# Help me identify a Cannondale I bought.



## max666 (Nov 2, 2010)

Hey guys, first post here. I recently bought a gray cannondale road bike, and am having a heck of a time identifying it. As do others, or so I gather from google.

I went to vintagecannondale, but I'm a little confused. My bike is from this era:









But my serial sequence doesn't quite match up. All I could find was ###-## and under that ####. All numbers, and all on the bottom on teh crank, opposite the crank side. Do i need to pull the screws on the gear wire on the other side of the bottom?

EDIT: here is a pic of what i found. I replaced the numbers with squiggles, and ut the hyphen where it goes. Any help is appreciated.


----------



## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

Can you post some pics of the bike besides the bottom of the frame?


----------



## budmol3 (Dec 7, 2008)

Strange ....... ?


----------



## max666 (Nov 2, 2010)

Here are 2 pics

badge: https://img109.imageshack.us/img109/9489/img002602100100101141218.jpg
side of frame: https://img135.imageshack.us/img135/9206/img0026321009210119.jpg


----------



## [email protected] (Oct 16, 2010)

Here in PA in about 1993 there was a guy who was building some bikes using Cannondales prints then putting the decals on them and selling them as Cans ,They said he did a great job one of the guys at LBS still has one ....I will check with him to see what he thinks


----------



## AtlantaR6 (Sep 9, 2010)

Good thing you blocked out the serial #'s, I'd hate for someone to register that bike in your name with the DMV.


----------



## jlandry (Jan 12, 2007)

max666 said:


> Here are 2 pics
> 
> badge: https://img109.imageshack.us/img109/9489/img00260201011021218.jpg
> side of frame: https://img135.imageshack.us/img135/9206/img00263201011021219.jpg


Post a picture of the WHOLE bike.

Anyone else think this seems shifty????


----------



## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

Why in the hell did you hide the serial number? It isn't like someone on the internet can hack your bike and make it disappear there and reappear in their living room.... You can't be traced via the serial number.

Internet paranoia amuses me...

Anyway... it shouldn't take long to get an answer if you post a picture of the WHOLE bike.


----------



## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

max666 said:


> Here are 2 pics
> 
> badge: https://img109.imageshack.us/img109/9489/img00260201011021218.jpg
> side of frame: https://img135.imageshack.us/img135/9206/img00263201011021219.jpg


How about the complete bike?


----------



## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

AtlantaR6 said:


> Good thing you blocked out the serial #'s, I'd hate for someone to register that bike in your name with the DMV.


...or be able to recognize their stolen bike *eyeroll*


----------



## max666 (Nov 2, 2010)

Oh, I can post the whole bike, and the serial number. I read somewhere when I was searching around that you shouldn't. Anymore info on that? I can provide the number, no problem.


----------



## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

max666 said:


> Oh, I can post the whole bike, and the serial number. I read somewhere when I was searching around that you shouldn't. Anymore info on that? I can provide the number, no problem.


Let's see the whole bike instead


----------



## max666 (Nov 2, 2010)

ph0enix said:


> ...or be able to recognize their stolen bike *eyeroll*


lol, cynical much? one reason I could think of would be i could report other peoples serial numbers as stolen just to piss them off, because they mouthed me off on the internet. that would probably go over pretty well at /b/ actually.


i added pics to the end of this thread.


----------



## max666 (Nov 2, 2010)

lol, i hit the quote button, is that why it put my new post with the pics in the middle of the thread? 

anyways, back on topic. if the serial number would help the ID, i will pm that to users with a high post count. =D thx in advance for all of your help with what seems to be another "help me wtf is this cannondale" thread. cookies for all who help!!!


----------



## [email protected] (Oct 16, 2010)

ok I have not alot of knowledge but this looks like a 2.8 I have one at the shop now that is be going over but that was just a frame and then all the upgraded parts ......the one i have is from 94


----------



## old_fuji (Mar 16, 2009)

max666 said:


> lol, cynical much? one reason I could think of would be i could report other peoples serial numbers as stolen just to piss them off, because they mouthed me off on the internet. that would probably go over pretty well at /b/ actually.
> 
> 
> i added pics to the end of this thread.


Are you serious? 4chan has invaded RBR?

