Upgrading an old Cannondale - need advice

[jjf12cu]

Originally posted by boudreaux
I have doubts about it being 15 years old.The dropouts/setastay don't appear to be the 'old style' cantilevered type. If it's got a replaceable derailer hanger, then it's definately newer.The head badge looks 'newer' compaed to older ones I've seen Older Cdales often used the same frame with different parts hung on the to create 'models'. I'm not sure some of the very early ones even had frame designations. Early frame desingations were 3.0 and 2.8 which used the cantilevered dropouts. Don't think I've ever seen one with 27" wheels either,but that does not mean it couldn't be.

Well, looks like Cannondale came through for me. Although I never could locate a S/N on the frame anywhere, I sent a representative there a picture of my frame. Within a few minutes she sent back a picture of a 1990 R300 (3.0 series ), which seems to match my frame, both in terms of shape/features and the color of the model offered - and it comports with my expectation for its age, i.e. about 14 years old. If you'd like to compare for yourself and let me know what you think, that'd be great. I put the picture she sent me on top of the other pictures I was showing before. Look here.

Pretty good call there bordeaux!!

Thanks,
Jack

 

[serenaslu]

Originally posted by jjf12cu
Well, looks like Cannondale came through for me. Although I never could locate a S/N on the frame anywhere, I sent a representative there a picture of my frame. Within a few minutes she sent back a picture of a 1990 R300 (3.0 series ), which seems to match my frame, both in terms of shape/features and the color of the model offered - and it comports with my expectation for its age, i.e. about 14 years old. If you'd like to compare for yourself and let me know what you think, that'd be great. I put the picture she sent me on top of the other pictures I was showing before. Look here.

Pretty good call there bordeaux!!

Thanks,
Jack

The dropouts look like they are cantilevered on the 3.0 frame that Cannondale sent you the pic of, while they are not on yours. The recently retired 1986 frame that I have is not cantilevered, but the BB is set back slightly from the intersection of the seattube and downtube, which yours does not apear to be either; though it is hard to say.

 

[boudreaux]

Originally posted by jjf12cu
Well, looks like Cannondale came through for me. Although I never could locate a S/N on the frame anywhere, I sent a representative there a picture of my frame. Within a few minutes she sent back a picture of a 1990 R300 (3.0 series ), which seems to match my frame, both in terms of shape/features and the color of the model offered - and it comports with my expectation for its age, i.e. about 14 years old. If you'd like to compare for yourself and let me know what you think, that'd be great. I put the picture she sent me on top of the other pictures I was showing before. Look here.

Pretty good call there bordeaux!!

Thanks,
Jack

That picture shows the old type cantilevered rear dropouts. The dropouts on yours are definately the 'newer' style,but i don't have a date as to when they appeared. I had a 3.0 crit series that was probably 85 to 87 vintage and was full 600 six speed index that had the same dropouts. I also had a later caad2 with cantilevered dropouts but with replaceable derailer hanger,but 7 speed and probably early 90s. I keep disremembering that 14 years old equates to 1990.How time flies.

 

[serenaslu]

Here's a pic of the '86. Like Boudreaux had previously stated, I don't recall that they had models of road frames when I got mine. But I think they had a "premium" level where they supposedly finished the welds with more care and had them individually inspected, if I remember correctly. Gad it has been along time!

 

[jjf12cu]

Hm. What happened to the rest of the thread? Nice pic tho! - how do you embedd it right into the post? Do you have to be a Senior Member to do that?

Thanks! -Jack

 

[serenaslu]

Originally posted by jjf12cu
Hm. What happened to the rest of the thread? Nice pic tho! - how do you embedd it right into the post? Do you have to be a Senior Member to do that?

Thanks! -Jack

Looks like the forum's database got buggered. Don't know if you got a chance to see Boudreaux's and my previous posts that the rear droputs are cantilevered on the pic of the 3.0 frame that Cannondale sent to you while yours is not; before the site crashed.

To insert a pic just use the "Attach file" box at the bottom. (Has to be less than 600h pixels as well as file size limitation)

 

[jjf12cu]

Originally posted by serenaslu
Looks like the forum's database got buggered. Don't know if you got a chance to see Boudreaux's and my previous posts that the rear droputs are cantilevered on the pic of the 3.0 frame that Cannondale sent to you while yours is not; before the site crashed.

To insert a pic just use the "Attach file" box at the bottom. (Has to be less than 600h pixels as well as file size limitation)

Oh, yeah, I noticed the site was down earlier. Bummer. I did see one post about the rear dropouts, I think, but I'm not actually sure what it means when you say that they are "cantilevered" on the 1990 bike, but not on mine. What does the term indicate, and what does that tell you about my bike (younger? older?) What about your '86 - does that one have cantilevered rear dropouts?

