Early 90s Cannondale questions?

[Manji]

I have just bought an early 90s Cannondale Road bike. It is a great beginners bike for a Clydesdale like me. It has almost full Shimano 105 7 speed running gear but was converted to STI with RSX STI levers. The chainrings are 42/52 and pretty beaten up so I think I need to upgrade them.
Is it possible for me to convert it to a newer 9/10 speed chainset with a 39/53 pattern and be compatible with 7 speed?
I understand I might need a new Bottom bracket also and have no idea what size it would be? English or Italian? If anyone knows this would be very helpful!!

Any other hints on upgrading it (Carbon Forks maybe, what size do I need?) would be great as I plan on keeping this bike until I get fit and light enough for a new bike

 

[boudreaux]

I have just bought an early 90s Cannondale Road bike. It is a great beginners bike for a Clydesdale like me. It has almost full Shimano 105 7 speed running gear but was converted to STI with RSX STI levers. The chainrings are 42/52 and pretty beaten up so I think I need to upgrade them.
Is it possible for me to convert it to a newer 9/10 speed chainset with a 39/53 pattern and be compatible with 7 speed?
I understand I might need a new Bottom bracket also and have no idea what size it would be? English or Italian? If anyone knows this would be very helpful!!

Any other hints on upgrading it (Carbon Forks maybe, what size do I need?) would be great as I plan on keeping this bike until I get fit and light enough for a new bike

It's alot cheaper to just buy new chainrings.but a 9/10 crankset will work. You'll need a need BB with a spindle length and interface to fit the new crank, and the threading is english with a 68mm shell width.I wouldn't throw money at a CF fork.Ride the snot out of it and don't blow all your loot on upgrades if you are already thinking of another one.

 

[Manji]

It's alot cheaper to just buy new chainrings.but a 9/10 crankset will work. You'll need a need BB with a spindle length and interface to fit the new crank, and the threading is english with a 68mm shell width.I wouldn't throw money at a CF fork.Ride the snot out of it and don't blow all your loot on upgrades if you are already thinking of another one.

Thanks heaps for the reply, so if I bought an Octolink Chainset and BB all I need to do is make sure it is English and 68mm right?

 

[Manji]

I've found a cheap but bnew Shimano BB-5500 109.5 mm spacing. 68 mm shell. and a nice 39/53 splined crankset on ebay. Will I this setup work on by bike? I'm not sure if the BB is splined but have asked the seller, anything to look for that will tell me it is splines?
Will I need a new chain or anything else?

Thanks in advance

 

[boudreaux]

I've found a cheap but bnew Shimano BB-5500 109.5 mm spacing. 68 mm shell. and a nice 39/53 splined crankset on ebay. Will I this setup work on by bike? I'm not sure if the BB is splined but have asked the seller, anything to look for that will tell me it is splines?
Will I need a new chain or anything else?

Thanks in advance

The BB is octalink splined. Used octalink cranks are on my list of things not to buy unless I can look at them first. It's too easy for the crank interface to get buggered by ham fisted installation,and I have had to send 2 of them back.

 

[Manji]

The BB is octalink splined. Used octalink cranks are on my list of things not to buy unless I can look at them first. It's too easy for the crank interface to get buggered by ham fisted installation,and I have had to send 2 of them back.

Thanks again for the advice Given that my BB seems ok (the shop that serviced the bike said it was anyway) can I just get a new crankset put onto this one? What do I need to look for?

 

[boudreaux]

Thanks again for the advice Given that my BB seems ok (the shop that serviced the bike said it was anyway) can I just get a new crankset put onto this one? What do I need to look for?

Measure the spindle length and get a crank thats speced for that length. Square taper spindles can be ISO or JIS taper as well as some other odd possibilities. Taper has to match too. As I said, it's easier and cheaper to just get neew rings.