Thanks big john for solving a mystery for me - the exact age of the Cannondale SM 800 hardtail mountain bike I bought from a thrift store for $20 a couple years ago. The vintage Cannondale website offered the answer. It was June 1991.

Gee, Lucille, I haven't seen a posting generate this much energy in a long time. If you want a good site where you can learn basic bike maintenance, google on the name Sheldon Brown. Sheldon was a master mechanic and a rather eccentric looking fellow. He had a comprehensive list of common problems and how to fix them. His information was posted on the Harris Cyclery website and they kept it up after he died. One other thing. If you do have the seat down all the way but still find the handlebars too low or hard to reach, there is a fix called a handlebar riser. The one I used on my Balance MTB is made by Delta, sold on the Performance Bicycle website, and if my dim memory recalls, cost me about $15. It is great to reduce how far over one has to bend to reach the bars. Worked great for me. It is really important go get your seat height properly set. It makes a GREAT deal of difference in how much energy you must expend to ride.