bradtx

I forgot to add the updated '89



Brad

bobbycorno

Well, I could never quite get used to having to count all my fillings after a ride, or to being on a first-name basis with every bump, crack, hole and other discontinuity in the pavement within 50 miles of home. I replaced the 'dale with a steel frame of identical geometry that was faster, smoother, and, despite being a pound heavier, climbed better. Never looked back.

SP
Bend, OR

prathmann

I supplemented a '90 Criterium Cannondale with an '84 steel Specialized Sequoia.

The latter has a bit more relaxed geometry and is better for touring since it has longer stays to avoid heel strike on the panniers and can accept larger tires plus fenders. But as far as riding smoothness, whichever one happens to have more supple tires on it at the moment is the more comfortable.

Dono_man

I am wanting to get back into riding a road bike and found this '87 Criterium, 63 cm, at a second hand shop for $150. The back wheel is oval shaped but all else seems pretty good. I am debating about the replacement rim. I've seen some of the Wolber rims on ebay and other places but cannot decide to go original or just get something to begin riding. Would love to hear a few comments.

rccardr 

SR500's are not highly prized or collectible bikes, but they are great, bombproof, daily riders. If it were mine, I'd be tempted to just buy a nice used Mavic CXP22 wheelset and 9-speed cassette & either friction shift it with what you've got or pick up a set of DA 7700 9 speed DT shifters. Investment would be around $200- more than the bike cost- but all of that stuff can be used going forward, whereas replacing the Mavic rim & using new DT spokes would run you $100 (unless you lace & true your own wheels) and you'd still be using 6 speeds and putting rim rub on the new rims.

And then I'd ride the crap out of it.

serfur1

Wow, great looking cdales. I didn't so many were still riding them. I bought this a few years ago in it's original state and have upgraded everything. It's my main road bike and it's about 18.5 lbs. I'm a clydesdale so it's perfect as it's stiff as can be. hand built wheels, carbon bars, carbon fork, ultegra 9 speed. I bought a NOS 7 speed cassette rear hub and took 8 gears from a 9 speed cassette and they fit on the 7 speed hub, no need to spread the rear.




here it is at the top of stelvio, I'm only 3.5 hrs away, so we all go each year for Stelvio bike day. it was FREEZING that day, literally, it snowed and hailed and rained on us all day.

mississippimud

Dono_man

will the mavic cxp22 9-speed cassette fit on a sr500? Ive read that these frames don't like to be stretched much.

bradtx

Dono_man, Yes. There is no issue fitting a 130 mm wide (some 7s and 8-10S) rear hub into any 126 mm bike's rear spacing. Many, many Cannondale riders have made this simple swap (mine in post #51).

Brad

Dono_man

that is good to know. I'm ready to get on the road with this bike. I was looking at a Vitus 959 with Mavic wheels and durace components at a local pawn shop, thinking I'd put those wheels on if I can't find another Wolber t430. I think the newer wheels might be a better investment. The Vitus 959 is pretty nice looking however, silver frame, but I've read a little on possible frame issues and was really just going to pick it up for the wheels and possibly the components.

Dono_man

The Mavic wheels on the vitus 959 I was considering are MA40's with durace hubs. were those pretty good in their day?

bradtx

The MA40s are pretty good rims, actually a favorite by some for their classic look.

Brad

DMC707

back from the dead thread


My old Criterium - late 80's, tri-color 600 group - neat little bike

Just picked up one not quite as old on CL this morning too (a '92 with a purple/black fade paint job) -- will post a pic of it when I get it cleaned up-- I just bought the '92 to rob the group off it for another project, but when I picked it up, it was my size (good grief --- It looked a size or 2 too large in the pics --- I don't need more bikes )

spacemanz

Cool thread, & worth reviving. I've just recently started tinkering a bit with my '97 CAAD 3 Silk Road 500. It's a 58cm in Speed Yellow, & I started looking at it again, as a good place for an anodized blue Mavic CXP-21 front rim. Actually, C'dales are one of the few bikes that can take those, I bet. I'll post up a pic later, once it's at least mostly together.

bradtx

I bought a partial '99 CAAD3 for the wheelset to use on my '86/'88 project bike and built the '99.

Brad

bradtx

Because of the over sized tubing common today Cannondales update rather nicely to modern styles.

Brad

spacemanz

I meant the color, LOL. Yeah, I have a stem for the Headset, for oversized bars, and some beat up FSA carbon riser bars. That was a nice upgrade, but it had pretty decent older stuff. The biggest difference is ride quality, which aluminum frames really needed help with. A decent CF seatpost and CF bars, really smooths out the ride.

bradtx

I didn't put it well, but I was including color in my remark. I've just used supple tires and tire pressure to adjust the ride quality. I still have to pick up a seat post so I may try a CF one for the '86/'88 build.

Brad

bradtx

I kept looking at your bike, and others, for ideas on where to take the '86/'88 build. I really like the Shiner head badge.

Brad

ClemY

This is my 35 yr. old criterium bike. It isn’t a Canondale and it isn’t aluminum. It is homebuilt by me in my basement and built with Columbus SP which was the heaviest Columbus tubing at the time. It originally had 120mm rear spacing. It now has 135 to minimize wheel dish and be compatible with my other wheel sets. Back in the day I raced it in club races on Clement Criterium Seta silk sewups. Now it runs 28mm clinchers on Velocity Deep V rims. It originally had a 5x2 gearing setup. It is now 9x3 with indexed shifting. It originally had a very stiff fork with about 32 mm offset; great for criterium racing, not so great for riding now. It now has a new fork with about 58mm offset made for me by Igleheart. It is much nicer now, but it is still pretty lively.

This bike sat around in my garage for many years after I stopped racing. When I decided I wanted a nice fast bike, but couldn’t afford a nice new bike, I decided to rebuild this one. It has worked out well for me.

bradtx

ClemY, At the time a light, stiff frame with acute geometry was what was desired for criterium racing. My son's SPX tubed bike covers the latter two points and isn't too heavy. I see little to no difference in rigidity compared to a Cannondale, actually.

Brad

cdale4ever 

My daily rider since new, '89 bought as frameset and built with a mix of pre-Ultegra 600, Tricolor, and 105. I've never had a problem with the ride being too stiff (with aluminum fork) or the handling too twitchy.



...and a few others waiting for buildup

ClemY

I never claimed any increase in stiffness compared to a Cannondale, just that I could build it in the basement with a torch and it was stiff enough for a 210 lb roadman sprinter. I am more than a bit heavier now.

clydeosaur

Just picked up & threw together this 95 R800. Nothing special about the parts on it, but a fun bike to ride.

RFC

My 87 Blueberry Cannonball. I have many steel C&V bikes and this out rides them all.