[jschoef]

So my damper is building up with pressure which is causing the XLR lock out hard to push. I want to remove some fluid but I don’t have a damper removal tool. Are there any tricks to relieve the pressure without removing the damper?

 

[guidodg]

following this with interest....my mechanic said it can work but then the lockout will probably not work properly...the damper probably needs servicing

 

[jschoef]

Mendon on an older thread said just open up the bleed screw and relieve the pressure. I just don’t have the removal tool and if I order it, it won’t come in in time for this weekend. I can say when the damper was new, when locked out, there was a tiny bit of play. Now there is 0 play which shows the oil expanded with heat/use. I have 3 2.0s that are doing this. One of them only has 4 months of use...but I do ride kinda hard and I quit road biking for now so all miles are on this. The other 2 2.0s is my wife’s and friend.

 

[Brad]

??? I'm confused. Is the compression damping increasing or is the lock out just hard to pop?
They're can be separate issues if only the latter.
If the former then you're probably in for a damper service IME

 

[jschoef]

Lockout is hard to push from so much pressure in the damper. If I let the air out, it’s still hard to push. My damper has already been sent to Cannondale for this. It happens when it gets warm out.

 

[guidodg]

this has nothing to do with the lockout...the exact same thing happened to mine...during a ride the lockout would get stiffer and stiffer and the fork would feel different compared to the beginning of the ride

one more reason perhaps to move to an Ocho or ditch Leftys entirely...

one other issue on mine is the reset which I have to do every 50kms or so...

 

[jschoef]

I want an Ocho, I asked last week to purchase one...Cannondale said not available. If I didn't have a nice new carbon front wheel, I’d be considering switching to RS or Fox.

 

[guidodg]

my dealer had them here in Italy...1250 euros for the carbon one...

 

[Brad]

Lockout is hard to push from so much pressure in the damper. If I let the air out, it's still hard to push. My damper has already been sent to Cannondale for this. It happens when it gets warm out.

Are you still using the two piston dual lock out RockShx Poploc?
If yes then I suggest when you get the damper serviced that you swap out the dual for two singles Pop locs; one for the Lefty and one for the rear.
I had the same issue but it was the rear shock stiffening up. Changed the dual to 2x single pop locs and its been trouble free between service intervals for the last 6 months

 

[Brad]

I want an Ocho, I asked last week to purchase one...Cannondale said not available. If I didn't have a nice new carbon front wheel, I'd be considering switching to RS or Fox.

It is available for aftermarket sale now. My distrobutor has them in stock. If you keep the Rock Shox Monarch you'l need to change to the single pop loc lever anyway for that unit as the OCHO lock is cable actuated.

 

[jschoef]

It’s 85deg here and without any use, my 2.0 has pressurized just from the heat. It did this last year too and got serviced for that very issue. What a crappy design!

 

[Brad]

It's 85deg here and without any use, my 2.0 has pressurized just from the heat. It did this last year too and got serviced for that very issue. What a crappy design!

you need to service it more regularly. Its based on a RS Solo Air cartridge thats a Oil emulsion system. Its dead easy to service and maintain, a lot cheaper than a IFP design. keep your hand on the servicing and it won't treat you poorly.Neglect it and well .......now you know

 

[jschoef]

Service it in what way? I do bearing resets every 4 hours and I changed the needle bearing oil a month ago. Cannondale rebuilt it late October and with winter, it only has 4 months of riding on it. What else are you suggesting?

 

[Brad]

how many hours in those 4 months? (I hit 120hrs in 3 months)

Is it still fitted with the dual PopLoc remote?

 

[guidodg]

about the XLoc dual remote...I got rid of mine and fitted a PBR button on the Lefty and a Fox rear shock....and I could not be happier

The PBR works perfectly and I only really lock out the Lefty on my Scalpel on a road climb when I stand to pedal....the rear fully open does not bob at all so I really do not feel the need for a lock out in the rear

And the FOX on the rear is waaaaay better than the Monarch it replaced in so many ways....

 

[jschoef]

how many hours in those 4 months? (I hit 120hrs in 3 months)

Is it still fitted with the dual PopLoc remote?

About 100 hours and it is not the dual, it's the single xloc. You still didn't tell me the maintenance you are referring too...

 

[Brad]

About 100 hours and it is not the dual, it's the single xloc. You still didn't tell me the maintenance you are referring too...

to the fork servicing. It would appear that if you're servicing at about 100hrs then you may want to be having a conversation with your cannondale dealer around who services your Lefty. At my LBS most 2.0's only om back after 120hrs and then it a gradual decline in performance.
There's something else going on with your fork that speaks to either it just being a bum unit with poor tolerances or the mechanic isn't using the correct grade of oil.

Do you have any volume reducing spacers fitted to the air chamber?

 

[guidodg]

I ride 12 hrs a week so 100-120 hrs for me is not an option...a service every 3-4 months?


I fitted a Leonardi variable volume reducer with a short spacer....thus being the equivalent of almost removing the entire dogbone and creating a much larger air volume.
Lefty just feels so much better snd uses all the travel on most rides...very linear and plush...but reset still needs to be done every 50-60kms

The general consensus is to remove most of the spacers in Leftys to really make them shine

 

[Brad]

I have about half the max number of spacers and prefer the ramp up. still getting 100mm travel. Feels more like an Ocho now. It didn't have spacers in the 2.0 when I took delvery of the bike
Also on about 8-12 hrs perweek so servicing every quarter is a must.

 

[guidodg]

servicing every quarter and sending the Lefty away for a week or 2 and 120 euros is a luxury ....and a pain

strange that yours had no spacers [you obviously still have the long 135mm dogbone]...according to the service manual they all have the dogbone and 10mm to 45mm of spacers depending on frame size