Ride of a 94 C'Dale SR400 stock fork?
 

We have a number of bikes in our household. Some Alum w/carbon forks, some Alum w/Cromo forks, Some Cromo, and are in the process of building up a 1994 Cannondale R600 frame and fork set. So, quite comfortable with riding alum framed bikes, and like the ride just fine.

We've read that particular frame and fork is especially harsh riding however (Cannondales 2.8 frame). So, wondering if we should be looking at swapping out the fork for a carbon instead? If so, any recommendations? We're going all modern components, so not going for a particular "look." Thanks.

I would build it up then ride it to see for yourself.

I wouldnt categorize that small diameter aluminum c'dale fork as harsh, but combined with the whole package , others might feel that way.

The downtubes on those bikes are the size of bazookas, - tough to get a plush Lincoln-like ride out of it with any fork combination, - but they are quite tolerable for a performance bike

I think you mean R600 if it's a '94. SR series was 80's.

http://vintagecannondale.com/year/1994/1994.pdf

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...the trick with a Cannondale is figuring out whether or not you can get tyres fat enough to smooth out the ride within the clearances provided by the fork and stays. You're gonna get a lot more bang for your buck in alleviating stiff ride with tyres than with a carbon fork.

Correct, we also just picked up a 80's touring, think I was picking up the S prefix from there:).

The bazooka sized downtube...check, lol. Thanks.

Duly noted, we're connoisseur of high tpi sidewalls :). The LBS we work with is a C'Dale shop, and very familiar with the vintage stuff. They thought we might be able to stuff 28's in there, they're willing to see what will fit when we get to that point. Just thought we'd check with the C&V folks to get a feeling for the forks before we started fitting the parts together....thanks.

I had the R500 3.0 series with alu fork and it was really harsh but equally fast and responsive. That's the trade. Back then I wanted speed, now I want a lazy-boy.
edit. I don't think it took 28's or maybe I just chose narrow rubber.

Craptacular8, I used a 2.8 for many years and about 15K miles as my distance bike. It too was originally a R400 ('96) that I bought just to have the Black Gold paint...weak reason, eh?

The aluminum fork wasn't uncomfortable whatsoever. I ran 23 mm tires at ~100 PSI rather than max rating of 120 PSI. The bike could fit 25 mm tires, which is what I now use on a basically identical CAAD3 frame. Because they're hand made, some may only fit a 23 mm due to the brake bridge. Even if there is enough clearance there for a 28 mm tire, or with the rear brake mounted on the front of the brake bridge, the FD clamp may interfere with the larger tire.

As noted, air pressure and to a lessor extent the tire's thread count, contribute to ride quality. I like to run the Conti GP4000 tires, but on another build in the works I'm going to try the re released Conti GPs. A good fit is essental also, as it is for any bike.

Brad

Some people are just better at Rule 5 than others.

@clubman and @bradtx thanks for the feedback. Sounds like 25's will be much more likely, which is fine. I'd been eyeing the GP4000's.

@Craptacular8 I run 28mm Gatorskins on my '94 R600 with no clearance issues.

I have a '93 R600, 2.8 frame and aluminum fork. I think it is just fine. No issues whatsoever with harshness in the ride. I run 25mm tires.

@greg3rd48 and @pastorbobnlnh thanks for the feedback.

...the best I can do on this one is 28's, which make it bearable for me but still too harsh for at least one of my friends who test rode it. I think maybe we were all just younger and more durable when these were made. I don't know how people toured on them, but apparently they did. For me, I feel it more in the saddle end than the bar thanks to the steel fork on this one.

:thumb: Too funny....I ran 18's on my 86 SR for a while...I wasn't quite that hard.

@3alarmer, good to know. Like the color on your bike:) And to @Lascauxcaveman I use the "rules" more as a guideline as it were....to quote Pirates of the Caribbean, "the code is more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules. "