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.

https://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 !