Is this bike a classic? Worth upgrading?
 

Folks;

Complete newbie here, looking for help and ideas and found bikeforums. TIA for all the experience you all offer.

Recently got my hands on a 1987 Cannondale Black Lightning in good (not great) shape. It will need some work, like a new BB (the old one makes metallic clinking noises when I stand on the pedals). But it's fairly light, accelerates quickly, and is fun to ride. And basically it looks good.

Some questions:

It's got 126 spacing, and I'd like a drive train with more cogs and some lower gearing (I'm in my mid-60s and the hills got higher and steeper), so would like to put 7 or 8 speed cogs in. Is that doable? Not coldset to 130, but inside the existing rear fork? And if so, what kind of components would work?

Next, can I swap the old Sugino AP double crankset for a more modern compact 8 speed double?

Last, it's got DT shifters, and I'm going to stack the bike up reaching down. Learned how years ago, but would prefer integrated shift/brake levers. Anyone have experience with Modolo Morphos shift/brake levers?

So, and to cut it short, am I overcomplicating things? Part of me says, hey, this is a 20+ year old bike. Fix the small stuff and ride it like it was meant to be. Another part of me wants better gearing and the security of on-bar shifting.

Thanks in advance, and pardon any protocol lapses.

Would a photo or two help? List of components?

Cheers

--JF

I'm not familiar with that Cannondale, but I have three 90's C'dales and I really like the brand. To me its worth the investment if you're going to ride it. I can answer one of your technical questions. No problem upgrading to 7 speed. You might have to redish the wheel, but the frame can handle it. Eight speed will require more changes and you would be shoving a 130mm axle into a frame with a 126mm spread between the dropouts. Because I've chosen to do this on one of my bikes doesn't mean you will be comfortable doing that.

The way I look at it, If you like the way it rides and you want to ride it... upgrade it! This is the Cdale that was all black right? Someone else in C&V or mechanics might know about adding more cogs. I only know you cant cold set the rear triangle (because its aluminum) so that limits the size of hub. Im going to go out on a limb here and say you might be able to squeeze a 130 in there but I'm not sure. I would get a second opinion on that. Good luck! Hope this helps.

I assume the 126 mm hub is the type with a screw on freewheel. You can get a Shimano 7 speed HG freewheel that will fit. I put one on my mid 80s Klein with 126 mm Campy hubs. It shifts very well. There's not much clearance between the smallest cog and frame, but it works.

You should be able to put a compact crankset on there, too. Depending on the present crankset, you may need a longer spindle. If I understand the situation correctly, newer cranksets have less offset on the arms, so the must be spaced a little further out to clear the chainstays. The narrower chainwheels are no problem.

I don't know wnough about brifters to know if those would work. Bar-end shifters might be a good alternative for you.

Honestly, the cost of upgrading it will probably come close to a new entry level road bike (it'll snowball, especially if you have your LBS do the labor). If I were you, I'd take your own advice by getting it in shape and riding it as is...or go buy yourself a new bike.

Of course, if you want a project, by all means, upgrade! It's a great way to learn wrenching.

Put a freewheel on the back with the largest big cog that your rear derailleur will handle. Put a compact double with the smallest rings (both rings, e.g. 48-30) that you can find. That's an effective and inexpensive solution. If you plan to ride up a lot of very steep hills than you may have to go to even lower gear ratios which would mean a triple chainwheel and a new rear derailleur.

Bar end friction shifters would be an additional expense but the bikes original downtube shifters are easy to adapt to. Just remember to shift before you're in extremis. Try using them for a year.

Brake/Shifters (brifters) are very expensive and will complicate your setup.

Cannondale gets better, now for a compact crank
 

Folks;

Mentioned the BB noise in my first post, and am pleased to say it's been fixed.

Any ideas on locating a low-cost compact crank? That's the next project.

--JF

Whoa, whoa, whoa........I realize alot of people dislike Cannondales and all but the Black Lightning is perhaps the most collectable of them at this point. You would be smart to hold onto everypart you replace just in case you want to let it go in the future.....As a fellow owner of a Black Lightning let me tell you it is no easy task finding suitable replacements for the black components on them. It took me quite awhile to find new levers (with no logos) and a shorter stem that were black. I fear for the day my GF messes up the rear derailleur....Don't toss that stuff!

P.S. Still looking for suitable black hubs (if anyone has some please PM me).......The wheelset was mix matched when I bought it.

Hi, and thanks.

I've been keeping anything I take off, for the reason(s) you allude to. I'm a little torn between wanting to ride a classic and wanting a more modern bike. For example, the chainrings are 52-42, making the bike feel slow and ponderous on hills (I admit to being 63). My hope is to find components that are suitably black for daily riding, but in any event, the old Sugino rings are worn and need replacing (and they're too big). I found an FSA compact crank with black rings and might try adapting it.

Any thoughts or parts you know will work? Would you mind me asking for details regarding your Cannondale?

Again, thanks for your interest. BTW, see you're in Puyallup. I'm in Olympia.

--Joe F