loveffany

Hi all,

My boyfriend's 1990 Cannondale Black Lightning was stolen a couple years ago and I wanted to purchase one for his birthday. However, i'm not a bike expert and I know very little about these bikes.

I found one on CL for $300 and I was wondering if you guys could help me identify whether or not this is actually a Black Lightning and maybe the year?

I am hesitate because of the piece that covers the wheels. The serial number in the photos is: 20013089066

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

T-Mar

No, it's not a 1990 Black Lightning, as they had used black components and had cantilevers stays. Does your boyfriend really need a frame that small?

loveffany

Okay, thank you. The guy said it was a 58cm.

My boyfriend is 6' and I believe he said he could do anything between 58cm - 60cm

loveffany

this is the second one I found. The price is $500 (is that too much?)

Thanks again, I really appreciate it.

omgar

The second one you just posted is definitely a Black Lightning. Still has the original saddle. Looks like the pedals and stem were switched out but it looks nice nonetheless. Judging from the head tube this one is a lot closer to 58cm than the first one you posted.
At $500 I'd say it's a good price but try offering something a little lower.

T-Mar

+1, it's a Black Lightning but not a 1990. I don't know know if it's important to your boyfriend but the 1990 had cantilever stays whereby the dropouts (where the wheel attachs to the frame) extends behind the stays (the two thin frame tubes by the rear wheel).

The first frame is too small but the 2nd frame looks close to 58cm.

IMO, $500 is too much, unless you're in a high priced market and the bicycle is immaculate. Original suggested list price on a 1990 SR500 Black Lightning was $619-$644. One in average condition, in an average market, should sell for $175-$225.

You probably want to surprise your boyfriend, but I wouldn't buy a bicycle without him. He really needs to try it out, before you buy. Believe me, he'll be happy enough that you went through the effort to search one out and are willing to buy it for him.

I'm attaching the catalog pic of the 1990 SR500 Black Lightning for reference.

wrk101

I buy a lot of bikes, and about 95% of the time sellers get the size wrong (actually worse than that, I am trying to remember the last time the seller got it right). Fortunately, in my case, I am rarely buying for myself. So size is not that critical (and for resale, the smaller the better, so the bike above would be of interest).

You need to either check for yourself, or calibrate your eyes so when you look at a picture, you can closely estimate the size. Regardless, I would take a tape measure with you when you buy.

Looking for a specific model bike, in a particular year, in a particular size, can get pretty expensive and also mean the bike will be shipped (even more expensive). Its a 22 year old model. I went through the same process, I was looking for a specific Schwinn Prologue, in my size. Took me two years to find one, and the one I found was in Logan, Utah (not exactly local to the Carolinas). And the seller had the size wrong, I had to take a chance my eyes were better than his measurement, as once I bought it, it was mine (can you imagine complaining at that point that the seller's sizing was correct, and I assumed it was wrong?). Fortunately my eyes were more accurate. But it was a significant risk. I was fully prepared to have to resell it if it arrived and was the wrong size (I was sick of waiting to find one. Oh yeah, and about 3 weeks later, what pops up on my local C/L? A Schwinn Prologue, in my size. At least mine was the red and white one (which I preferred), whereas the one locally was black and gray. And the one on my local C/L lasted an hour or less, so I guess someone else was looking too.


Since the second bike is on ebay, its not too much to ask seller for serial number, and then look it up.

wrk101

I would also spend some time on the vintage Cannondale site. Its quite good, and that serial number on the first bike tells you quite a bit.

The first two numbers (20) tell you its a 20 inch frame. The next six numbers tell you the manufacturing date:01-30-89, the last three are a sequence code (not important). So we already know its the wrong size, and the wrong year. And since the only bikes in 1989 that came in 20 inch size were mountain bikes, its certainly not a Black Lightning. The tire size in one picture confirms it.

A lot of bike serial numbers are of minimal value. Cannondale had one of the better numbering systems (notice the word "had").

