3rg0

It is an amazing frame indeed.. I'm happy to hear that

3rg0

Very good attention to detail!! So the one with red decals can be newer than the one i have...i'm glad to hear that..Old means vintage and it means value

T-Mar

OK, I've been going through my old magazines from the era and have found Giant's early 1990 advertisement, "introducing" the 980C. The advetrisement appeared in a February 1990 issue, so I'm assuming was on the stands in January 1990 and represents very late 1990 production. I've compared it with the 1991 advertisement.

The frame itself appears identical to the later, 1991 version, with the exception that the aluminum is highly polished in 1990 but appears anodized in 1991. Both have the riveted front derailleur hanger.

Graphics are similar but not identical. Neither has the the geometric shapes on the top tube. Both use red logos but the 1990 has a white shadow outline whereas the 1991 is green. The 1990 has Giant on the seat tube and Cadex on the down tube, whereas 1991 reverses the placement, with Giant on the down tube and Cadex on the seat tube.

The head badges are different between the 1990 and 1991. The image for 1990 is not fully visible but appears to be a white triangle with with a red 'G' and a superimposed white bar with 'GIANT'. The 1991 uses a red triangular design with a blue circle and double waves, having a superimposed green bar with "GIANT".

The tubing decals in 1990 have a different colour scheme than 1991. 1990 uses while lettering on the seat tube separated by red bars, while the fork uses red lettering separated by black bars. In 1991 the lettering on both the seat tube and fork are black letters printed on red and green bars.

The 1990 model uses a natural (silver) headset, whereas the 1991 uses a black headset.

The frame that non-fixie shows in posts #20 & #23 is an excellent match for the 1991 model, except that the secondary colour in the logos, head badge and tubeset decals is blue versus green.

The OPs' and non-fixie's models have more in common with the 1990 model than the 1991. They have the natural/silver, headset. They have the 1990 placement of the Giant and Cadex decals. They appear to use the same tubing decals on the seat tube and forks. The new evidence is consistent with the premise that the version with the silver graphics and geometric design on the top tube is the original and relatively short lived version, manufactured in mid-1989, though still a 1990 model.

non-fixie 

I've been doing some more googling and I am - besides getting REALLY fed up with Photobucket - becoming more and more convinced that the "colorful shape" design is the original that was used from the introduction in 1987 through 1989.

T-Mar

I just noticed another difference in the 1990 and 1991 advertisements. The BB shell in 1990 is gray like the dropouts, whereas in 1991 it's black. Again, the OP's & non-fixies's bicycles are in line with 1990.

T-Mar

I agree, except on the dating, as all the evidence supports a 1990 model year introduction for the 980C, even if frame manufacturing extends back to mid-1989. First, it was spec'd with 105SC, which came out for the 1990 model year. Second, the introductory advertisement is from 1990. Third, it uses the new, italicized, all upper case logo, which was introduced for the 1990 model year.

I hope to have the 1990 & 1991 advertisements of the 980C posted within the hour. Unfortunately, they are two page spreads and won't fir the scanner. I'll use the camera for the full advertisements, then scan some detail portions for comparison. I'll apologize in advance for the inevitable glare, which I'll try to keep to the text portions of the ads.

T-Mar

Here's the February 1990 advertisment. Note that it says "introducing", implying a new model. Note the similarities to the OP's bicycle; same headset, tubeset decals, same placement of Cadex and Giant logos. Head badge appears to be an interim design, similar to but no the same as 1991. I couldn't geta goodscan of the BB shell, but it does appear to be gray.

Text also states the frame was being tested on the European pro circuit in 1989. " The World Class 980C, race proven in hundreds of European bicycle events, is ready to hit the American road running... and winning."

T-Mar

OK, now here's the February 1991 advertisement. Note the headset and BB shell have changed to black. The tubeset decals are now black letters on red and green bars. The logo shadows are now green versus white and the position of the Giant and Cadex logos are reversed compared to 1990. The head badge has the new round symbol with the double waves on a red triangle.

This is an excellent match for the sample in posts #20 & #28, with the exception of the green versus blue secondary colour on the decals. |it is more removed from the OP's bicycle than the version in the 1990 advertisement.

non-fixie 

Thanks very much, @T-Mar! Much appreciated! Giant themselves name 1987 as the year of introduction for their Cadex bikes. So far it looks like it was introduced (and market-tested) in Europe before the US launch. Whether that was in '87 or later, I don't know yet. Some owners claim to have a very early, or even an '87 Cadex, but they all seem to be Photobucket users. So if there are pics of bottom brackets with serial numbers, I can't see them.

