I'm really doing townie conversions -- 1989 Cannondale Black Lightning

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11-12-20 | 02:24 PM
  #1  
Sorry for the dirty background, it was brisk this morning and I was under-jacketed.

Here's a recent cannondale find. I've been going a bit nuts buying this fall, this makes 8 since August. The original bars are boxed up and I installed this black ano'd Fyxation bar on a matching random SR stem. Still need to find a better saddle and move wheels around. When I bought it, it had incorrect wheels. so these where liberated from the Benotto for now.

While I"ve never been a fan of Cdales, I have enjoyed the 2 short rides I've taken it on. I've ridden alot of track bikes with townie bars, so having the crit geometry on this feels completely at home.





Reply 5
11-12-20 | 03:19 PM
  #2  
Stealthy, nice work.
Reply 0
11-12-20 | 03:42 PM
  #3  
That is a beautiful bike. Makes me want to go out and buy a black bike just to work on.
Reply 0
11-13-20 | 12:18 AM
  #4  
Nice change over from racy to steady ride.
Reply 0
11-13-20 | 12:38 AM
  #5  
looks like it might be twitchy = upright position on a short wheelbase race bike.


Definitely looks stealthy and visually sleek.
Maybe you should singlespeed that bike to increase the townie hipster feel.
Reply 0
11-13-20 | 09:24 AM
  #6  
Quote: looks like it might be twitchy = upright position on a short wheelbase race bike.


Definitely looks stealthy and visually sleek.
Maybe you should singlespeed that bike to increase the townie hipster feel.
I've ridden A LOT of fixed gears with upright bars, so this thing feels right at home. It's nice to go into a fast bumpy corner without having to think about where your pedals are going to be and how much to unweight the frame for the bigger bumps. I would like a 10-20mm longer stem though, but this was the only black one I could find in my stash.
Reply 0
11-13-20 | 11:37 AM
  #7  
Nice ride!

Just gonna pipe in with the useless information that hearses in Japan are primarily black/gold, and Suntour Japan staff were mystified why anybody would want to spec an all-black bike with gold accents. They were more surprised when it sold well, and C'dale continued the spec and added models. Internally they were referred to as either "hearse bikes" or "death bikes."

Just snagged some pix. They kinda look like mini-temples dropped on an El Camino. Sometimes more black than gold, or more gold, or I LOVE GOOOOOLD!




Reply 1
11-13-20 | 12:13 PM
  #8  
Quote: Nice ride!

Just gonna pipe in with the useless information that hearses in Japan are primarily black/gold, and Suntour Japan staff were mystified why anybody would want to spec an all-black bike with gold accents. They were more surprised when it sold well, and C'dale continued the spec and added models. Internally they were referred to as either "hearse bikes" or "death bikes."

Just snagged some pix. They kinda look like mini-temples dropped on an El Camino. Sometimes more black than gold, or more gold, or I LOVE GOOOOOLD!


I like that. I'm going to start calling it my "Herse". I don't know any Francophiles, so I doubt there will be any confusion.
Reply 0
11-13-20 | 12:56 PM
  #9  
Definitely a different treatment for a Black Lightning. I'm more surprised by the amount of trash that photo-bombed your picture
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