Cannondale Stems

Hello Guys,
I am a newbie who needs some urgent help.

I bought a Cannondale Killer V900 mountain bike in 1994. I rode it for about 2years and it then went into a closet in my house. I do not remember why. I think life interfered.
I did not ride a bike all these years, and my wife was going to sell the bike. She called me one day (I was temporarily in Africa on business) and was very excited to let me know that she had an offer for $150. I told her to wait till I came back to the USA before she sells.

Anyway, I pulled the back out about a month ago and was stunned to see that the bike had remained in almost perfect shape. I have started riding the bike again, and must say I really like the bike. The frame is very unusual and beautiful at the same time. The bike also handles like a charm.

My main problem is lower back pain, post ride. ( I am now 45years old). The mechanic at my lbs has suggested that I change my stem to a threadless 90mm or 100mm, 30 or 40 degrees, one and a quarter inches stem.

The problem is that the current standard for stems are one and an eight inches or one inch .

Can some angel out there suggest the way I should proceed?

I basically need either a one and a quarter inches stem that is either 90mm or 100mm and 30 or 40 degree rise. Or an adaptor that will fit into my one and a quarter inches steerer and come out with one and an eight inches or one inch at the other end, so as to enable me raise my posture on the bike and thus get rid of my back pain.

Another option would be getting rid of the rigid fork and installing a suspended fork.

What kind of fork do you wise guys think I should look at, if I do decide to upgrade the fork. I really do not want to spend a lot of money, but I do not want to buy a cheap and unreliable fork either. Also, would I have to upgrade my cantilever brakes, if I do get a suspension fork?

My main thing is comfort on the bike, so as to be able to do centuries like I used to when I was younger.

Over to you wise men and ladies.

 

Super-rider,

I'm afraid you are sort of stuck with a now-obsolete headtube and fork steerer size. If you don't mind sticking with the rigid fork - your best bet would be to ring around some Cannondale dealers in your area and see what stems might be kicking around in their NOS drawers - though I would say you'd be lucky to find something in the length and rise you're looking for.

There may be opportunity to shim out the gap between a 1" quill stem and your 1-1/4" steerer, though that"s possibly not a reliable long term solution.

If you want a suspension fork things get a bit more complicated. I suppose it might be possible to get some headtube reducing cups or shims put in then you could use a 1-1/8" fork, headset and stem, but unless you're on good terms with a machinist that could get costly.

Another option well worth considering which is probably your cheapest and easiest of all is a bar with a bit more rise. Ask your shop about what sort of bars they might have which would give you a bit higher and shorter position, like this....

http://www.ritcheylogic.com/images/barrizerwcs.jpg

if you're after comfort rather than speed maybe something like this...

http://rivendellbicycles.com/images/catpics/mr/16-122.jpg
http://www.rivbike.com/images/WilburyRedFront.jpg

Sam

 

Hey Super Rider,

Got you a source on 1-1/4" stems in the US.

The old Yakota and Dirt Research distributor has a site up at www.marketeastplaza.com, go to bike parts for sale and you should be able to find some 1 1/4 stems in many sizes. He has Dirt Research stems in black, silver, many sizes and rises. Very very cheap as well....

Good luck! Keep trying - - he can be hard to get a hold of, but probably one of few people who may actually have what you want.

Sam

 

Hello Sam,

Thanks for your help. I have contacted Reid at www.marketeastplaza.com, and he has asked me to e-mail a list of my needs so that he can check his warehouse to ascertain availability.

He does not have stems as high as 30 or 35 degrees, but he thinks he has ones that are 0^ and maybe 11^. I will see what he has and then maybe go with one of his 11^ stems and the Ritchey handlebar you showed in your previous post.

What do you think of that set-up?

Any other suggestions?

Once again, thanks.

Regards, Lucas

 

Hi Lucas,

Sounds like if you go for the shortest and highest rise possible that should work well. What do you actually have on there now? You will be surprised at how different a relatively small change in the bar setup will feel, so maybe before you do anything with the stem, try a new bar and you may not even need a stem.

Best of luck,

Sam

 

Hello Sam,

What is on there right now is a 150mm 15^ stem. This set-up is really stretching my lower back and giving me post-ride back pains. I am not sure that a new handle bar without a new stem would solve my problems. My thinking right now is to go about 110mm and 35^ rise in the stem.