Oh shi-


----------



## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> ok I have not alot of knowledge but this looks like a 2.8 I have one at the shop now that is be going over but that was just a frame and then all the upgraded parts ......the one i have is from 94


Definitely looks 'pre-2.8' to me. In fact, it looks like a 1985. I could be wrong though. It's hard to tell with those pictures.

1) No cantilevered dropouts
2) Cannondale is on the top tube, not the down tube.
3) SunTour front derailleur w/band clamp
4) Straight seatstays.


----------



## [email protected] (Oct 16, 2010)

PlatyPius said:


> Definitely looks 'pre-2.8' to me. In fact, it looks like a 1985. I could be wrong though. It's hard to tell with those pictures.
> 
> 1) No cantilevered dropouts
> 2) Cannondale is on the top tube, not the down tube.
> ...


Ok you made good points, I take my cap off to you! Like I said I dont know alot


----------



## max666 (Nov 2, 2010)

lol, on the lot list from the auction, it just says "bike, gray, multi gear"


----------



## [email protected] (Oct 16, 2010)

Serial number code: first two digits are the size, next 6 are date of manufacture, remainder are unit number.


----------



## [email protected] (Oct 16, 2010)

a friend of mine who owns a shop thinks it is a 1986 sr400


----------



## [email protected] (Oct 16, 2010)

[email protected] said:


> a friend of mine who owns a shop thinks it is a 1986 sr400


http://www.vintagecannondale.com/catalog.html


----------



## max666 (Nov 2, 2010)

[email protected] said:


> Serial number code: first two digits are the size, next 6 are date of manufacture, remainder are unit number.


well, the serial goes like this:

520 56
007X (where x is a number)

so it looks like 52cm built on 05/60/07? using that formula just doesn't add up. 

also, the catalog says 1985 SR400 came in light blue, and red.


----------



## rcekstrom (Oct 4, 2008)

I love mysteries....

1985 ST500?


----------



## [email protected] (Oct 16, 2010)

max666 said:


> well, the serial goes like this:
> 
> 520 56
> 007X (where x is a number)
> ...




1983-1985


AA = 1983

BB = 1984

CC = 1985



1986-1992


During 1986-1992 cannondale used 2 different formats.



(Version 1)

56 020588 132

56 = Frame Size

020588 = Production Date

132 = Sequence Number


SN#56020588132 indicates a 56 cm frame, built on February 5, 1988, #132



(Version 2)

5 18 0392 0847

5 = Rear dropout spacing

18 = Frame Size

0392 = Production Date

0847 = Sequence Number


"Rear dropout spacing"

0 = 130mm

0 = 120mm track

5 = 135mm

6 = 126mm



SN#51803920847 indicates a 135mm dropout, 18" frame, built in March 1992


This is what the site shows


----------



## [email protected] (Oct 16, 2010)

although details are a little hazy. All models of road bikes used the same frame, so the lower priced models were a great deal because they were worth upgrading components here & there. the "SR" was for the road bikes, "SM" were the mountain bikes & "ST" were the touring bikes. The numbers after the letters ( 400, 500, 600) stood for the approximate retail price at the time.

this is what sent to me when my lbs emailed his rep for me


----------



## jimbonnet (May 9, 2005)

have you considered emailing or calling cannondale? i've always found them responsive and helpful with my questions.


----------



## max666 (Nov 2, 2010)

i finally have time to take it out for a ride tomorrow or the next day, and when i do i'll head down to my LBS, as well as take some better photos for y'all.

ill probably end up calling cannondale, but you have to admit, this is kind of fun. i only posted this because when i was searching around on google about i.d.ing my bike, it seems like this is a very popular game.


----------



## Hooben (Aug 22, 2004)

That's a Cannondale touring frame, about 1986...the racing frames were so tight on the rear triangle that you could barely get a finger in between the tire and seat tube.
*The touring geometry was way opened up at the seat tube (top) while the racing geometry was really tight. (bottom)*


----------



## [email protected] (Oct 16, 2010)

Hooben said:


> That's a Cannondale touring frame, about 1986...the racing frames were so tight on the rear triangle that you could barely get a finger in between the tire and seat tube.
> *The touring geometry was way opened up at the seat tube (top) while the racing geometry was really tight. (bottom)*


those look like great classic cans:thumbsup:


----------



## max666 (Nov 2, 2010)

how about a 1985 ST500? looks the same, but no fenders. did any of these old cdales have fenders?


----------

