[stlburner]

My buddy is picking up a 2000 Jekyll SL from a friend of his. It comes with the 70mm Fatty Ultra DL and he wants more travel, but not a Lefty due to cost. I've done some research and come up with the reducing headsets that Cane Creek offers among others. My question is how tall of a fork can be run on that frame? He really likes the 2005 Marzocchi MX line and would like 120mm, but would be OK with the 105. I know it's a jump in travel but I believe the current fork has about a 470mm axle to crown, and the Marzocchi has 484 or 498 depending on which one we're looking at. Any comments, experience, ideas, or suggestions? Thank you greatly in advance.

 

[damion]

Well,

My buddy is picking up a 2000 Jekyll SL from a friend of his. It comes with the 70mm Fatty Ultra DL and he wants more travel, but not a Lefty due to cost. I've done some research and come up with the reducing headsets that Cane Creek offers among others. My question is how tall of a fork can be run on that frame? He really likes the 2005 Marzocchi MX line and would like 120mm, but would be OK with the 105. I know it's a jump in travel but I believe the current fork has about a 470mm axle to crown, and the Marzocchi has 484 or 498 depending on which one we're looking at. Any comments, experience, ideas, or suggestions? Thank you greatly in advance.

I am not sure of the AC length of the original Lefty models, but they are 4" travel. The rear end of that bike has 4.5". I am fairly sure that a 120mm fork is ok.

Be sure to get the short insertion depth headset. The 22mm depth version seats too deep for that frame, if I remember correctly.

 

[Dan Gerous]

The maximum fork height (axle to crown + bearing lower cup + lower adapter/reducer height = max fork height or the distance from axle to the bottom of the frame's headtube) for jekylls is 525mm. You should be fine.

 

[damion]

There you go.

That covers most of it. Any other questions?

 

[stlburner]

Just a couple more?

That covers most of it. Any other questions?

This is the exact bike:
http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/00/cusa/model-0VN3S.html
That's where I came up with the 70mm travel fork.

This is where I came up with the axle to crown.(Scroll down to chart)
http://www.cannondale.com/Asset/iu_files/117706_Maximum_Fork_Length_EN.pdf
The numbers are for 2005 forks. There is an 80mm and a 50mm. I interpolated the 470 axle to crown of a 70 mm from there. But I guess it really doesn't matter, except for geometry duplication purposes.

So, the Marzocchi has a a2c of 484 or 498 and the lower stack height of the Cane Creek Double XC Short headset is 16mm so the fork height will be 500 or 514 respectively. So that's all good, right?

If that's all good then my only concern is head tube angle. Will I be able to keep the head tube angle within an acceptable range, say 69-71 degrees?

 

[damion]

Is it stock?

The bike sits as it does on the spec sheet?

If so, are you ok running a 2x9 drivetrain? That crankset is 2x9, and there is no way to mount a triple ring setup if my memory serves correctly.

As far as your fork.head angle question goes, you are good to go. That fork/headset setup will rock. You can always adjust the rear shock in the trunion mount to alter the handling to your needs.

Does the bike still have the CODA brakes on it? If so, the 2x9 cranks and the CODA brakes are going to be spendy to replace. Even more considering that the hubs are more than likely 4 bolt ones instead of the standard 6 bolt.

In my mind, the questions about the cranks, the brakes, and the hubs need to be adressed PRIOR to buying the bike.

 

[stlburner]

Wow. That sucks.

The bike sits as it does on the spec sheet?

If so, are you ok running a 2x9 drivetrain? That crankset is 2x9, and there is no way to mount a triple ring setup if my memory serves correctly.

As far as your fork.head angle question goes, you are good to go. That fork/headset setup will rock. You can always adjust the rear shock in the trunion mount to alter the handling to your needs.

Does the bike still have the CODA brakes on it? If so, the 2x9 cranks and the CODA brakes are going to be spendy to replace. Even more considering that the hubs are more than likely 4 bolt ones instead of the standard 6 bolt.

In my mind, the questions about the cranks, the brakes, and the hubs need to be adressed PRIOR to buying the bike.

My buddy is in Memphis, I'm in St. Louis so I haven't seen the bike, but it is stock. The 2x9 setup is not good. So can I mount a triple ring by replacing the crank and (if necessary) the bottom bracket, ot does it have some wierd bottom bracket shell or something? That sucks about the brakes, I was kind of afraid of that. Thanks for all of your help so far.

This is turning out to be a bad good deal.

 

[damion]

Indeed.

My buddy is in Memphis, I'm in St. Louis so I haven't seen the bike, but it is stock. The 2x9 setup is not good. So can I mount a triple ring by replacing the crank and (if necessary) the bottom bracket, ot does it have some wierd bottom bracket shell or something? That sucks about the brakes, I was kind of afraid of that. Thanks for all of your help so far.

This is turning out to be a bad good deal.

It is turning out to be a bad good deal. THe frame will take just about any crankset that he wants. A different BB will be needed, but it is a standard 68mm shell. He will NOT be able to mount a granny on the existing crank.

The brakes are crap, and the hubs will only use 4 bolt rotors. There are still some 6" 4 bolts available, but that is not the standard.

Has he already bought it? What is the selling price?

 

[stlburner]

Not Yet.

It is turning out to be a bad good deal. THe frame will take just about any crankset that he wants. A different BB will be needed, but it is a standard 68mm shell. He will NOT be able to mount a granny on the existing crank.

The brakes are crap, and the hubs will only use 4 bolt rotors. There are still some 6" 4 bolts available, but that is not the standard.

Has he already bought it? What is the selling price?

Hasn't bought it yet, but he's seen it. Apparently it's never seem dirt. $700

 

[stlburner]

Not Yet.

It is turning out to be a bad good deal. THe frame will take just about any crankset that he wants. A different BB will be needed, but it is a standard 68mm shell. He will NOT be able to mount a granny on the existing crank.

The brakes are crap, and the hubs will only use 4 bolt rotors. There are still some 6" 4 bolts available, but that is not the standard.

Has he already bought it? What is the selling price?

Hasn't bought it yet, but he's seen it. Apparently it's never seen dirt. $700

 

[damion]

It may be worth it then.

If it really is that clean, it may be worth it. The XTR kit and Thompson post are spendy.

THe fork can be sold for $200 or so.

the brakeset $50-100
wheels $50-100
cranks $50 tops

That would put the frame, shifters, deraileurs, cassette, chain, bar/stem, post and saddle, and tires cost at $350-450.

If he is willing to put some money in to it, and deal with the time (and cursing) of fitting new components, it is ok.

If he already has brakes, wheels and a fork from a different bike, that is a different story.

Can he take it to a Cannondale dealer to have it looked over? It may be the best $30 he ever spent, if he does not know what to look for.