Thanks!
Jack

 

[serenaslu]

Originally posted by jjf12cu
Oh, yeah, I noticed the site was down earlier. Bummer. I did see one post about the rear dropouts, I think, but I'm not actually sure what it means when you say that they are "cantilevered" on the 1990 bike, but not on mine. What does the term indicate, and what does that tell you about my bike (younger? older?) What about your '86 - does that one have cantilevered rear dropouts?

Thanks!
Jack

If you look at the rear dropouts on the '90 pic that Cannondale sent you, you will notice that they are located considerably behind the point of intersection between the seatstays and chainstays (cantilevered). The old '86 that I have is not and neither are newer ones apparently. Not sure of exact intermediate dates that they used that style.

 

[boudreaux]

Originally posted by serenaslu
If you look at the rear dropouts on the '90 pic that Cannondale sent you, you will notice that they are located considerably behind the point of intersection between the seatstays and chainstays (cantilevered). The old '86 that I have is not and neither are newer ones apparently. Not sure of exact intermediate dates that they used that style.

You sure yours is an 86? The cantilevered dropouts to my knowledge were original type and not intermediate. Does your have a replaceable derailer hanger?

 

[serenaslu]

Originally posted by boudreaux
You sure yours is an 86? The cantilevered dropouts to my knowledge were original type and not intermediate. Does your have a replaceable derailer hanger?

Absolutely, a 1986 right down to the date of manufacture serial number! Bought her new about a month after my wife and I split up (Not likely to forget that year!!). The hanger is all one piece and consequently has had to have been rebent into alignment more than any aluminum piece should be able to
But still plan to keep around as a backup ride for a bit longer.

One other more subtle odd thing that I don't think was on later models is that the BB center is about 1cm behind the virtual intersect of the seattube and downtube. (not sure if it can be seen from the angle in the pic)

 

[jjf12cu]

Hello -

Well, after a week of alternately working on my bike and waiting on various parts, I've finally completed my overhaul! I wish I had taken a before picture, but I only took a picture after I had disassembled the bike. Anyway, suffice it to say that the bike now looks and feels spectacular, and going through this process has taught me so much about the mechanics of a bike and so forth, which has really been great. I just wanted to extend a very sincere thank you to everyone on here who helped me out - much of your advice was invaluable (and right on the money!) in making decisions about how to do this...

Thanks!

 

[jjf12cu]

Here's a picture of the frame and fork after I had taken most of the old components off.



By the way - I found a reasonably priced used Ultegra grouppo (with 2 cassettes) on eBay, which is now on the bike. Having ignored the fact that the back wheel I had was a freewheel, meaning I could not use the ultegra cassettes without rebuilding the hub and spokes (a big UGH!), I was getting scared that I'd have to go down to 700 cc wheels, and get long-reach brake calipers (meaning I couldn't use the ultegra brakes), or just stick with the 5-speed freewheel - which would, I think, be incompatible with the 9-speed STI shifters. It was looking like a big mess until I actually found a 27" wheel with a cassette, relatively cheap even, at Nashbar. That was the last piece in my puzzle. In the end, because the ultegra grouppo is meant for modern standards, the project was a bit like fitting a square peg in a round hole; but in the end, it came together very nicely (they even make a piece to turn the nubs for downtube shifters into cable housing stops for the derailleur cables... go figure...). I went out for a 20-mile ride today and it was just a whole new bike, a whole new experience. It's really fantastic.

 

[joe_schindler]

I went to a garage sale down the street a couple of weeks back. One of my neighbors had died, and the wife’s new boyfriend had decided to clean house. Seems that new significant others with big chips on their shoulders sell bikes cheap.

$5 later I’m pushing home my “new” Cannondale. After the barrage of questions like; why do you need another bike, where are you going to keep it, and several others that I have yet to come up with answers for; I decided to see if I could find answers here.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I have one of only two Cannondales with no serial number on the chain stays, only the number on the BB (BB06863 to your BB06650). Looks to be the same color, although it may have had some upgrades over the years as it has some Campagnolo SR parts.

I can’t wait till the next inquisition, when I can cleverly chronicle the extraordinary significance of this rare example of bicycle history and art.

 

[jjf12cu]

Originally posted by joe_schindler
I went to a garage sale down the street a couple of weeks back. One of my neighbors had died, and the wife’s new boyfriend had decided to clean house. Seems that new significant others with big chips on their shoulders sell bikes cheap.

$5 later I’m pushing home my “new” Cannondale. After the barrage of questions like; why do you need another bike, where are you going to keep it, and several others that I have yet to come up with answers for; I decided to see if I could find answers here.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I have one of only two Cannondales with no serial number on the chain stays, only the number on the BB (BB06863 to your BB06650). Looks to be the same color, although it may have had some upgrades over the years as it has some Campagnolo SR parts.

I can’t wait till the next inquisition, when I can cleverly chronicle the extraordinary significance of this rare example of bicycle history and art.

Great story!

Aside from the Cannondale frame, getting Campy parts for a cool $5 is pretty slick.