The Bike Hive

Kashima coating is a feature currently only found on Fox forks and shocks*.  It's easy to spot from it's distinctive dark brown color.  What is it and why do they use it?  First, a quick definition: Anodizing is a process by which a metal part (normally aluminum) is electrically charged and submerged in a chemical bath.  This creates an oxide layer that penetrates the metal and changes the microscopic texture and the crystal structure of the metal near the surface.  After a part is treated, it can be dyed to give it color before it is sealed to increase durability. Hard anodizing is a similar procedure that penetrates further into the metal. This increases the surface hardness of the material making the surface even more durable and corrosion resistant.  It does not make the metal part stronger, it affects the durability of the surface of the metal. Kashima coating is a type of hard anodizing that involves a lubricating treatment as well.  This ...

The other day I had the opportunity to overhaul a Cannondale Lefty fork.  I've had mixed luck with these in the past, confounded by Cannondale's lack of instructions, spare parts, and poor customer service.  That notwithstanding, I've been anxious to master these tricky forks.  A quick review of them online returns  mixed  results , but the general consensus is that they work great until it's time for service, but then it's a crapshoot. Let me start by saying that when I say 'poor customer service' , that means that Cannondale's answer to fixing your 5 year old Lefty many times is 'send it back and we'll sell you a new one for $800 (give or take,depending on model). A good deal (maybe) if you have a trashed 12 year old fork that has never been serviced, but not for a 5 year old fork that only needs one new bearing race and some o rings.  I think their people on the inside try hard, but Cannondale doesn't have systems in place to help dealer...