses: | doesn't hold high volumes of pressure. kind of hard to fill up w/ pressure b/c of the location of the valve. | | Similar Products Used: | Nothing similar | | Bike Setup: | F-900SL-----DiEE CODA----
| | Bottom Line: | Only purchase this fork/bike with a dealer/manufacturer warranty. Although, I haven't had any serious issues with the fork I would have slept better those first couple of nights when i found my fork bottomed out after leaving it sit over night after a long ride. I'm not sure why that happened, but the problem seems to have corrected itself?!?!
Also, you may find some brake compatability problems with this fork. My XT brakes squeel louder than a pig goin' to slaughter! Shimano rationalizes this by saying the headshock is so stiff that the brakes chatter. Toed in, Toed out, no matter how radicle; nothing seems to work.
Nothing steers quite like this. Ride a headshock, and everything else feels like slop...
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andy
a Weekend Warrior
from Portage, Michigan
Date Reviewed: August 14, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Fort custer and TK lawless | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Very smooth and has a great feel. easy to adjust the air pressure for different types of riding. | | Weaknesses: | could be better on smaller objects. its the older one with out the lock out which would be nice to have. | | Similar Products Used: | Rock shox | | Bike Setup: | XTR, Coda 2x9, thompson, Mavic 517 | | Bottom Line: | Over all this is a heck of a shock for the type of rider i am. I can't belive how well the shock absorbs roots and rocks. this shock is great from small to larger people with its adjustability to its stiffness. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pedro
a Cross Country Rider
from Isle of Menorca, Spain
Date Reviewed: March 17, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Macarella | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Ciclos Hobby | | Strengths: | Stiff, light, simple, and good quality absortion | | Weaknesses: | Small obstacles | | Similar Products Used: | Manitou | | Bike Setup: | Jeckyll 2000 SL, but no CODA brakes, please | | Bottom Line: | Good fork for a good bike, except the brakes CODA Expert: simply unnacceptable for the bike and the price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew
a Racer
from Macon, GA
Date Reviewed: March 4, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Bike Tech of Middle GA | | Strengths: | Buttery smooth, looks great, rides better than anyother air fork i've owned or tested | | Weaknesses: | hard to service, but i work at a LBS so i dont have to worry about it | | Similar Products Used: | SID, MARS, Flylight Bomber, SX-e, various other forks | | Bike Setup: | 2000 F4000 sl | | Bottom Line: | This fork is vecry smooth thanks to C-dales 88 needle bearing, the design works great, takes skill and time to service, but hardly ever needs it, slides smoother than any other air fork i've ridden, and spring headshocks are smoother than any other spring fork out there, the lock-out helps alot on long hills or sprints, deserves 10 flamin chili for overall alone, some i'll get it 5 on each | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jean-Luc
a Cross Country Rider
from France
Date Reviewed: October 17, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | -light
-looks good (in my opinion)
-very stiff
-works well | | Weaknesses: | -you can't get it without disc brake mounts
-maintenance is difficult | | Bike Setup: | 2001 F900 SL | | Bottom Line: | Although I've ridden this fork for a few rides only, I'm very pleased with it. The HeadShok system was actually the most important reason to buy a Cannondale.
If you are into tuning and if you want to service the fork by yourself, the HeadShok system isn't for you. So you'd better buy a "regular" fork, e.g. RockShox. Because the HeadShok unit consists of fork and headset, you need special tools - even to get the fork out of the frame.
I've chosen the Ultra fork because it uses an aluminum steerer tube and is therefore lighter. Functionality is awesome. The Fatty Ultra is very stiff and you are able to lock it out by turning the knob on top of the steerer tube. Damping characteristics are very race-like. This fork is not comfortable, but it takes the real hard bumbs.
If you get the fork with the bike, the price is okay (5 Chilis). But if you want to buy it separately it is way too expensive (1 Chili) - I will give it an average 3 Chilis for Value Rating. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
gav
a Weekend Warrior
from canada
Date Reviewed: October 5, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | all | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | Light, point and shot, best looking fork on the market | | Weaknesses: | special tools needed for maintanance, flimsy yellow boot | | Similar Products Used: | all sorts, from sid's to head stem shoxs (which I like) | | Bike Setup: | Raven 2000sl | | Bottom Line: | There is more than one way to skin a cat, and Cannondale proove it with the head shock. The ultra is stiff and light, and more important it does what it is ment to, soak up the trail. I also like the ease of adjustment, this coupled with the on the fly lockout means I ride it alot plusher than recommended. I just flip the dial and no bobing on the climbs. Lastly, being a Cannondale I know if something does stuff up I will be looked after. It's just a pitty I can not retro fit these to my steal frames. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
t-rav gofast
a Cross Country Rider
from S.L.C. utah
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | goose berry mesa | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | proformed | | Strengths: | light weight! Very stiff. | | Weaknesses: | no dampening; none,zero, zilch!!! | | Similar Products Used: | Judy SL, Judy XC. | | Bike Setup: | cannondale F-3000 | | Bottom Line: | If I could just get this thing to be as plush as my Judy SL.
