Hi, I'm looking at the cannondale trail sl range and have £1000 to spend on bike to work. I like the look of these and wondered if the headshok system is that much better than conventional suspension forks and worth paying more for. The bikes gonna be used for trail riding up in the lakes and commuting. The lower spec ones have normal forks and the top priced model has the headshok which I know little about and don't really like the look of. Any thoughts or advice ?

Cheers, Graham.

and wondered if the headshok system is that much better than conventional suspension forks and worth paying more for.

I think that the consensus is that it's not as good…

FWIW, I've had a headshok'd 'dale and while it was fine, the action was basic and short (particularly in comparison to modern forks). It was light and stiff though but I'd not ride one through choice unless it was as a winter/spare bike and I certainly wouldn't pay what 'dale are asking for it.

It looks like the sl2 with rst forks or maybe even the rockhopper expert ?
Voucher is burning a hole in my pocket.

Cheers, Graham.

There's nothing wrong with the headshok. It better than any RST forks I would bet. Perhaps not up to Fox standards, by what do you expect on a £1k bike?

I've owned a lot of Cannondales and wouldn't really rate the headshok nowadays. Good shock for a race bike, but I think a modern mid-range conventional fork would give you a better ride by and large. The headshok was always a baastard to work on as well, although this may have changed. Your typical bike shop wouldn't know what to do with it so you might encounter problems maintaining it – a lot of conventional forks are very simple to work on yourself.

I wouldn't but a £1k cannondale – you're paying too much for the name and getting compromised spec I reckon…

The RST forks are crap. You really want something like a recon if you're going for cheaper bikes.

ridiculously stiff and weighing in at something daft like 1200g, whats not to love!

I've got a fatty-M which is the basic spring/MCU damper and its still good, just chatters over everything. If it's the DLR model and you realy don't like it I'd buy it off you.

My other half has a headshok ultra on her bike, older model, picked up cheaply from eBay, no lockout but adjustable rebound and air spring. It's stupidly light and holds air nicely, it's good for general riding and some xc she is doing as the travel is somewhere around 74mm 🙂 Nothing wrong with it, and it works waaay better than a RST Omega from her old bike (RST lower spec models will probably pack up after one winter usage anyway). Small bump sensitivity is ace, but lacks travel for anything more serious. She had a Fatty DD before which is normal spring and elastomer and it did work but not as good, so I would rather have something like a Tora/Recon fork than a bottom line Fatty, lower models also don't have alu steerers so they are not as light as Fatty Ultra.

You also wrote You don't like the look of it which should be enough to get a bike with normal forks.

I always thought that my mate whose 'dale I've now got spare was a bit crap on technical stuff. Then he replaced his headshok'd 'dale with a Giant Anthem (with Rebas) and could suddenly keep up with everyone else, even incidentally when he accidentally rode with the rear lockout on…

Then he replaced his headshok'd 'dale with a Giant Anthem

no, thats just ebcause the anthem is one bike that makes me thing the saying "its not all about the bike" actualy means it 99% the bike and 1% rider, those things are like some kind of sidewinder missile through the trees!