Installing a Lefty

[ridemonkey2]

I have a 1997 Murry and would like to have at least 100mm of traval up frount. I think the Canondale Lefties are the way to go. I'm pretty good at welding so putting on a new headtube should be no problem for me. But I don't know where to get a new headtube. Dose Cannondale sell headtubes for Lefties? Is this going to mess with my geometry. Will I HAVE to use disk brakes (I don't trust them)?

[oldfart]

How will rim brakes work with a lefty? Think about it. And why don't you trust disc brakes? Every car and motorcycle uses hydraulic disc brakes today. Pretty low maintenance. My understanding is that Murray make low end bikes. Probably not cost effective at all to put an expensive fork on a cheap bike, let alone weld a new head tube on. And more importantly, a double crown fork puts different stresses on a frame than a single crown and I doubt that your frame was built accordingly.

[HELLTACO]

Cuz some peoples gots more dollars en cents, I tinks dis cud be done jess good. Dont gets da carbon Lefty cuz chuwd havs ta glue on da brake boss. En I'm wit chu on da discs dude, so's chu gots ta braze on abouts a tree eights nut ta screw on a bracket for da brakes. Da headtube chu cud cut off a Cannondale chu cud finds somewhere. Chewz a countinous backing for all a chor full peenatration headtube ta frame welds. I'd go wit 1/4" stainless steel, fillet welded, lap gussets over all da joints an run a 70 searies electrode insteada stainless filler.
An chu don't gots ta ever lets no one tells you a Murry ain't worht upgradin eather cuz a Murrys at home on da road or in da dirt.:)

[RideMonkey]

Yeah, they shoulda put the leg on the right side instead of the left, then cantilevers woulda worked

[muddywolf]

I'd say tack an arm onto the fork leg above your wheel and then you could use those killer murry sidepulls :D

[oldfart]

by a trolling spode!

[greasemonkey]

cut off your head tube about 2 inches back, and thread the ends of the tubes with a die

purchase and cut the front end off a cannondale, with the fork already on it (then take it back and say "hey, when i got home i realized this bike had no front half"). then tap the insides of the tubes with a tap of the same treading as the die used on the other frame


then, just screw new front end on your old frame
use lots of loc-tite

have fun

[RideMonkey]

LOL thats a good one. How about "I was just riding along and the entire front end FLEW OFF! I never found it!"

[muddywolf]

rotflol, damn good one, you wont have to repack the headset and youlll get new shifters and break levers out of the deal.
btw you think theyll cover that under the warrenty?

[Merwin5_10]

every mechanic dreams of JRA's (just riding along.) They're called nightmares. Unless you REALLY know what you're doing. Don't F#*^K with your frame. This isn't metal shop, no offense intended, an reewelding your headtube can ruin a decent geometry. I.E. do you know what angle you're gonna use and how you preserve the angle during welding. Do you know what angle you currently have and why it was used (relating to the rest of your geometry. ETC ETC ETC. Bottom line, if you love the Lefties, by a Canny.

[muddywolf]

Bottom line, if you love the Lefties, by a Canny.


but then he'd have to give up his 50lbs mild steel MURRY frame, think what the weight reduction would do to his desent speeds:D

[Jekyll800]

LEFTY'S RULE!!!!!

[KonaDude]

Welding a new head tube on, LMAO!!!! Don't even go there man. Sure, you might be able to weld, but welding bicycles is a lot different than welding two 1/4" plates together. Steel bike frames don't usually use tubing with walls thicker than 1mm. 1 MM!!! That's insanely thin. Good luck with your alignment too, if it's not down to the mm, your frame will ride like crap.

Sorry, get a different fork.

[SandMan]

You must be joking?