Road Cycling - got a used Cannondale but dont know which one

it is an al. framed road bike with steel forks a puter and full 105 stuff.

what is it worth and how can I identify it?

Send us a pic? The description you give probably covers about 1/2 of the C'Dales made in the last dozen years. Which frame type is it? Is it true? Any cracks in the frame? List it for sale on eBay and you'll find the true value, if that's what you are trying to do.

There should be a model number and a CAD number decaled on the frame.

I hope you plan to use it and not just sell it.

Well I bought it from a friend(very experenced rider with several bikes) for what I know is a really good price, I'm just wondering how good. I was looking at a GT 4.0 but this bike I'm sure is a better bike and a better price.I can now afford to get My GF a nice bike so we can go together.



it is navy blue but no other ID markes beside the Cannondale decals. there is an ID number on the stringer from the crank to the rear wheels mount but I could not make any sense of it. I dont want to post the full number but is there a part. that will help?

I looked on Cannondale.com but did not see it in the bike back files since '98.

will try and post a pic later.


God Bless the USA

The mid-1980's Cannondales didn't have CAD frame numbers. A 1986 Shimano 105 C'dale, for example, had a "3.0 Criterium Series" sticker on the seat tube, a "Shimano 105" sticker on one of the chain stays, the old "train station" logo on the head tube, a rock-hard Tange steel fork with a lugged crown, and a pretty nice paint job except for the usual corrosion bubbles around the mounting holes for the plastic cable guides on the top tube.

If this description more or less fits your bike, you've got a mid-80s C'dale. Its a great bike to be ridden hard, but worth very little in terms of money. I had one, put an aluminum fork on it and loved to ride it fast and hard for ten years.

Here is two pics


http://members.aol.com/jeauxmoe1/can.jpg


http://members.aol.com/jeauxmoe1/cancrank.jpg


I have some clipless pedals now for it as well.

again mostly Shimano 105 stuff with w/ an UNO stem and a liberator Pro seat

Judging from the pictures, it's more like a mid-90's Cannondale. The Shimano 105 crankset looks very much like the current model. If you can find out when Shimano changed the look of their 105 group last, you could pin down the minimum age of the bike.

Doesn't really matter - ride that thing and have fun! If the ride is too harsh for you, replace the steel fork with a not-so-expensive aluminum fork Get some better wheels one day if you want to go faster.

Great bike!

hm... I figured a steel fork would be a bit nicer of a ride compared to the aluminum.

I have an all steel frame that is smooth compared to this one.but it's not intolarable.


any more guess's?

Thanks.

Joe Meaux

If the fork is lugged, then it is steel.

well I know this fork is steel but some one was recomending an aluminum fork to take out some harshness.

I thought that would make it more harsh (putting an aluminum Fork in)

All things being even, the steel fork will give a better ride. Before switching forks, learn how different offsets will change the amount of trail, and how that will change high-speed stability.

The "harshness" of a bike or bike component is not determined by the material it is made out of. It is how that material is shaped and joined. There are unbelievably soft, noodly aluminum bikes (Vitus, for example), and there are jarringly stiff steel bikes.

Most aluminum forks have more vertical compliance than most steel forks, which has more to do with design than material. The Tange steel fork used in older Cannondales has very little vertical compliance. It is extremely stiff.

But to put it all into perspective - the difference is minimal, especially if you stay on smooth pavement and don't pump your tires up to kingdom come. Just ride that 'dale and enjoy it!

Alex is right about making sure the replacement fork has roughly the same geometry than the original one.

still need to know what bike this is

go to the cannondale website and look at the frames. If you still can't figure out what you have, then send the serial # to cannondale (that is, if you aren't trying to keep the number secret). Otherwise, I will find out what model you have, if you send me 4 pictures, the serial #, and $25 cash.
Better yet, go to the local dealer.

The bike looks nice.

I suggest contacting Cannondale with the stamped numbers or I'll do it for three photos, the numbers and $20.00.

All right I found out the bike was actually White with pink lettering.

the previous owner think its a R800.

Cannondale serial #: Serial number code: first two digits are the size, next 6 are date of manufacture, remainder are unit number. For instance: SN#54021787121 indicates a 54 cm frame, built on February 17, 1987, #121.

With that information you can write Cannondale for the definitive answer as to the frame type.

Dave
(yes, I know it's an old post.)

(yes, I know it's an old post.)

Old? How about ancient history. :eek: