Frankie2blue

I love both my Cannondale which are a Street One with Disks, and a Quick 2. My only major gripe is the proprietors parts that they have which would never have me buy another. I had to change stems on my Street 1 with a Headshok, and finding a short stem was really hard as it is a 1.56 tube, and now I’ve been looking for 1.56 x 5mm spacers and they seem impossible to find. Wish they kept some parts in stock when they decide to change. Otherwise, great bikes.

DorkDisk

From what I recall, Headshok forks do not use spacers as the steerer tube is fixed at a minimal length, you're supposed to swap stems. C used to offer a very large range of stems; not anymore. An option is to run a riser bar, they are available in different rises.

I avoid proprietary parts but still run a 99 Fatty SL shock, they're still great and match the frame perfectly. Headshoks are still in use and as far as proprietary parts go, are still easier to find than other parts I can think of as they were in production for a long time and were on top end bikes.



Headshok with short stem and 2" riser bars

ColonelSanders

Are you saying that the Cannondale fork steerer tube has a 1.56 inch diameter, compared to one of the industry standards of 1.5inches?

Frankie2blue

Yes, the older Headshok bikes are 1.56. I talked to Cannondale and while he said they used to have those spacers around they don’t anymore. He even called the warehouse and had them look around. It’s true that the Headshok bikes were meant to change stems as they had shorter length but they did make those spacers in 1.56. In my case I could not find a short OEM stem anywhere in 1.56, except for an aftermarket one made by Reverse S Technology at Cannondale Experts. That stem comes in 1.56 along with an extra shim to make it 1.50 if you need it, and is perfect for what I need. Of course it’s a 70.00 stem, but very nicely made. Unfortunately they make the stem, but don’t make 1.56 spacers. Go figure. Anyway, the reason I need the spacers is because the aftermarket stem clamp housing is not as tall as the OEM and I need the spacers to make up that difference. If I don’t find them soon, I am going to have them CNC machined at a shop I have been talking to. Where there is a will, there is a way!

DorkDisk

Headshok came out about two decades before 1.5"

DorkDisk

Lefty forks also used the same diameter, so maybe search for "lefty stem shim" or "OPI shim" as those systems do use shims.

t2p

I believe up until around 2014 (?) - Cannondale bikes with a Headshock or Lefty fork used the proprietary 1.56 diameter stem. The later Lefty versions (including SuperMax, 2.0, Oliver) used 1.5 size.

t2p

agree - it can be a hassle and the lack of 1.56 stems is disappointing

but many times a manufacturer will need to take risks and go outside the box to develop new / unique / better performing products

The Headshok is one example (ancestor to the Action Tec fork)

I believe the external cup bottom bracket and related crank sets owe much to early Alex Pong / Cannondale design

DorkDisk

Action Tec came out in 91, Headshok in 92

Tioga Revolver was probably more similar to modern hollowtech than pong crank


early 90s Tioga Revolver

t2p

yes - you are correct

don't know what I was typing - should have typed predecessor

Action Tec was first ; developed by Russ (something or another) ; can't recall if Cannondale faced any legal challenges or they paid him / them

I have an Action Tec bottom bracket on one of my old bikes - and at one time Action Tec was one of the only (if not only ?) sources for an 11t cog back-in-the-day before Campy and Shimano (and whomever ?) offered them

I did not recall the Tioga crank / bottom bracket - but did recall the Alex Pong stuff because it received a lot of publicity for a short time at one point because it was so advanced (?) / unique

jdogg111

can you use like an oversized home made shim. i'm thinking 1.75 id aluminum tubing from mcmaster carr. cut it with hacksaw to length needed.

DorkDisk

For sure, PVC was used BITD. The ID has to clear the steerer and the OD has to be small enough to seat the headset. You might even try some 1.5" spacers, as the IDs and ODs are all over the place depending on the spacer.

Frankie2blue

Frankie2blue

My son made me a spacer out of carbon fiber on his 3D printer/ CAD machine and it worked out perfectly. They are shown in the above pics. Amazing how he got the 1.56 diameter so perfect that it appears factory. It took adding the riser bars and a short aftermarket stem and making the spacer, but it’s all good now. I rode 17 miles the other day with no neck pain. I’m a happy guy.

OliGali

That´s a great solution Frankie. I have the same stem ordered, waiting for delivery, and will face the same problem. Can you share the dimensions of the spacer your son printed, please? In mm would be perfect, but inches will so, also
Thanks and cheers,
OliGali