[Jay04cobra]

I'm having trouble trying to set sag. According to the manual you should try to get 25% sag, but it seems that I get little to no sag. I've tried swapping springs with one that is below the recommended for my weight, and while the lefty seems to absorb much more (compred to virtually nothing before) I still get virtually no sag. And there is no preload on the spring, if I pull it out to adjust the sag there are a couple of turns on the adjustment before it touches the spring. What do I need to do, is this normal, or is there something wrong with the lefty? Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[TheProphet]

I have never really actually "adjusted" my sag on my Lefty. I have always just set the SPV and the rode. I am about 170 so I can ride the factory spring but it would find the right spring for you and then just ride it. Unless I am missing something, this fork has never even moved on a uphill climb unless somehow I made it over the bars. Haha.

 

[Jay04cobra]

I have a 600, so no SPV. I feel this may be part of my problem, as I get stuck on roots with the front tire with unfortunate consequences. I've also noticed much less front grip over bumps as compared to several friends I ride with. Before I could literally put my entire wieght (225) on the front and get little to no movement. Now I get decent travel and rides smoother, but I haven't been back on a trail with it.

 

[MendonCycleSmith]

I have a 600, so no SPV. I feel this may be part of my problem, as I get stuck on roots with the front tire with unfortunate consequences. I've also noticed much less front grip over bumps as compared to several friends I ride with. Before I could literally put my entire wieght (225) on the front and get little to no movement. Now I get decent travel and rides smoother, but I haven't been back on a trail with it.

SPV will not help give sag, any way, any day. It is a resisitive force, to your downward input, so if anything, your fork should be softer than an SPV fork. I am confused by your words here, the "before" you mention, do you mean spring swapping? What spring did you have in there? At 225 you should be in the extra firm, easily. I have customers that are just sub 200 that prefer the xtra firm. You say it literally would not move? That seems very odd. What size frame did you get, this will help determine what spring you started with. As far as "front grip" it has much less to do with suspension than with tire selection, and pressure. If you had less issue in the past, try that tire, if you can, or drop some pressure, if you don't have it still (may I suggest a Conti Deisel 2.5, they fit Lefties great and have more traction than should be legal). Again with getting stuck on roots, I think you are assigning too much blame on the fork, and need to look at other possibilities, but, let's get your fork straightened out as well!

 

[Jay04cobra]

Ok, I realize I've probably got stuff jumbled up. Let me try to clarify. Bike is a 600 Prophet, large frame, UST wheels and tires, running around 39psi. When I got the bike I read through the lefty supplement and they recommended the extra firm spring, so I had my LBS order and install the extra firm spring. Over several months of riding I noticed my front tire gets stuck on stuff that others with similar bike setups roll right over. So I started checking things out, and reading through the supplement. When I checked for sag, I have none. I had to put my entire weight on the fork to get it to compress. So I then swapped back to the "firm" spring that came with the bike, and tried setting the sag again. Again I get no sag, even with the spring preload set at 1 turn. Even with no sag the lefty feels much more compliant. But It doesn't have any sag like 2 of my buddies bikes do. They both have jekyl's, but I don't think that should matter as the lefty is basically the same. I have a great LBS, but would like to do what I can to isolate the problem to minimize downtime. Thanks again for any help.

 

[Dwayne]

How much do you weigh, Jay?

 

[MendonCycleSmith]

Ok, I realize I've probably got stuff jumbled up. Let me try to clarify. Bike is a 600 Prophet, large frame, UST wheels and tires, running around 39psi. When I got the bike I read through the lefty supplement and they recommended the extra firm spring, so I had my LBS order and install the extra firm spring. Over several months of riding I noticed my front tire gets stuck on stuff that others with similar bike setups roll right over. So I started checking things out, and reading through the supplement. When I checked for sag, I have none. I had to put my entire weight on the fork to get it to compress. So I then swapped back to the "firm" spring that came with the bike, and tried setting the sag again. Again I get no sag, even with the spring preload set at 1 turn. Even with no sag the lefty feels much more compliant. But It doesn't have any sag like 2 of my buddies bikes do. They both have jekyl's, but I don't think that should matter as the lefty is basically the same. I have a great LBS, but would like to do what I can to isolate the problem to minimize downtime. Thanks again for any help.

So, do both of your buddies bikes have Max type Lefties? As in they have '03 to '04, 5" travel Jekylls? Large frame too? Try theirs, the spring should be the same, if theirs sags under you, and yours does not, something is goofy. If your friens have older Jekylls they would have airsprung forks, which would make determining stuff more tricky.

 

[Jay04cobra]

I weigh 225. Would a migrated bearing cause an issue like this?

 

[MendonCycleSmith]

I weigh 225. Would a migrated bearing cause an issue like this?

