Bicycle Mechanics - Can you identify this Cannondale road bike?

Hey everyone, I found a nice Cannondale road bike at a garage sale and I'm having a hard time figuring what model it is. The stock handlebars have been replaced with triathlon/time trial ones, but I think the rest of the parts are stock. Can you help me out?

The components are Shimano 105, with the crank set being a biopace. The rims are Wolber and the seat is a Vetta. The serial is: 63031787160. I'm guessing it's a mid-90's R-200 to 700.

http://home.comcast.net/~bobble_eric/bikes/cdale_1.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/~bobble_eric/bikes/cdale_4.jpg

Thanks.

http://www.vintagecannondale.com/

Amazing. It's a 1987 SR500, one of the first bikes with Shimano 105. Thanks, Junkyard Bike.

Amazing. It's a 1987 SR500, one of the first bikes with Shimano 105. Thanks, Junkyard Bike.

Not a bad find! Too bad your frame didn't come with the custom graphics package! :D

Here's an appreciation thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=284011&highlight=cannondale) in the Classic & Vintage forum for early Cannondales.

You lucked out by getting an early model with a steel fork.

What's that thing growing out of the stem? Perhaps you should take it somewhere and have that looked at:D

I'd be very wary of that drive side chain stay. Looks like a pretty serious dent there.

I'd be very wary of that drive side chain stay. Looks like a pretty serious dent there.

I could be wrong, but that looks like a crimp for crank clearance.

I could be wrong, but that looks like a crimp for crank clearance.

Yup. Meant to be there. Fat tube + short stay = clearance problem;) Crimp tube and problem solved.

He's referring to the big dent mid length on the chainstay, not the typical chainring clearance crimp. I may be wrong but why would they put a crimp there?

I have a '93 st600 cannondale. Love the Vintagecannondale site--great to look through all those old catalogs. That frame you have definitely is a beauty.. light and stiff with smooth, clean welds. Just need to clean it up some & replace some items.

The previous two posters are correct about the crimped tube. I'll admit I thought the same thing when I got my bike ...until I noticed that they are present on both sides.

The previous two posters are correct about the crimped tube. I'll admit I thought the same thing when I got my bike ...until I noticed that they are present on both sides. Ah...I was going to ask if there was an identical crimp on the other chainstay....:)

Yup. Meant to be there. Fat tube + short stay = clearance problem;) Crimp tube and problem solved.

The chainring that's going to make use of that "crimp" has more teeth than all of my chainrings and cogs put together, and will also barely clear the ground. Good for riding behind pace motorcycle at 100 km/h.

Crimps for chainring clearance *tend* to be where the chainring is.

That's a dent.

Perhaps it was easier back then to simply crimp and bend the stays than to create S-shaped stays.

The chainring that's going to make use of that "crimp" has more teeth than all of my chainrings and cogs put together, and will also barely clear the ground. Good for riding behind pace motorcycle at 100 km/h.

Crimps for chainring clearance *tend* to be where the chainring is.

That's a dent.

Hopefully the OP will be back and can confirm if there's an identical crimp on the other stay.

"............ but that looks like a crimp for crank clearance."

He's referring to the big dent mid length on the chainstay, not the typical chainring clearance crimp. I may be wrong but why would they put a crimp there?

Crank clearance. It probably has a crimp for the chainring too.

The chainring that's going to make use of that "crimp" has more teeth than all of my chainrings and cogs put together, and will also barely clear the ground. Good for riding behind pace motorcycle at 100 km/h.

Crimps for chainring clearance *tend* to be where the chainring is.

That's a dent.

The only person who said that was for chainring clearance was you. Kenhill was correct in his original post that the crimp was for crank clearance. While I'm not the OP, I own a similar model/year frame and can confirm that was a design feature that is visible on both sides of the chainstay.

But don't take my word for it, here is a gallery of Cannondales from around that timeframe where it is visible-
http://www.vintagecannondale.com/Gallery/page5/galleryp5.html

Crank clearance. It probably has a crimp for the chainring too.

That is correct too. While I'm not a fan of the crimps (seems like an inelegant solution), I love the oversized tubing on these things.

The only person who said that was for chainring clearance was you. Kenhill was correct in his original post that the crimp was for crank clearance. While I'm not the OP, I own a similar model/year frame and can confirm that was a design feature that is visible on both sides of the chainstay.

But don't take my word for it, here is a gallery of Cannondales from around that timeframe where it is visible-
http://www.vintagecannondale.com/Gallery/page5/galleryp5.html

+1, speaking from experience as well. Or take a look at the thread I linked to in Post #4. There are photos of these frames from both sides as well.

That is a crimp for crank clearance. When photographed in certain conditions, it looks like a nasty dent.

I can confirm that it is a crankarm clearance crimp, with a matching crimp on the non drive side. I have a white 54cm 87 sr500 criterium., all 105.

I've got an '85 SR300 and there are 3 crimps on the chainstays. Two for crank clearance and one on the driveside by the bb which is clearly for chainwheel clearance as the ndn doesnt have the same 'scallop' down by the bb. I love this bike for the aggressive geometry. It's been reconditioned into a 'fast commuter' w/rack and Jandd saddlebags. Have been a 'steel' guy for years and when I found this gem at a garage sale for 20.00 I was still dubious about aluminum, but couldn't pass it up for the price. It's got the Sugino 103mm bb w/t 48t chainwheel/172.5 crankset. Took a chance as I wasn't sure about the chainwheel clearance, but all's well. Barend shifter w/8 sp 28x12 cassette. For someone looking to modify a roadbike into a commuter these vintage Cannondales make an excellent choice. Very versatile.

...when I found this gem at a garage sale for 20.00 ...

Ugh I wished I lived in a place where I could find deals like that. In this area (DC / Northern Virginia) you could easily sell a bike like that for 200-300 (no joke).

Hey everyone, thanks for the comments. Sorry it took so long to get back; I need to tweak my "instant notification."

There is near perfect symmetry with both the chainstays, so I believe the molding is another one of those Cannondale design peculiarities.

ouch!