Rescued a Vintage Cannondale

[stingx]

Here is a nice 80s SR Cannondale about to be given a new lease on life...

My LBS checked the frame out and shows no signs of wear or abuse. It has all older Shimano 105 components on it (front brake was not so hot so I replaced it with a newer Tiagra I had) and new rims and tires. Weighs in at under 17 lbs. The paint has all been stripped and once the colder weather sets in I'll be sending the body and fork out for powdercoating - orange frame / black forks / blue bar wraps. The bike rides very well and just took it for a 25 mile ride yesterday...S-M-O-O-V-E!

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Nice! My only road bike is a 1988 Trek 1200, aluminum with probably very similar 105 components. It HAS been used hard over the years and needs to be replaced. But that Cannondale looks fun.

 

[Spudman]

Change to a carbon seat post and fork and you'll not only lose weight, but a lot of the road buzz will be dampened. You can get those parts on Ebay new for very little $. If you do the fork update you might as well get a carbon stem and some regular drop bars. You'll easily drop 2 lbs. Lose the wheel reflector too. At higher speeds it will cause some bounce that can destabilize the ride. Otherwise, that's a great D.U.I. recovery machine.

 

[stingx]

Nice! My only road bike is a 1988 Trek 1200, aluminum with probably very similar 105 components. It HAS been used hard over the years and needs to be replaced. But that Cannondale looks fun.

Thanks. Be careful, bro, the 1200s are prone to fatigue. You'll feel it once its starts giving. I know cus my cousin road one and it happened to him :)

 

[stingx]

Change to a carbon seat post and fork and you'll not only lose weight, but a lot of the road buzz will be dampened. You can get those parts on Ebay new for very little $. If you do the fork update you might as well get a carbon stem and some regular drop bars. You'll easily drop 2 lbs. Lose the wheel reflector too. At higher speeds it will cause some bounce that can destabilize the ride. Otherwise, that's a great D.U.I. recovery machine.

Thanks, Spud, how would this work and, more importantly, how do I ensure I get the EXACT size needed not to mess up geometry?

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Produc...on 1-in Threaded Road Fork&CA_6C15C=862401189

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Yeah, those Treks were glued together. I am aware of the issue, and plan on replacing it ASAP. I am currently looking at used cycle-cross bikes as that would honestly be the best animal for my needs, especially if I get an extra set of wheels.

 

[Tig]

Cool restoration project! Powder coating will really make it live again.

That looks like the late 80's Criterium frame and group, minus the early Shimano Biopace chain rings. 7 speed in the rear cluster, right? No more than 8 I guess. I had 2 of these in my early road bike days, one with 105 (got hit by a car) and one with Campy Chorus/Record mix with a Vitus aluminum fork that tamed down the ride versus the original steel fork. I had later Cannondale road bikes, but these were my favorite. They rode smoother than the evil 3.0's.

 

[stingx]

Cool restoration project! Powder coating will really make it live again.

That looks like the late 80's Criterium frame and group, minus the early Shimano Biopace chain rings. 7 speed in the rear cluster, right? No more than 8 I guess. I had 2 of these in my early road bike days, one with 105 (got hit by a car) and one with Campy Chorus/Record mix with a Vitus aluminum fork that tamed down the ride versus the original steel fork. I had later Cannondale road bikes, but these were my favorite. They rode smoother than the evil 3.0's.

Damn you know your bikes :) This has an 8 speed cassette. It would be hard to squeeze any more into the frame. I am fond of the mid 80s Cannondale frames - they are stiffer/thicker/stronger than their more modern AL machines. I am sure that frame will outlive me.

There's the annual swap meet at the Lehigh Velodrome coming up. For asthetics, I am going to look for shiny new replacement crankset.

 

[stingx]

I don't believe I ever posted how beautifully the Cannondale project turned out.

 

[Tig]

I don't believe I ever posted how beautifully the Cannondale project turned out.

Wow, that is beautiful! It looks much better than any of the original versions.
:applause

 

[stingx]

Thanks for the compliment. It was fun to work on and it is even more fun to ride. This bike has helped me lose 25 pounds.