Cannondale R900 CAAD5 tire clearance

[anonymous]

I have been recently gifted with a leftover Cannondale R900. I have
not received the bike yet but am thinking out what I want to do with
the bike.

http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/02/images/large/r900t_02.jpg

I would probably have been just as happy with a touring frame but am
hoping with a few minor modifications it will make a good bike for
long day rides. The aluminum frame is quite stiff so a suspension
seat and some geltape on the handlebars might ease some of the
vibration.

The roads and paved trails in Florida are fairly smooth but I do ride
the sidewalks and deal with some sidewalk cracks and pavement
transitions. This has not been a problem at all with my old steel
framed bike running 32 mm tires at 100 LBS pressure.

The stock tires that come on the Mavic 13 mm rims are 23C and it
appears that I could mount a 28C tire on the wheels but I don't know
if there is enough clearance to the frame and forks. Shimano 105
brake calipers should have no problem but I don't know about the
hourglass shaped stays etc.

There was a period when road bikes would only take the 23 mm or
smaller tires. Anybody have any success at using this kind of bike
for recreational riding?

 

[David N. Makinson]

anonymous wrote:
> I have been recently gifted with a leftover Cannondale R900. I have
> not received the bike yet but am thinking out what I want to do with
> the bike.
>
> http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/02/images/large/r900t_02.jpg
>
> I would probably have been just as happy with a touring frame but am
> hoping with a few minor modifications it will make a good bike for
> long day rides. The aluminum frame is quite stiff so a suspension
> seat and some geltape on the handlebars might ease some of the
> vibration.
>
> The roads and paved trails in Florida are fairly smooth but I do ride
> the sidewalks and deal with some sidewalk cracks and pavement
> transitions. This has not been a problem at all with my old steel
> framed bike running 32 mm tires at 100 LBS pressure.
>
> The stock tires that come on the Mavic 13 mm rims are 23C and it
> appears that I could mount a 28C tire on the wheels but I don't know
> if there is enough clearance to the frame and forks. Shimano 105
> brake calipers should have no problem but I don't know about the
> hourglass shaped stays etc.
>
> There was a period when road bikes would only take the 23 mm or
> smaller tires. Anybody have any success at using this kind of bike
> for recreational riding?
>

I have a CAAD 5 and find it to be very comfortable. More so than my
Raleigh conventional 531 with equally as short chainstays. I have run
25mm Avocets (truly 25mm) on it as well as 25mm (really slightly
smaller) Grand Prix's. I think that you could go to 28's.

The only thing mine doesn't have that I thought it would is a chain
hanger on the right chainstay.

If you don't want this, let me know... I use a 58cm (cannodale measured
center to top of top tube).

David

 

[dvt]

anonymous wrote:
> I have been recently gifted with a leftover Cannondale R900. I have
> not received the bike yet but am thinking out what I want to do with
> the bike.
>
> http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/02/images/large/r900t_02.jpg
>
> I would probably have been just as happy with a touring frame but am
> hoping with a few minor modifications it will make a good bike for
> long day rides. The aluminum frame is quite stiff so a suspension
> seat and some geltape on the handlebars might ease some of the
> vibration.

Don't believe everything you hear about the aluminum frame giving a
harsh ride. Different pressure in the tyres has a much bigger effect on
ride comfort than the frame material.

> The roads and paved trails in Florida are fairly smooth but I do ride
> the sidewalks and deal with some sidewalk cracks and pavement
> transitions. This has not been a problem at all with my old steel
> framed bike running 32 mm tires at 100 LBS pressure.
>
> The stock tires that come on the Mavic 13 mm rims are 23C and it
> appears that I could mount a 28C tire on the wheels but I don't know
> if there is enough clearance to the frame and forks. Shimano 105
> brake calipers should have no problem but I don't know about the
> hourglass shaped stays etc.

I'd be surprised if you could fit a 28 mm tyre in that bike. 25's should
be no trouble.

> There was a period when road bikes would only take the 23 mm or
> smaller tires. Anybody have any success at using this kind of bike
> for recreational riding?

This looks like a nice recreational bike, if a bit limited in tyre
clearance. Try it out as-is before you start adding the suspended
saddle, gel tape, and bigger tyres. You might just like it. I'd start
witht the bigger tires first, an extra roll of tape second, and a more
comfortable saddle (not necessarily suspended) as required.

If you're thinking about adding racks, etc., you'll probably be
disappointed.

--
Dave
dvt at psu dot edu

 

[anonymous]

On Fri, 06 Jan 2006 17:52:48 -0500, dvt <[email protected]> wrote:

>anonymous wrote:

>>
>> http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/02/images/large/r900t_02.jpg
>>

>
>Don't believe everything you hear about the aluminum frame giving a
>harsh ride. Different pressure in the tyres has a much bigger effect on
>ride comfort than the frame material.
>
>I'd be surprised if you could fit a 28 mm tyre in that bike. 25's should
>be no trouble.
>
>This looks like a nice recreational bike, if a bit limited in tyre
>clearance. Try it out as-is before you start adding the suspended
>saddle, gel tape, and bigger tyres. You might just like it. I'd start
>witht the bigger tires first, an extra roll of tape second, and a more
>comfortable saddle (not necessarily suspended) as required.
>
This was the year Cannondale used the red, white and blue paint scheme
to commemorate the 911 firefighters. I called my signifigant other on
the west coast and told her to try the 25 mm tires with a better seat
before she gives up and sends the bike to me (she has almost no
natural padding). I would be running the tires pretty soft for
recreational riding but I am still keeping my old bike and rack.