Henry III

I recently saved this Cannondale...as in today. I've noticed it on the side of a garage in my little town on my way to drop off some USPS packages. I first saw it about two weeks ago but couldn't get up close enough to see what it was but knew it was something decent. Each time I would get close a feisty little pug would hold protect it's yard. So today I saw someone outside and was able to go up and see what it was and talk to the owner. The guy was no rider and knew it was something special but had no interest in it hence why it was sitting outside. He said he got it from a friend who gave him two bikes (both Cannondales). He gave the other away to someone who needed a bike and had this left.

Now that I finally got up close to see what this mystery bike was and low and behold it was a SR800...or Black Lightning. That's where my question lies. It doesn't say Black Lightning but has the black with gold specs in the paint but noticed for 1986 (serial number 56052186131) doesn't list a Black Lightning and just "Special Edition SR800 in sinister black on black". Did the "Black Lightning" just not exist yet?

Unfortnately the frame is a bit too big as it's a 56 and I ride a 50/52cm. The previous owner had the GP4's removed and some Wolbers clinchers installed onto the original Superbe Pro hubs. Besides that it's pretty much all stock besides the Brooks Pro inplace of the Cinelli Volare saddle.

The all black/gold Superbe Pro group is quite nice. It's a complete group from seatpost to the headset and everything in between. Makes me want to pull it and paint my H400 gravel bike black.

70sSanO

While I'm sure others will have more info. I thought that in addition to the group and paint, a Black Lightning had to be criterium geometry. Since the '86 catelog only shows '85 specifications and the '87 show standard and racing it could be a late '86. I don't know. I do know that if it does not have criterium geometry it may be black but it isn't very lightning... I have an '86 non-criterium bike and it is night and day.

John

Edit added: you know... I do ride a 56cm.

oldbikenewbike

Do you have any photos?....

OldsCOOL

1987 was the first year and yes they were criterium geo framed. Dang, what a find!

https://www.vintagecannondale.com/year/1987/1987.pdf

A major difference between race and crit frames is HT angle. That crit framing is a fast handler. Mine is intuitive, you merely think it and it follows.

70sSanO

So a Black Lightning has be have criterium geometry to be a Black Lightning?

John

OldsCOOL

That is correct (now I'll have to go and read brochures )

Henry III

Weird as in it's built in 86 so wouldn't it be an 87 model, but has more in common with the 86. The 87 Black Lightning has a Suntour Spring group but my bike has Suntour Superbe Pro with gold anodized bits like the 86 model has. The Black Lightning look like it was dumbed down from 87 on as it no longer had Superbe Pro bits on it.

OldsCOOL

As with other companies the componentry changed year to year but the appeal of this model didnt.

70sSanO

If you look at the 1986 catalog, the copyright is 1985. The 1987 catalog has a copyright of 1987.

I would think that criterium frames began production sometime in 1986 for 1987. If it is a 1986 SR800 with the 1986 Superbe Pro group AND the correct criterium geometry, you, my friend, have found yourself a very intriguing and collectible Black Lightning that technically didn't exist in 1986.

If it is not the criterium geometry, then you may still have an intriguing bike and it is the "sinister black" that is referenced in the catalog.

Either way it is a great find. Did I mention I ride a 56cm?

John

OldsCOOL

Best thing to do is look at the year of frame build in the serial number.

OldsCOOL

Ooops just saw the ser# in the OP.

Very unusual. Possible that someone built it recently but quite unlikely.

70sSanO

That is what is intriguing. A 1986 serial number with 1986 components but a 1987 model with 1987(?) geometry. The geometry is the key to this puzzle.

John

Henry III

Henry III

Henry III

Henry III

As you see I saved this bike because it was literally sitting on the side of a garage. This thing would of rotted away. Too bad the Fujito Professional saddle took the brunt of the elements...and the chain. Maybe some proofide can bring it back a little but it's split by the rivets kind of bad.

Though you can kind of see in the last two pics the bit of gold sparkle in the paint. Also the gold Superbe Pro bits I don't think were available seperately? I could be wrong as I was only 7 when this bike was made. lol.

OldsCOOL

My guess is this is not a BL. At least the shifters and RD are not what you would expect as they are not black. The stem doesnt have BL on it, either. The BL decals arent there, though the paint may not be original. Measure the frame componentry according to the year found in the serial #.

RobbieTunes

Doesn't matter, PM me with a price.

OldsCOOL

You dont see many bikes with full Superbe Pro. What a nice snag, Henry.

OldsCOOL

That's what I'm saying. That thing is playing with a stacked deck.

Henry III

So this is essentially the first black lightning before they got the BL name? There was no 85 black on black model and 87 they first showed up with the BL name but 86 it was a murdered out SR800. It has the BL touches with the gold speckled black paint with gold specific components...RD, FD, shifter, bars has a gold ring on both sides of the clamp sleeve. Either way it's a classy looking ride.

Henry III

I won't list a price because grown men will cry and he threw in four free cucumbers also into the deal.

OldsCOOL

Very well could be. You may have a very rare bike.

Now, may I call your attention to what you said in post 3??
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...o-project.html

Henry III

He did say it came from up around your neck of the woods.

OldsCOOL

(there is a longtime dealer over in Petoskey)