Bianchigirll 

I would rather have this one over the '90 I think the components were better

loveffany

The image you attached is broken , do you mind re-uploading?

omgar

It's the same picture you uploaded of the second bike.

loveffany

Thanks all. So just to clarify, SR500 is the model, Black Lightning was a special edition (coloring?)? If i'm doing a search on CL should I be searching for a SR500 or a black lightning?

wrk101

Neither. I wouldn't be that specific. Sellers often don't mention model name, or number, at best, they will call it a Cannondale. The best Cannondale I have bought (I have bought several), was a 1988 SR1000. High end Cannondale, full Sante component group, etc. So how was the bike listed? One word. Bycicle. No pics, no brand name, no information of any kind. And yes, the seller even misspelled bicycle. I eventually contacted the seller. The only information I could get out of him was that "the bike is nice, and its blue." Still no size, brand or anything else. Curiosity got the best of me, so I went to see it (it had been for sale for a couple of weeks). That example is probably the worst case. But I would probably just search for Cannondale, calibrate your eyes for size and style, and go from there. FWIW: 1988 Black Lightning was an SR700. And the 1987 was an SR800. Those years were my favorite BL, due to the nice color contrasting Suntour Sprint components. On subsequent years, Cannondale used cheaper parts. 1989 and 1990 were SR500s.

A little more background on the Schwinn Prologue I bought off ebay above. Not only did I save a search on ebay for Schwinn Prologue, but I saved searches for several misspellings of Schwinn Prologue and word fragments. Sure enough, on the one I bought, the seller misspelled the model name. No excuse for him, as the model name is clearly marked on the top tube, with 1 inch high lettering or even larger. It really depends how bad you want one.

OldsCOOL

I'm with T-Mar on this one, totally. In regard to the price I'd be expecting that stem to be ano black like the factory issued stem, that was the beauty of this bike having everything tricked out black. Very nice otherwise.

As one that is watching Ebay for a Black Lightning of my own, this one looked pretty good but I'd not buy it unless I could get it down to 350.00-375.00.

loveffany

Thanks to everyone for their help, I learned a lot from this thread, other older threads and the vintagecannondale.com website.

I had posted a wanted ad on my local craigslist and yesterday, late afternoon, a guy contacted me and said he had one for sale. I went to check it out yesterday and it's perfect. Because of this forum, I knew how to read the serial number and felt confident in purchasing it. (#60022588036)

I ended up getting a 1988 BL, 60cm frame (I contacted his aunt and she told me his size). It has all original components, original saddle and original tires. It was given to the guy I purchased it from by his boss who purchased it in 1988. The bike was too big for him (he's 5'7") so he contacted me.

Here she is! Thanks again everyone!

OldsCOOL

Sure glad you found one, and a beauty it is! The '88s are still of the desireable old-school non-cantilever stays. Do you mind sharing how much you paid for it?

Do you mind sharing how much you paid for it?

loveffany

Of course not, I paid $300

OldsCOOL

Thank you, I appreciate knowing. It gives me encouragement that not every nice black lightning is going for 500-600.00$ Nice bike for 300.00, hope I find one in similar fashion.

Your boyfriend has a gem in his life.

And a nice bike

T-Mar

Nicely stated.

wrk101

1988 IMHO is MUCH nicer than a 1990. Well done!!

Chombi

Remember, Black Lightning frames should have the gold "Black Lightning" script on the drive side chainstay.....otherwise, it's just a "regular" black painted Cannondale sport/racing frame.......which I think the Black Lightning was anyway??.......

Chombi

OldsCOOL

Correct. But it's those black ano parts that really does something to those that like them. And I'm jonesin' to get one.

Chombi

You have to remember too that Cannondale sold Black Lightning framesets with special gold and black anodized Suntour Superbe Pro RD and FDs just as what my younger brother's Black Lighting had.:

IMO, that would be the Black Lightning to look for.....

Chombi

OldsCOOL

Most definately! That's akin to the musclecar chevvies coming COPO to dealerships.

jyl

That is a really nice thing you did, and you did it well too. Thumbs up.