What do you think?

Regards, Lucas

 

150 is really long by todays standards - you will find very few people on a modern MTB with more than 130mm, and many running 100 and less. It's a little difficult to say exactly how much change you need, but seeing as that guy is blowing out those stems for $10 or something, maybe you can even get two, say a 110 and a 130 in the highest rise he's got....

Sam

 

Hi Sam,

The guy doing the blow-out sale has replied my e-mail to confirm that he has sold out the stems. I have ordered through my LBS, a one and a quarter inches stem in 120mm; 30^ from a company that refused to sell to me directly. The salesman at the company said they have the stems as left-overs, as they do not manufacture one and quarter inches stem anymore. I insisted that he give me the price my LBS should charge me. He gave me a price of $19.99. I wish he would sell to me directly so that I can install the stem myself. Anyway, he also has a 135mm;30^ stem. My plan is to try the 120mm;30^ and see if it solves my problem effectively. If it does not, I will try the 135mm;20^ stem.Do you know how much the profit margin is for bike shops on parts like stems? I am just curious how much the guy is going to charge my LBS for the stem I am going to pay $19.99 for.

What do you think?

Thanks for your input, they have been extremely helpful in what has been a trying search. Can you believe that even Cannondale, the company that sold me the bike ten years ago, could not help me at all? What is it with this big shot bicycle manufacturing companies? Even though I like my old bike, Cannondale has now lost me as a prospective new bike customer.

Thanks again Sam.

Regards, Lucas

QUOTE=sssamcz]150 is really long by todays standards - you will find very few people on a modern MTB with more than 130mm, and many running 100 and less. It's a little difficult to say exactly how much change you need, but seeing as that guy is blowing out those stems for $10 or something, maybe you can even get two, say a 110 and a 130 in the highest rise he's got....

Sam[/QUOTE]

 

Hi Lucas,

Shame that first option didn't work out. It's not at all unusual that a bicycle wholesaler won't sell direct to you - in fact it would be quite exceptional if they did. Anyhow, I would say 20 bucks is a pretty good price for an unusual part like that, especially if it's a decent brand, which is quite probable given Cannondales are reasonably exclusive bikes - moreso in those days. I would be surprised if the wholesale price was any less than $10, and then if it's not one of the shop's regular suppliers from whom thay are ordering other stuff anyway you also have to factor in postage.

One thing to be careful of with your order (you may know this already) is to be sure that you get the type you need, either a quill stem, or so called Ahead or threadless, which is now the much more common style. If you have a quill already (which I think you do???) I would recommmend staying with this if possible as it will give you greater height adjustment - being just what you need. There is also nothing wrong with quill stems - if the lbs tries to convice you of the "lighter, stiffer" benefits and try to change over your whole front end - don't buy it.

Also, I wouldn't hold anything against Cannondale. They're a great company with fantastic products, in my mind the best big bike company of the lot. To be realistic we're talking about a bike which is over 10 years old and had non-standard parts at the time, I'm not surprised they don't know where you might be able to get hold of a stem. Cannondale are the type of company who are always innovating and this necessarily sometimes means obsolesence, unfortunately you're caught on the wrong side of that. 'Dales are still fantastic bikes and I don't think you'd go too far wrong if you chose then for a new bike either.

So I hope this all works out for you and you're comfortable with your new position. I'd love to see a photo of the bike if you've got one, they were (still are?? I know they were still using the frame design a couple of years back...) very solid frames, great for either really big guys or small women - though for different reasons of course! Is it something like this (this is probably newer than yours)?

[/QUOTE]

 

Yes Sam, the Bike is exactly like the one in the picture. You are right that it is a great frame , and I have relatively been happy with the Bike. The stem is actually an aheadset type stem. I think Aheadset implies a threadless stem? Right? I will try and post a picture sometime soon. Maybe when I am all done putting everything together.

You have saved Cannondale's reputation by vouching for them. Thus I am not going to hold the experience I have had with this stem issue against them. I have been relatively happy with the Bike, as I am a big guy who weighs around 210Ibs, and the frame has just been a solid performer for me. Always a joy to ride the Bike, save for the post-ride lower back pain, hence the effort to raise my riding profile through a shorter and higher angle stem. The current stem is 150mm; and about 15^ rise. I will let you know how all this works out when I am all done.

