OldsCOOL

If you find speeds of 20mph a common speed you pedal, keep that 53/39 and get a cassette with a 28 on it. I have a 7sp 12-28 and I ride a lot of hills. All the time. That's why I chose this bike, but when riding fast 15-20mi routes I exceed 22mph on flats. The gearing I have works very well on hills and my body adjusted. No more need for that compact. Your choice, of course.

bobbyl1966

I follow your choice is sounds good. What you think about my bike. Can you tell me from the photo what year is made? And how i can measure the frame see how many degrees is i want know if is racing frame

bradtx

The European and North American models aren't always the same. My guess is that your bike is a '94. I used the decal style to guess at the model year.

Brad

bobbyl1966

thank you for your answer. What do you think is good bike?

OldsCOOL

Have you been to the vintage cannondale site to get more info on your R300? You should be able to find the year in the serial number stamped on the frame (they may have stopped that ID serial number later on). If your bike fits you, put the parts on it that help you improve and conquer your area terrain. You have a very nice Cannondale!

Edit: if you find the year you can also find the frame specs at the vintage site. They list frame specs by year and model.

bobbyl1966

I go in the vintage cannondale site but i cant found the serial number. My bike say under the bottom bracket 04744 under this number say AR8M56. I wonder if the frame is 56. I measure in cm the seat tube is 58cm and the top tube is 56cm. Parts for now i use that came with the bike the only i change is crank i replace the 52/42 with 53/39 and the cassete is was 7 speed 14-28 i do one 13-28 9 speeds. I left out the 12 cog for i put the 28. I have also one cassete 15-26 is one piece the cogs is 6 i wonder if i can put 3 more cogs 12-13-15 and i do that way 9 speeds. What is sounds better cassete. That i have now on the bike 13-14-15-17-19-21-23-25-28 or 12-13-14-15-17-19-21-23-26. The one i want do is i put on the bike brifters now have downtube shifters

OldsCOOL

With 9 and brifters my personal choice would be the 13-28 because of the hills. You will know the difference in difficulty with the 26 and 28 choice. The 28 would serve you well.

bobbyl1966

Thank you for your answer. I have some troubles because the chain skip in some gears the 13-14-15 I think is do that because the spacers is not from this cassete i have do that cassete from 3 different cassete i try to found one 9speeds good cassete. My wheels is fulcrum racing 7. When i buy the bike is had cassete with 7 speeds i take out tha cassete. I put the 9 cogs cassete. I not really know if the wheel is made for 9 speeds cassete. What brand innertubes is good. The front wheel is be flat. I do okay? I repalce the 23c tires with 28c tires

OldsCOOL

Try a new chain if you havent already. It works wonders on shifting and drivetrain noise. Other than that you could have a cable tension adjustment need on the rear derailleur. You might check the cassette for wear but if you do put a new one it this is a moot point.

bobbyl1966

Thank you for your answer. I say is the cassete because with other cassete is not do that problem. Now new chain and new cassete yes i know my bike need that. I try found 9 speed cassete with 16 sprocket and 18 sprocket i see most of 9 speeds cassete not have 16 or 18 sprocket. I want try do century and i try make my bike ready. I not know i cant deside what is good crank and cassete size for century. Before i see online one interesting think. Have sprockets for single tooth jump and double tooth jump. I not know if the cassete i put on my bike and skip gears i have do mix sprockets.

shelbyfv

Bobby, I wish you had started your own thread.

bobbyl1966

I do not know how i start thread

azgreg

At the top left of every forum category there is a button that says "+ Post New Thread". Just click that and you are off and running.

bobbyl1966

Thank you for the help

rccardr 

I call this one The Black Devil.

Easily the nicest original Black Lightning frame I've ever worked with (an early one, too- born January 2, 1987!), requiring only a buff, polish and wax job with a few teeny touchups. Campy headset, Rolls Due saddle, carbon post, new Shimano 5800 groupset (compact 50/34 with an 11/32 cassette, talk about wide range), with new Shimano RS21 lightweight wheels, new Vittoria Rubino Pro tires, 3TTT stem and nice traditional drop bars. Around 20 pounds & with the steel Tange fork a bike you can ride all day.

Given the gearing, hills should not be an issue.

embankmentlb

Old C'dales make such nice bikes. The only thing I would ad to that is a black stem.

bradtx

rccardr, That is a very wide range transmission! Nice in-spirit update indeed.

Brad

rccardr 

Yeah, they changed the geometry of the front and rear derailleurs. In front, the arm is longer and there's a little doodad that flips around to accommodate different approach angles from the BB. Out back, the new cage is about mid-size (maybe a half inch shorter than the long cage Ultegra on my Century) but easily works with that 32 tooth cog even without the B screw very far into the base.

rccardr 

Built this as a personal travel bike for a bunch of upcoming excursions that will involve plane travel. The EVOC bike bag I bought requires that both wheels and the handlebars be removed for packing, which is why there's a more modern threadless adaptor and related stem and bar on this- just easier to deal with than a quill. Original build used STI's but I was concerned about bending and kinking the shift cables and housing during travel in the EVOC bag, so instead used a DA 7700 FD and RD, 7900 down tube shifters, compact Sugino crankset, Tektro brakes and levers, and a set of Ultegra hubs laced to Open Pro rims with Vittoria Rubino Pro III tires. I really like those Selle Italia Q-Bik SE saddles, have them on a couple of my bikes that go on long rides. Gearing is 50/34 up front and 12/28 in the back, so I can climb just about anything. I figure that stuff is all pretty bullet proof & should survive whatever the airlines throw at it, and any damage would be easily to repair. We'll find out on the maiden voyage in less than two weeks: February 14th in Palm Springs, CA.

bradtx

rccardr, This build looks very good with the bright yellow. I have the Q-BIK SE on my R1000T and it's best quality is how comfortable it remains when using on a bike with aero bars.

Cut a couple of pieces of PVC pipe to length to use along with QRs, or bolts and nuts to help prevent bending a chain stay or fork leg while in the bag.

Brad

OLB

rccardr - as always, a great job on this bike. I love the color and the build. I'm never sure if I like your Cannondale or Schwinn projects more, can't go wrong with either.

rccardr 

Built this '85 SR for my spin instructor. Great guy but has always been into mountain biking, never owned a road bike. Have a seat post on order, the aero one sinks too deep into the seat tube on this frame. All Shimano 5800, compact with an 11-28 cassette. New Shimano RS21 11 speed wheels. I think it turned out pretty nice.

OldsCOOL

Nicely done. I like the wheels.

Darth Lefty 

Can anyone comment on decals from Retrodecals UK? The website seems to be dead, but the guy has a Facebook page with more recent work. I was looking for a reproduction of the "cartoony" 1998 decals and he seems to have them. I'm debating whether to get my XR800 painted or leave it alone and scratched, because I really love the decals, they're neato.

It's such a strange bike, and yet the XS800 was even stranger. I can't find a lot of comment or photos from owners. I wonder how many they sold.

Darth Lefty 

I corresponded with the guy from Retrodecals and he said he'd do some proofs. His Facebook page shows an M400 with similar decals. Saeco tomato red is nice and all, but how do you think it would look in Toyota Speedway Blue with the same yellow decal?

I've been searching just because I'm curious. This XR800 seems about as rare as hen's teeth. I don't think it's a grail bike. But Search Tempest shows me two in all the country's Craigslists. One in Maine and one in Bedford, IN. An XS800 with the head shock was for sale nearby a few weeks ago, the owner had set it up with flat bars as a bastard MTB. I wonder how many of either they made?