Chr0m0ly 

Any reason this frame wouldn't work? It's a 90s hybrid cannondale, someone's already put drop bars on it. (Drops are my preference).

Seems to have all the brazes and attachment points. I was looking for an ST or a T series and the Canti brakes caught my eye. Thought it was one of those, but I tracked it down in the old catalogs.

Any thoughts? It's tubes are narrower than the touring bikes... *shrug*

bradtx

I don't see why not as long as you are comfortable on it. I wouldn't expect it to have provisions for a low rider front rack, but there are other options.

Brad

fietsbob

Tour on what ever your favorite Bike is .. Touring is the activity .

seeker333

I wouldn't either, but:







OP - hybrids are usually a road frame fitted with flat/cruiser bars and compatible drivetrain components. SH400 is a road bike not designed for heavy loaded touring, but light touring is OK. Include the bicyclist's weight in reckoning overall load for this bike. If you are considering buying it, don't pay a lot since you can find much newer bikes more suited for loaded touring in good used condition, although in the right size can be tough.

Chr0m0ly 

Yeah, it's got the low rider brazes.

If it's a road bike not meant for loads, why put front and rear rack brazes?

Also, I figured a hybrid from this era would be a mountain bike frame with street tires and drive train?

I can't imagine the frame would fail if I put 50 pounds on it, is that really an issue?

I'm looking for an old Cannondale tourer specifically, so a newer bike doesn't really apeal to me at the moment. This might not be for me but I'm always trying to learn more about the vintage stuff.

bradtx

Well, that's a nice feature for the OP...delighted to be incorrect!

Brad

bradtx

I am guessing that you no longer have the '86 ST? The chain stays are pretty long to be a SR based frame...

Brad

pdlamb

Eh, did you miss the bit about loading it lightly?


Seriously, it might work. But the smaller diameter tubing (than a touring model) could flex under load, and when you hit a pothole in the road 20 miles from Podunk the frame could snap. The same could be said for any bike, of course, but if you're going to get a bike for loaded touring (like with 50 pounds of luggage), it would be reasonable to get one that's designed for the task.


--


The real lesson, of course, is to avoid the area around Podunk when you're touring!

Chr0m0ly 

Oh, I've still got the ST400, but it's just a frame. One of a few projects. I was looking for an ST with Canti brakes and I found this SH400 with drops.

Ad just said road bike and I figured it was a later model ST 5 or 6 hundred. Then I started looking and the ST's never had those cantilevered chain stays, so I started digging around.

I know I can tour on pretty much anything but I'm looking for one of these late 80s early 90s Cannondale touring rigs. I think I'll let this one pass, it might work just fine but I'd still be looking for the unicorn.

I might go look at it though...

fietsbob

as a zero to 10 in mechanical Problem solving skills How would you rate yourself.?

Chr0m0ly 

I'm a certified motorcycle technician and I spent five years fabricating research moorings for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

fietsbob

Bikes are simple but the Minutae and competing claims Make them complicated ..

Still say, from a Place where Hundreds of people Tour from, to and through every summer ,

Ride what ever you like .. Does It Fit you ? and are you comfortable riding it for a fortnight?
Touring is the activity , the bike just gets you down the road with your stuff.
IF you like riding it but stuff on racks doesn't work for you, Tow a Bike Trailer ..




With Your resume, want to buy the perfect bike, Especially for touring? New?


Bike Friday Stows in a suit case the suit case, which becomes a Trailer . (simplifies the Air and Bus transport Leg)

Big wheel bikes: Bruce Gordon and Co Motion (get the Rohloff Version)since you got the money to Invest .

Cost is all Up Front , maintenance and consumable spares is Cheaper thereafter.



./.

Chr0m0ly 

Thank you for the bike recommendations! The Bruce Gordon site had a great article on tube sets.

I'm actually less of a rider and more of a mechanic, I LOVE to ride, don't get me wrong! But, my current job has me seeing clients 45 miles apart from each other and until I'm living the dream of "car light" I'm wrenching more than riding.

I've been drinking the Cannondale ST cool aid as an overbuilt and overly stiff frame seems ideal unsupported camping, and I find it relaxing to maintain my little Miyata fleet.

I think for the moment I'm going to finish the ST400 build and see how my dual pivots work with a load and if I can squeeze fenders under them.


And learn about BBs. 3 of my bikes need BBs...

Chr0m0ly 

Update:
I snagged an H300 for short change figuring on using as much as I could on the ST400 build and then I found a Canti braked ST on Craig's list labeled as a "Cannondale Road Bike" with a price of "make me an offer". I offered $150.00 and he said done so I now have my "Holy Grail" bike!! It's a 1990 ST600 so the rear triangle is spaced at 130mm!

Now the paint is gloriously patinated with quite a lot of aluminum showing through, and there's some rust on the forks but the tubing is sound, no dents or damage, just looks like it was used on gravel without fenders for a few years.

Other than than the paint it's not bad, needs brake pads but the cables are sound, the tape is used but intact, and I even like the origin8 saddle that's on it!

Rides like tank in the best way, if there were ever a World War Z bike then this is it.

bradtx

Chr0m0ly, IIRC the '90 STs still used 27" wheels. You may need different cantilevers should you want to use 700C. This may've already been addressed on your bike...

Dual pivots would work pretty well on a touring bike, but fenders may need a narrow-ish tire.

Brad

himespau 

Nice, I've been hankering for one of those as well. I only seem to find the ST400 and 500 for side pulls (or dual pivots), no cantilevers, so my current plan is to build up a 1992 Specialized Sequoia frame instead. Sort of like your idea with the SH400 only it's an urban commuter rather than hybrid frame, but a frame built with mtb tubes with canti studs but for 700c wheels and all the attachments for racks. Seems like it'd be what I want and yet I keep finding myself searching for a Cannondale ST with canti mounts.

Chr0m0ly 

Brad, it did have the 27" rims but the back wheel needed trueing, so I put on a set of 700c I had sitting around. The Cantis (Shimano Deore LX) had plenty of adjustment. In fact I've swapped 700c wheel sets into the Lotus, and into the Miyata 310 as well as the ST600 and the brakes have all had enough adjustment to reach without any problems. In fact the 310 fit a 700x35 tire AND fender with no problems. That was a Shimano 105 caliper.

Himespau, I know the feeling. I have a Miyata 610 to referb, the St400 to build up (I have some tektro duel piv.) and the Cantied H400 with every attaching point, PLUS the Eclaire! And I still was prowling Craigslist. It was worth it. Now I need to figure out what to get rid of. I'm relocating to a Chicago apt and I have 10 bikes! I'd like to get it down to 4 but I might have to hide a 5th under the bed.

Getting rid of Miyatas is not a thing I want to do, but I'm thinking the 610 would do anything the 310 would but better, and I guess I can let the 710 go since I have the 912 but damn, I dig them both. No problems dropping anything that's not Miyata or Cannondale. I really like the cyclone groupo on the 710...

I have a while to figure it out.

bradtx

Chr0m0ly, Culling the herd is a difficult, sometimes emotional thing. Good luck.

Back on topic. My two Cannondale touring bikes have Continental 32 and 37 mm tires. Some brands, Panaracer for one, may push the chain stay width to the limits with a 35 mm labeled tire.

Brad

fietsbob

Realize rear dropout spread Of a Cannondale frame cannot be changed, you have to get a hub that fits..

himespau 

That is true, but a 1985 ST400 I built up for my wife had 128 mm spacing (or near enough) so putting a modern 130 mm rear hub in there wasn't a big deal. Got in 32 mm tires under the fenders but it's tighter than I'd like in a few spots.