Nope, it would cause a top out clunk, as the fork came back up to the top, it would not make the fork stiffer, sorry=

 

[Jay04cobra]

Hmm, I'm pretty sure I had a bearing out of align. Did the thing in the book to reset, now I have sag with the lighter spring. I'm gonna try the correct spring for my weight tomorrow and see if I can get it right with that one. In the book it states that a reduction in travel will result from a bearing being to far out.

 

[MendonCycleSmith]

So it all starts to fall into place. Reduced travel, would equal greater intial preload on the spring, thus creating the problem at hand. I'll be interested to see what the heavier spring does. Keep us posted.

 

[Jay04cobra]

Seems that fixed it. Put the heavier spring in, 1 turn preload and ended up with 1 1/4" sag, just right. Lefty feels better than new now.

 

[MendonCycleSmith]

Seems that fixed it. Put the heavier spring in, 1 turn preload and ended up with 1 1/4" sag, just right. Lefty feels better than new now.

Sweet! I love a cheap fix=

 

[Dan Gerous]

Sweet! I love a cheap fix=

That comment could be weird taken in another context...

 

[evershadow]

Lefty Length (wrong in the manual??)

this is a little off the issue but has anyone noticed in the lefy manual they state that the lefty should be 720-730 mm from bottom to top. i measured mine (Lefty Max 140 TpC) my buddy's (LM 140) and about 6 others in the shop and none of them came to that measurement. they were all in the 700-710mm range. we did a migration check on all of them and none of them would extend that far....any help would be appreciated.

 

[petho]

this is a little off the issue but has anyone noticed in the lefy manual they state that the lefty should be 720-730 mm from bottom to top. i measured mine (Lefty Max 140 TpC) my buddy's (LM 140) and about 6 others in the shop and none of them came to that measurement. they were all in the 700-710mm range. we did a migration check on all of them and none of them would extend that far....any help would be appreciated.

I have noticed many references to lefty height being standard at 720-730 mm and people actually measuring it at 700-710. I think the issue is whether you measure it with top cap off or on. When the top cap (with red rebound knob in the middle) is screwed on top of the tube, the height is standard, however when you take the cap off, you should be able to extend it further - to 720-730mm - of course when you put the cap back on it pushes it back down - to 700-710 mm BUT you still have clearance inside - that is why the top "clunk" disappears when you reset the bearings. - anyway this is just what I think and I am no lefty mechanic. and there are virtuall no other lefties except for mine around where I live (Slovakia). ride hard. peter

 

[MendonCycleSmith]

I have noticed many references to lefty height being standard at 720-730 mm and people actually measuring it at 700-710. I think the issue is whether you measure it with top cap off or on. When the top cap (with red rebound knob in the middle) is screwed on top of the tube, the height is standard, however when you take the cap off, you should be able to extend it further - to 720-730mm - of course when you put the cap back on it pushes it back down - to 700-710 mm BUT you still have clearance inside - that is why the top "clunk" disappears when you reset the bearings. - anyway this is just what I think and I am no lefty mechanic. and there are virtuall no other lefties except for mine around where I live (Slovakia). ride hard. peter

You hit the nail on the head. When the top cap is off, and the split rings are removed, the fork will extend to 720-30. Fully assembled the fork will never exceed 710.

 

[petho]

You hit the nail on the head. When the top cap is off, and the split rings are removed, the fork will extend to 720-30. Fully assembled the fork will never exceed 710.

to: MendonCycleSmith
Ive noticed you give the most informed info around here. Like I say I am just the only person within 200 km perimeter (that i know of) that rides a lefty - so you can imagine that my local LBS has no clue and I dont even attempt to ask any questions. There is a dealer for SLovakia who could take care of rebuild but it involves at least one month down time for my biking. DO you think it would be possible to rebuild the lefty at home? without any special tools? - I know there are special tools involved but is there a way around it? thanks.
peter

 

[MendonCycleSmith]

to: MendonCycleSmith
Ive noticed you give the most informed info around here. Like I say I am just the only person within 200 km perimeter (that i know of) that rides a lefty - so you can imagine that my local LBS has no clue and I dont even attempt to ask any questions. There is a dealer for SLovakia who could take care of rebuild but it involves at least one month down time for my biking. DO you think it would be possible to rebuild the lefty at home? without any special tools? - I know there are special tools involved but is there a way around it? thanks.
peter

Hi Peter, sure, you can do it yourself, BUT you must be fairly mechanically minded, and be willing to be methodical, and go slow, and take notes. I say this, cause I can help, but would hate for you to get it apart (the easy part) then find it not possible to get back together. The tools help tremendously, and if you want to do it more than once, I would make the investment! At this point, I would say that normal service could be done, and once you are comfortable, get into it more deeply. Did you not buy the bike from a dealer? Or you got it in Slovakia, and don't wish to deal with them due to time without bike? It's good to have a relationship with them, as you may need parts. If you want to keep going, my email is [email protected], that's the best way to keep in touch, as I always check that, but may not be on this forum, for several days at a time. Ride hard.