Cannondale headshok maintenance costs?

[Oom Kaspaas]

I bought a 2009 Cannondale F3 Caffeinne on an impulse. The bike is virtually new, but I am a bit worried about the Headshok DLR80 maintenance issues and spares availability going forward. Anybody with experience? How would maintenance costs on the headshok compare to say a Rockshox Recon?

[nickc]

I bought a 2009 Cannondale F3 Caffeinne on an impulse. The bike is virtually new, but I am a bit worried about the Headshok DLR80 maintenance issues and spares availability going forward. Anybody with experience? How would maintenance costs on the headshok compare to say a Rockshox Recon?

 

The actual servicing and spares is not a problem (done by the Ominco service centre - pleny parts avail as well) its the cost I am not sure of.

 

I have had two Cannondales with the DLR80 and I don`t recall the costs being terrible, but that was a while ago.

[GoLefty!!]

Maintenance costs is a function of regular preventative maintenance and who did your maintenance.

Headshok's are not difficult to service at all but they do require special tools. I don't know anyone in Gauteng who is good at the Headshok systems but you can try Johan Bornman at Yellow Saddles because he will figure it out if he needs too.

In Cape Town there's Omnico, and a few independants like myself who "know" whats going on with those cartridges.

But there is obviously more people out there familiar with Rock Shox, Fox, Magura DT Swiss.

[kosmonooit]

You need to do a bit of regular maintenance yourself: resetting the roller bearings, which is a straight forward procedure, cleaning and regreasing the telescope bearing surfaces, and cleaning and re-oiling the breather hole oil filter. A few tools are required for this, but nothing you cant get at a bike shop.

 

Then the bigger services need special tools, like a castle tool to remove the cartridge, and that needs to be taken apart with a few more special tools, which all in all is a bit on an investment, so best left to someone with the kit and know-how. Taking the whole thing apart is not for the faint-hearted, it gets complicated quickly and more special tools are need to remove clips etc.

 

JB / Yellowsaddle can do the advanced servicing, and there are some guys in Midrand.

 

I can send you the owners supplement for the DLR which deals the bearing reset and DIY servicing, pm me your email

Edited July 23, 2013 by kosmonooit

[Oom Kaspaas]

Thanks for all the replies so far.