It has the Judy beat by far in the stiffness dept., it tracks wonderfully, and its one of the lightest shocks out there. Now if it just didn't beat the hell out-of me every time I ride. This shock has more deflection than my SL; this I think is due to the stiffness. If we could just get RS and CODA to merge on a fork the world would be a better place. Do these forks have aftermarket kits? An enguland Air kit or something like that; perhaps a spring, oil kit- anything?. I need something!!
I give this thing 5 flamin chilis for value- I proformed them. three for overall rating due to the fact that I feel like I have been using a jackhammer when I get done riding. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stephen
a Racer
from Winston-Salem, NC
Date Reviewed: July 31, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Sugar Mtn. | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Lightweight, lockout, stiffer than conventional fork. 70 mm of travel. | | Weaknesses: | The boot tears easily on certian car racks. Annoying disc brake mount, its there and makes me mad because I know I will never get disc brakes. | | Similar Products Used: | Jett C, Headshock Lefty, SIDs | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale F1000SL. | | Bottom Line: | The best fork out there in my opinion, super lightweight and stiff. Has just enough travel for racing, not too much or too little (70mm). Lockout comes in handy on super steep hills and smooth flat areas. However this is a more race specific fork, those looking for more travel should check out the Headshock Lefty.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
chris
a Cross Country Rider
from bowmanville
Date Reviewed: June 26, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | hardpack | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Stiff, responsive, adjustable, light, disc only is kinda cool. | | Weaknesses: | I wish i could work on it at home... i saw a post saying it was easy to work on and maintain... i dont know where he is coming from. ... although its not hard to take it into the local dealer. you can however buy a bunch of specialized tools and do it yourself, but i've heard the needle bearings can be hell to work with. | | Similar Products Used: | Bomber z1 BaM, Z2, Z3 light, fatty sl, SID sl, sid XC, judy's. this is the best so far. | | Bike Setup: | '00 f2000 with use xcr post and time pedals | | Bottom Line: | It is truly incredible. The fork doesnt have the show-room feel that a lot of us have come to expect. Your in the shop, you toss a leg over it, and compress the fork... ooh so plush, this thing is great... thats how a lot of forks are. this is kind of scratchy (all of them are... and i have compressed a lot) but you dont notice the scratching when you ride, only when you are compressing it with your weight. You can lock it out, which is pretty cool, but i prefer just to run a high pressure and leave it fairly stiff (it still tracks well over the small stuff).
anyways, its a judgement call. these forks are shot down because of their looks, but performance is more important... and the look will grow on you.
ride hard,
chris | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a Racer
from Pittsfield, MA, USA
Date Reviewed: May 16, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Great tracking, light weight, lock out | | Weaknesses: | Wow, where to start.
Although this fork has gotten great reviews so far I have some bad news. This fork has NO dampening above 140psi(about the pressure for a 130 pound rider).
So here goes:
1) Mine came through installed wrong, oil leaked and upon looking at it a seal was crimped and installed wrong.
2) Installed new seal kit and 7.5 wt oil hoping to get more dampining out of it. No such luck on the dampening, I ride the fork at 180-200 psi.
3) The fork has had some shim problems that create a 'great' top out noise, and this is compounded with the lack of rebound dampening means a big noise!
4) I have worked on and off in the industry for the last 10 years. Talking around to friends (most of who are still wrenching) and this fork is a nightmare.
5) They list the problems as follows: no dampening, many carts needing to be waranteed due to oil leaks or no ability to lock out, shim problems, and a host of other less common problems.
6) The Cannondale rep has acknowledge these to me and stated that they are working on them. They have allowed up to a 10wt oil to try and get some dampening
I will switch to 10wt oil and see if that helps, but this is not a great fork for larger riders or people that like a lot of dampening AKA bomber tuneability | | Similar Products Used: | A whole slew of high end forks | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale F1000SL bought in July/August of last year. | | Bottom Line: | A great tracking fork that still rides okay in light of it's lack of dampening becuase the fork is so torsionally stiff but not a well dampened fork.
