How to Replace a Cannondale Headshok With the RockShox

Bike maker Cannondale is known for the oversize aluminum tubes used in the construction of its bike frames. The company's mountain-bike division uses these tubes and the company's Headshok front suspension. Headshoks use one compression chamber off the head-tube on the bike versus a fork with two compression chambers. Headshoks are older and are now retired from the company line. Replace an old Headshok on Cannondale bicycles using special frame adapters to accommodate the smaller, 1 1/8 inch-diameter suspension forks such as those made by RockShox.

Things You'll Need

  • Bicycle work stand
  • 4mm and 5mm hex wrench
  • Rubber mallet
  • Towel
  • Headset press
  • Adapter ring, 1 1/8 inch
  • Replacement headset
  • RockShox
  • Marker
  • Pipe cutter
  • Cone wrenches
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Get the bike into the work stand and remove the headset on the Headshok. Use a 5mm hex wrench to loosen the center screw on the top of the Headshok until it comes out of the shok and head-tube.

    • 2

      Remove the brakes off the Headshok using a 4mm hex wrench. Pull the brake cables out of the cable guides on the Headshok and fork. Place the towel over the top of the Headshok. Tap the top of the Headshok over the towel with the mallet.

    • 3

      Place the 1 1/8 inch adapter ring in the inside edge of the Cannondale head-tube. Insert the RockShox fork up into the head-tube from under the head-tube on the bike frame. Push until the fork's steering tube sticks up and out of the head-tube and the base of the steering tube connects with the bottom of the head-tube.

    • 4

      Mark the steering tube where it is even with the frame's top portion of the head-tube. Double check this, as it is a crucial marking. If you cut the tube too short, you cannot add more length and the RockShox is compromised.

    • 5

      Cut the steering tube at the double-checked marking.

    • 6

      Push the headset bottom piece onto the top of the steering tube and push it down onto the top of the head-tube. Push the top of the headset down and onto the steering tube and make it flush with the bottom piece. Use the headset press and compress the two sections together, creating the airtight vacuum on the headset.

    • 7

      Screw the center headset screw tight into the steering tube using a 5mm hex wrench.

    • 8

      Attach the brakes to the RockShox brake mounts and run the cables through the cable guides up to the handlebars.