Thanks for your help.

Regards, Lucas

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Yes, Aheadset and threadless is one and the same. AS I alluded to in my previous post, one of the big drawbacks of this system is that there are limited possibilities for height adjustment (only adding/removing spacers, then you're up for a new stem...).

I'm sure you will feel a big difference with the new stem, and in combination with just getting used to riding again and maybe a few trunk stretching and strengthening exercises, I'm sure your back will be fine in no time.

Regards,

Sam

 

Hello: I just found a Killer V900 just like the blue one in the picture...in a thrift store of all places and in really terrific shape. I want to put suspension forks on it but I don't know what will fit...what kind are on the bike in the picture? My stem size is 1 1/4"...the standard size. What size will my forks need to be. The rigid aluminum forks now have almost no clearance between the tire and the top of the fork. Any suggestions on a good but economical fork that will fit?

I appreciate any help.

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Dario,

I hate to tell you that this bike has the same issues as Lucas' - 1 1/4" is not the standard 1 1/8" is. 1 1/4 was something that was used primarily on Cannondales in the mid 90s. Therefore finding a suspension fork which will work is problematic to impossible. The bike you are looking it sounds like it has the added problem of not currently using a supension corrected fork - meaning that if you somehow did get a fork on there, it would raise the head tube, slacken the head angle, increase trail, and make the thing steer like a boat. The bike as it is I dare say will ride very nicely, as Lucas finds with his. However, if you really want a suspension fork, I'd say it's easier to look elsewhere.

Sam

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You can get a set of adapter rings that reduce the 1 1/4" to 1 1/8" or 1 1/8" to 1".
Here's a place that has them:
Gaerlan

No need to buy a new bike!

TD

 

Adapter rings would be a great idea - as long as he wants to keep a rigid fork (which is what i'd advise - and if he wanted to do that just keep the current fork), or the current fork/frame are suspension corrected, which it sounds like they're not...

It's also not clear whether Dario has actually bought this bike or not from his original post - if not, and he wants a suspension fork, he's probably best off looking at another frame/bike. If he's already got it - yes, look for a way to make it work. Still going to have problems throwing in a suspension fork anyhow.

Sam

 

Hello Guys, If one were to use the adapter rings in bringing an inch and a quarter steerer tube to an inch and an eight, would that also entail using a new headset altogether?

By the way, Sam is right, I do not think one wants to mess with the geometry of the Killer V900 by installing a suspension fork on it.

The bike as it is (with the rigid fork) handles like a charm. Why ruin things with a suspension fork?

Regards to all,

Lucas

 

Here are two more head tube adapters:
Pricepoint

Universal

TD

 

Hello Tyler, thank you very much for your replies to my posts. I have been fortunate to find an inch and a quarter stem from a supplier in California. I have now used the 120mm; 30^ rise stem in conjunction with a short rise riser bar to get a good fit. The fit I have now seems to have eliminated my back aches.

Once again, thanks.

Regards, Lucas

 

Hi Lucas,

Glad things have all worked out well for you!! If you were to use the head tube adapters yes, you would need a completely new headset as well as stem and fork (or at least fork steerer).

Sam

 

Hello Sam, It sure is good to hear from you again. Let me keep you up to date as to how my Cannondale issue worked out.

Firstly, I was able to find a 120mm;30^ stem, which I then combined with a short-rise riser bar. This combo was then installed on the Cannondale.

Secondly, In the meantime, while waiting to put the combo together, I had taken note of your advice to do back-strengthening exercises. I added those exercices to my gym routine.

The combination of the exercise and the new set-up on the bike has eliminated my post-ride back aches.

I have not been able to get to the Cycling Forums to post my gratitude for all the contributions to resolving my predicament, because I recently lost my mom.

I am now using this opportunity to say a big thank you to you and all the other contributors to my post(s).

I am now enjoying cycling so much, that I am thinking of getting a road bike for short fitness rides. I am thinking aluminum frame with an ultegra set-up.

Sam, do you have any advice re: a good road bike? Also I am torn between aluminum and carbon. I know I do not want steel. Keep in mind that I am a muscular 210-215 Ibs guy.

I also do not want to spend mega zillion dollars on the bike.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Lucas