BTW, the date codes on my cranks and brake calipers say NI and NJ, so they would have been manufactured in September and October '89.

T-Mar

Yes, I've seen the 1987 reference, but it's late 1987, for the 1988 model year. Also,consider that Cadex is not exclusive to fibre frames,but could be used with any material. My understanding is that CADEX = Computer Assisted Design EXperiment.

Giant's European racing dates to 1988 sponsorship of a Dutch based team, riding frames manufactured by Peter Serier. Reportedly, the team won 150 races in 1988. Photos show the bicycles and jerseys sporting the old style logo, so logo timelines appear to be consistent between Europe and North America.

I've also seen several reported 1987 Cadex bicycles but they were all no older than 1990, based on 105SC components. One even had a GB1xxxxx S/N!

Regardless, your component date codes are consistent with what I would expect for a 1990 model. It was probably assembled around October-November 1989. The time gap between the frame and component dates, indicate stockpiling of frames pending component shipments, almost undoubtedly due to the time intensive manufacturing of the carbon fibre tubes in-house.

Based on all the recent evidence, I have a very high level of confidence that the 980C frame with the geometric design on the top tube is an early version of the 1990 model. Unfortunately, with all the incorrect postings on the internet, mistaken identifications will persist. However, at least three of us will know better.

non-fixie 

Hmm. I still find it difficult to believe that Giant would introduce the "colorful shape" style on a new model for 1990 and then change it early in the year, like the February '90 ad would suggest. There are just too many of the old style bikes floating around.

Anyway, I just tried again to find early Cadex serial numbers, and look what Google comes up with. Maybe I should just give up ...

3rg0

WOW!! Thank you for your interest!!..I found this on Giant official page: https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/ab...for-the-masses
So now I know for sure that the one with red decals and polished alloy is the first Cadex980C.
Btw what's that little bump on the headtube,under the toptube?Thank you!

T-Mar

Except that they got the date wrong. That is a 1990 model (see post #32).

The small fitting is a pump peg for holding a pump horizontally, under the top tube.

uncle uncle

Maybe "introduced in 1987" means that the first frames were made and testing started (so, not necessarily making frames available to the mass market, which is what most would assume "introduced" meant). In the aircraft industry (my base of knowledge) the word "introduced" can mean when design work begins, or when testing begins, when or flight testing of prototypes begin, etc... it all depends on the context. In an advertising sense too, it's common for a company to "push forward", as much as possible, their efforts to come up with innovative products.

T-Mar

While there is no doubt that the marketers like the push the envelope when it comes to claims, this one is extreme. The 980C was introduced commercially as a 1990 model. The "mass market" claim is so subjective that it's arguable but I'm sure Miyata, Trek and Specialized could all lay claim. Miyata was the first to crack the $1000 threshold with a carbon fibre bicycle. By the time that the 980C came out, it was down to $800 but that year Specialized offered the Allez Epic for the exact same price and with the same component group as the 980C. I'm surprised they didn't lay claim via the 1990 890i. It was carbon fuibre hybrid, priced $30 under the 980C

3rg0

I have a question for @non-fixie...i need to change the BB because the actual is too long for the crankset and i don't know if this frame uses English or Italian BB screw thread..

amyanderson

how much you buy this one of my favourite bike

3rg0

@amyanderson... sorry i don't understand your question...how much I payed for the frame?

T-Mar

It would be English threaded. However, if you want to double check, the cups (or body if it's cartridge style) will be marked 1.37 x 24 for English or 36 x 24 for Italian. Also an English fixed cup will be left hand thread, while an Italian fixed cup will be right hand thread.

3rg0

Thank you so much! ..I think i will use a sealed BB from Campagnolo..so no cups! but the BB i have mounted right now on the frame has no inscriptions on the sides...

Edit: Yes i can confirm that it is English threaded.

ratfink76

Just picked up one of the frames and my front derailer hanger is screwed on with M5 bolts, not riveted on like is mentioned herein.

My serial number is GL004106 and has the red lettering with green/blue shadowing.

My brother also has one: GA000861 and has the red lettering with white shadowing.

sunday

Hi fellow cyclists and sorry for resurrecting such an old thread.
It just seemed handy.

Could you help me identify and maybe value an old Cadex frame?

It reads Giant Cadex CFR, the serial is GA6A313 and I will attach a pic of the frame.
Please ignore the seatpost, handlebars, carbon stickers etc, I just bought it cheap in order to strip the groupset for another frame.

This one is much too small for me, but if it has any value I will try to find a someone interested to get it cheap.

Thank you!