An improvement in the weight department of the Fatty line, but they have to get the dampening issue worked out for this to become a truely great fork.
Current problems with dampening, installation and servicing all hurt the rating on this fork, but the tracking is still one of the best out there. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jonathan
a Cross Country Rider
from Angwin, CA
Date Reviewed: April 28, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | STIFF, Light, precision steering | | Weaknesses: | none really but if anything they don't have huge amounts of travel | | Similar Products Used: | 00 sid xc | | Bike Setup: | 00 raven 1000sl | | Bottom Line: | This fork kicks ass! Not quite as plush maybe as a sid but way stiffer and way better steering. It also is a little lighter. I love mine! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jesse
a Cross Country Rider
from Cleveland, ga, usa
Date Reviewed: April 6, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | NA | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Great action, very easy to maintain and repair. A fun shock that does its job perfect. | | Weaknesses: | On the lock out possition it doesn't totally lock out. | | Similar Products Used: | Rock shock sid, manitu mars | | Bike Setup: | XTR XT all around. | | Bottom Line: | Great all around shock for any kind of riding. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Hanover, PA, USA
Date Reviewed: March 13, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | The Towers | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Light weight, stiff and durable, plush and responsive. Can easily be tuned and adjusted | | Weaknesses: | Head Shok pump to expensive | | Similar Products Used: | Rock Shox, AMP, Lefty, Moto-X
| | Bike Setup: | 1999 Cannondale Team Replica, Crossmax wheels | | Bottom Line: | I need more time on the trail to evaluate accurately and fairly but what I have experienced I definitely like. Much more responsive that my Rock Shox and more comfortable to ride. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter Roovers
a Cross Country Rider
from Brecht, Belgium
Date Reviewed: January 30, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Leas Epioux, Ardennes | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Light
Stiff
Infinitely tunable
Works great | | Weaknesses: | you can't service it yourself | | Similar Products Used: | Fatty M, Manitou, RS Judy and Jett | | Bike Setup: | CAAD 4, XTR, Crossmax | | Bottom Line: | It makes the competition look (and feel) irrelevant.
If you can afford it and it fits your bike, it's the greatest 70 or 80 mm fork there is. Period.
The only drawback : Once a year you have to get it to an "Authorized service center" to have it taken care of by a "Professional"
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stephen
a Cross-Country Rider
from Austin,TX
Date Reviewed: January 5, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: |
All that are open | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
This is a very lightweigt fork. It handles like I always dreamed a suspension fork should. The air cartridge system allows a great deal of tunability with ease. The Headshok design promotes better braking due to lowered flex. | | Weaknesses: |
None that I have found after 300+ miles. | | Similar Products Used: |
Rockshox Quadra 5s, Judys, and several Manitous. | | Bike Setup: |
00' SuperV 1000, mostly stock. | | Bottom Line: | This is a good shock. It perform as advertised with no noticible flex. My old Rockshox used to twist in a frightful way. It doesn't leak as some reviews have stated, and is plush enough for me. I have not put it through the test of time, but for now I get a grin every time I bomb down the trails. I wish it had a bit more travel, but this is a minor concern since it performs so well. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael Thomas
a Cross-Country Rider
from Fayetteville, Ga
Date Reviewed: October 9, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Windridge | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Simply the best | | Weaknesses: |
None so far | | Similar Products Used: |
Fatty SL, Judy XC | | Bike Setup: |
Cannondale F3000
XTR, King hubs, CT2 carbon bar | | Bottom Line: | Superlight,stiff and easy to adjust. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mountain Bike Joe
a Racer
from FLA
Date Reviewed: June 18, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Hardrock | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
This is sincerely the best fork you can buy because it steers better than all other forks and weighs comparably to other high end forks in weight. | | Weaknesses: |
None | | Similar Products Used: |
Only other forks are 97 Manitou SX and 98 Judy SL | | Bike Setup: |
1999 Cannondale Team Replica, Fatty Ultra | | Bottom Line: | Buy this fork it is the best! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan
a Cross-Country Rider
from Pennsylvania
Date Reviewed: June 15, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
best design in the industry
lighter than other headshock products
precision | | Weaknesses: |
still looking... | | Similar Products Used: |
Fatty D 60mm
various Rock Shox | | Bike Setup: |
98 Super V 1000 with Fox Alps 5R | | Bottom Line: | The fork is what one expects from Cannondale's Headshock line. The 1/2 pound savings and damper control are a big plus. | | Overall Rating: |
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