Cannondale F2000: headshok repair or just replace?

[hamster]

I've recently picked up a 1997 Cannondale F2000...finally scratching an itch for the last 30 years. It's a really tidy frame and even has an unworn snazzy Coda 701 CNC chainset.

So, the headshok appears totally solid. Is this user-diagnosable (I know often serviceable only with specific tools) or should I simply ditch the whole thing and fit a normal fork with a reducer headset. Are spares even available?

I'd love to hear thoughts on what to do next...

 

[Vesatoro]

Practically not self repairable, if you do not want to learn it all, buy special tools etc.
In the States, Mendon Cyclesmiths are probably the best resource for help.

Bicycle Repair Shop

www.mendoncyclesmith.com

 

[d8mok]

Is it air version?

Roc Fu is your man for tooling.

 

[Kingswindsor]

Try contacting https://racereadysuspension.co.uk/contact/ for servicing and they also sell some parts on ebay. You might also want to scour this site https://community.vintagecannondale.com/threads/headshock-super-fatty-first-attempt-on-service.277/ to understand what it entails. You will need special tools - e.g. see this https://community.vintagecannondale.com/threads/headshock-castle-tool-advice.910/

All of that is about sorting out the air piston/damper bit. If yours is totally solid then it may not the problem - you may have seized needle bearings in the 4 sided linear bearing? If so, that needs another set of tools and more complexity I understand. Never done it myself.

 

[Russell]

Originality is nice, but BITD I swapped out the headshock on a mates F700 for some proper suspension forks and he never looked back.

 

[hamster]

Is it air version?

Roc Fu is your man for tooling.

Honestly I don't know yet! I will look under the crown for a valve. The F2000 it should have a Fatty 70 which is air / oil.

 

[d8mok]

Honestly I don't know yet! I will look under the crown for a valve. The F2000 it should have a Fatty 70 which is air / oil.

I’ve got a F3000SL which I bought a few years back. It had a ‘seized’ fatty SL and the whole bike was silly cheap because of it.

Anyway all I did was let out the air completely , push down hard to release them and then inflate again. It’s been perfect for 3 years since.

 

[hamster]

Thanks for that. It looks like it has sat unused most of its life, rather than neglected or worn out, so that is going to be well worth a try. Very helpful!

 

[Vesatoro]

Thanks for that. It looks like it has sat unused most of its life, rather than neglected or worn out, so that is going to be well worth a try. Very helpful!

And if it has the lockout on, just turn the knob counter clockwise

 

[hamster]

Well, depressurising and pumping it up again seems to have worked. The top cap / lockout knob is missing, so that’s the next mystery to puzzle over. Thanks for the help, especially @d8mok !