Lefty or RS1?

[sirmoun10goat]

Iv the event of a puncture/blowout, you can take the tyre off or add a tube without having to remove the wheel...given the fact the right side of the wheel has no obstruction

[michaelbiker]

In the market for a Scalpel 3, but saw a KTM Scarp Prestige today for roughly the same price with RS1. KTM slighty lighter according to manufacturers specs. Now I like both bikes

Get the Scalpel 3. Has a slightly more fun geometry too.

[billygoat0523]

Iv the event of a puncture/blowout, you can take the tyre off or add a tube without having to remove the wheel...given the fact the right side of the wheel has no obstruction

 

true...  but that's for us mere mortals.  not those wanting to hold onto precious seconds in a race.

[intern]

There's a reason the RS1 was dropped for a SID on the 2017 onwards S-Works Epic...

[Monark]

Billygoat your comments don't make sense. First you say that the lefty poses a problem because you need to pull the wheel off then you say it's a time issue?

 

The lefty doesn't determine or cause the puncture.

 

Lefty over rs1 every day of the week. Owned and ridden both.

[billygoat0523]

honest question, if lefty is such an amazing piece of kit; why dont you see any on pro / semi pro riders bikes other than Cannondale- purely a sponsorship / affiliation issue?

 

 

Billygoat your comments don't make sense. First you say that the lefty poses a problem because you need to pull the wheel off then you say it's a time issue?

 

The lefty doesn't determine or cause the puncture. (What???)

 

Lefty over rs1 every day of the week. Owned and ridden both.

 

see top comment.  i was answering that question.  

 

if i have to spell it out:  a pro will be worried about additional time lost when a puncture would occur in a race.  tools will be required and more manipulations than a "normal"  fork with a quick release.

 

for people who are not worried about losing time in a race or on the trail, you can pop in another tube or another tyre without having to take the wheel off.

 

if it makes a difference, i have a 2017 scalpel si 3 with a lefty fork.

[Christie]

Er... perhaps Im missing something about the tyre repair, but Lefty has only one leg - tyre, tubes etc can be changed without removing the wheel (from the side with no fork leg). It is arguably faster?

[Kalahari Vegmot]

Er... perhaps Im missing something about the tyre repair, but Lefty has only one leg - tyre, tubes etc can be changed without removing the wheel (from the side with no fork leg). It is arguably faster?

BG was referring to a race situation, and why pros might choose not to use a lefty; because if they had to swap a wheel, it might be more time-consuming than a normal wheel woth a TA

[dave303e]

The only benefit a lefty has is that the fork has a 'triple clamp' Well more a double clamp like a motorcycle which provides more rigidity to the fork and less flex, but SHOWA has gone to a separate function fork with the understanding that two forks doing 2 half arsed jobs is not as good as 1 fork with the spring and one fork with the damper. So each fork is 100% commited to only one job. Which goes totally against what the Lefty is about.

 

Lefty also has the issues like it's not easy to change wheel out and on the fox fork if you blow 1 fork seal the other should function fine 100%, blow a lefty fork seal and lose the oil and that is all dampening gone for the ride(this is also applicable to the SFF forks though).

 

End of the day it is up to you, your cash, most riders will barely notice the difference between top end fork, mtb's don't abuse suspension enough, especially considering the average rider's skill. 

[CAAD4]

More importantly, a KTM compared to a Scalpel???

[Pulse]

More importantly, a KTM compared to a Scalpel???

If it was the previous model Scalpel, I'd go KTM; but on the current it would have to be Scalpel

[J Wakefield]

I would go lefty, it is the most underrated fork ever. I used to ride a top level RS Black box and once i went over to the Lefty I was honestly blown away.

Mechanically never had any issues with it despite what people say or leave around message boards and if the rake etc all works I would use the Lefty on another frame other than a Cannondale. Its that good.

[jcza]

Had a SID

Tested the RS-1

Bought a Lefty and definitely prefer it. Have just completed 4,000 troublefree kms

[Rocket-Boy]

Unless you are going for a scalpel then the new sid is better.

[Rocket-Boy]

Had a SID

Tested the RS-1

Bought a Lefty and definitely prefer it. Have just completed 4,000 troublefree kms

Is it worth having a fork that you have to send away to have serviced though?

Normal forks like a sid can be serviced by anyone who is qualified to do so.

 

Im not arguing, Im genuinely interested to know. The only lefty I have tried was a fairly old and I wasnt blown away by it.

[jcza]

Is it worth having a fork that you have to send away to have serviced though?

Normal forks like a sid can be serviced by anyone who is qualified to do so.

 

Im not arguing, Im genuinely interested to know. The only lefty I have tried was a fairly old and I wasnt blown away by it.

 

I think it will be worth it, which reminds me. Its probably time for a service.