Question about Cannondale 2.8 frame
 

Yesterday night I was riding home, enjoying the 6Bft wind. Suddenly the derailleur hanger snaps off and basically renders my Giant OCR frame total loss. Luckily I was just trying to pull up from a crossing so I had no speed yet, otherwise the derailleur would have been caught in the wheel, rendering me total loss for a while as well. It sucks. Bad. I'm, just like Frameless, frameless...

Now someone I know has a Cannondale 2.8 frame which I really like. Can anyone tell me the width of the chainstays, so I can figure out wether my current wheels will fit?

Big kiss,
Frameless Fred

you can put a 10 spd hub in a 2.8 frame.

btw - get another frame. 2.8s are as uncomfortable as all hell.

Do you have any budget frame in mind, as I can't really afford getting a frame at all....

marktplaats?

That's where this one came from. It was on MP a while ago, but the ad expired. Thought I'd give the guy a call, as I still have his contact info.

What's so uncomfy about a 2.8 if I may ask?

the design of the rear triangle/dropouts (done to avoid a law suit from klien) means that there's absolutely no give to the frame.

if my tires are pumped to +/-100psi, i swear i can feel it when i ride over a leaf.

You have one?

I have one, and the dropouts measure 128mm, the intermediate measurement. There is just enough flex to fit either a 126mm or 130mm hub.

I agree about the discomfort of the 2.8. I owned one back in '92. The ride was awful. Just too stiff.

I weigh a bit more though, just over 180lbs, I think it will flex a bit more for me than for others...

I think the extra stiffness was because the chief engineer at the time was an arrogant jerk and stiffness was all he cared about ...

Must be Dutch for "Thanks in advance"? lol.

2.8 would be less than comfortable but it would work in a pinch.
http://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.co...kermesses.html

Of course I was coming off of the 3.0 version of the same frame, and that was even less comfortable than the 2.8.

Given the choice I'd see if there was anything else out there. If it's the only choice, it's clear what you need to do. If there are other choices...

As a last resort put some bigger tires on, but you can only go 25c I think.

cdr

I think I'll take the frame anyway, I need a new frame right now, and it's the only thing I can afford at this very moment. I'll be putting aside money for a completely new bike as soon as I've converted my Giant OCR into a, well... Cannondale OCR I think.

I'll be measuring the width of the rear hub this evening to make sure it will fit. If it will, my decision is made. If it won't there's always a Giant OCR frame I can get for three times the costs of this 2.8 frame.

Oh and please don't take the "big kiss" seriously. I was mostly making fun of myself anyway as I trashed my frame, so I thought I'd anyway go overboard with the 'compliments' on myself.

I did some measuring, and the rear wheel will fit. As the frame is coming without a fork, I hope to be able to use the OCR fork without too much problems. Should be a nice sight to have a bright and shiny polished 2.8 with a bright yellow fork on it ;)

Sorry to dissapoint you Botto, but I'm going for this frame anyway, as I need a cheap frame as soon as possible. As said I will be putting some money aside each month to save up for a real road bike though. In about 2 years I really hope to be riding a nice 105 equipped bike.

If the OCR has a hidden bearing headset the base of the fork will be visible on the 2.8. Not a big deal - my bike is like that now. Just a heads up.

cdr

Your current wheels will fit. I have two, 2.8's. Both are set to use 130mm axles. When Cannondale came out with the 2.8, 8 speed was already a hot item. In most instances, Cannondale did not make some frames for 7 speed (126mm) and some for 8 speed (130mm). They just purchased rear wheels with 7 speed that had 130mm axles. One of my 2.8's originally had 7 speed rear. I've converted it to 9 speed and all my 130 mm axles slip in and out just fine.
Just make sure it's not a 3.0 frame. Many, if not most of those were set to take 126mm, 7 speed rear axles.
EDIT: As for the stiffness, I can't argue with the previous posts unless you're lucky enough to find the fairly rare 2.8 with a head shock. I find the standard 2.8 to hurt my back and I'm not talking after a long ride, I'm talking about a measly 6 mile ride and it hurts. It's nearly pristine and it will go up for sale this spring. The other bike has a head shock and is VERY comfortable. And YES, Cannondale DID make a road bike with a headshock.

I'm fairly sure it's a 2.8. I've done lots of googling when I initially found the seller on the web. It's an alu polished frame, which I haven't been able to find as a 3.0, but I did find several as a 2.8.

To tell the difference between a 3.0 and a 2.8, look at the cable routing for the rear brake. The 3.0 runs on top of the top tube, the 2.8 along the bottom of the top tube. Both have cantilevered rear stays.

Did a quick check, I have some pics of the frame in my mailbox. It's a 2.8, cable for the rear brake runs below the top tube.

Define canitlevered rear stay, I'm not entirely getting that I think...

The seat and chain stays joint is in front of the rear dropout.
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ofHPIM2801.jpg

Technically it's not cantilevered, but that was the marketing term used by Cannondale. So the picture by DieselDan is good.

The 2.8s had a cone shaped downtube, wider in diameter at the base (BB side). The rest of it was virtually the same as the 3.0 (which had wide down tubes or narrow ones). I think the 2.8 had a double butted BB shell, I don't remember if that was on the 3.0.

cdr

I'm not sure how long they made the 2.8 for, but it was originally made with a 1" head tube.

Botto's correct that it's a very stiff ride. My mom complained about hers over the steel Bianchi she had before it. I believe the Cannondale track frame was based on the 2.8 (or was it the 3.0?), and my brother and I rode them and also noticed how stiff they were. Not as big of a deal on the velodrome... except that Encino felt like Paris Roubaix.

It's in your head -- 2.8s are fine.

fine in regards too? a 2.8 is still thought of as one of the stiffest frames around. i have one as well, mine is 130mm spaced. the headtube is 1" on mine, so not sure if youre OCR fork will work. mine has a carbon fork off a later CAAD.

Good point. A 1 1/8" threadless steertube will not fit in a headtube designed for 1".