jdave5917

Picked up a mid-90s Beast of the East (Beast decal is on non-drive chainstay, so not shown in photo below) and trying to date it. The head tube/headset is for 1 1/4 steerer, and it has the cantilevered rear dropout. Based on those bits of info and catalog info and color, I'm thinking that it may be a '94 but not enough info to be sure. Was C'dale using stickers/decals to affix serial numbers at that time? I found the serial no location info below in Vintage Cannondale and I'm guessing the numbers would have been on a sticker rather than stamped into the bottom bracket (no numbers stamped on this BB and also looked on dropouts, seat tube, seat stays, head tube, etc. There are some tiny stampings on the non-driveside rear dropout ("19" and either "1B" or "IB") and driveside rear dropout ("3") If that's "IB" on the non-drive dropout, I suppose that could mean Feb 1997, but the frame has the 1990-96 style headtube decal, and also I believe the '97 Beast had a 1 1/8 steerer. I don't think any of the components are original so no help there. I believe the Indy fork is a '97 and other components are mainly XT-739 series (except that purple Cook Bros crankset and a Chris King headset) which I think came a few years later than this frame. If anyone has a similar mid-90s Beast, it would be very helpful to know where the serial number is on your bike.

Depaso

Look at the bottom of the chainstay.

Ironfish653

I have a '96 F-1000, and the SN numbers are definitely pin-stamped on the bottom of the BB. They are partly obscured by the cable guide, and yours may be buried under the paint as well. Mine's flat-black, so the paint is thinner than a gloss finish.

Stickers would have been in the mid '00s

You might want to check the underside of the seat stays as well, since the 'Beast is a bit of a throw-back, even for early 90's Cannondales.

The 2-digit markings on the dropouts are the welder's and inspector's stamps. Just to remind you that in those days, Cannondales were made by actual people.

jdave5917

Thx for the reply - I looked again and nothing there.

francophile 

Try popping off the cable guide under the BB? Isn't there a single 3mm or 4mm hex-head bolt holding it on?

Depaso

Look again. With paint you hardly notice it.

mechanicmatt

https://vintagecannondale.com/year/1993/1993.pdf


Page 22

I wanted one of these badly back in the day. High bottom bracket to clear fallen logs. Almost all of your parts are switched out. Needs the pepperoni fork back on it.

jdave5917

I assume that is a bare frame since the numbers are clearly visible. And that looks like the outside of the driveside chainstay - correct? What year/model is that from?
I went back with a bright light and a magnifying glass and still nothing. If there are numbers on this frame, I think the paint will have to be stripped to find them. That's not out of the question since the existing paint is pretty much trashed.

jdave5917

The cable guide has a rather small footprint, but I did removed it and can't see any stampings either under or near it.

Depaso

Yes. Bare frame SC600. Lower side of the left chainstay. It is upside down. 6 for 126 (128) rear dropout space. 54 for frame size, 1192 for date, 2828 for serial number. Yours start at 518 ... And it's on the inside of the left seatstay. 10cm above the chainstay.

jdave5917

Thanks. I'll go back a little later and focus on that area.

jdave5917

Well, that info on the specific location did it! Thx for sticking with me on this one. 5 18 06 92 2631, so a June 1992 production date which I suppose could mean either a 1992 or 1993 model. Assuming catalog photos are accurate (??), 1992 had black "Cannondale" lettering like the one I have, while 1993 had yellow lettering.