# 90s Cannondale help.



## o0adam0o (Jul 24, 2010)

So i just purchased my first road bike. 

1990 58cm Cannondale 3.0 Criterium series. Its the same SR800 even in color as the bike on page 27 of this catalog: http://sanaandterry.com/cannondale/year/1990/1990.pdf

Within the next few months i want to add a carbon fork and seat post... but i am not sure what dimensions to look for. I know the fork tube has to be 1" and threaded... and i measured my "head tube" and its 6inches so im not sure how long the "neck" of any fork i buy should be.

So carbon fork and seat post... what size should i be looking for?

Also any information on how get my shifters on the handlebars and not down on my tube? Its hard getting used to that... but i assume it will take some work to accomplish.

Thanks in advance!

-Adam


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

*Some info.*



o0adam0o said:


> So carbon fork and seat post... what size should i be looking for?
> Also any information on how get my shifters on the handlebars and not down on my tube? Its hard getting used to that... but i assume it will take some work to accomplish


- Most new forks come with a steerer tube around 300 mm (12 inches) long. You simply cut the steerer down to the size it needs to be for your frame and headset.

- Seat post diameter for that bike is 27.2 mm

- The rear dropout spacing of your frame is 126 mm, which is the correct spacing for 6- and 7-speed freewheels / cassettes. But unlike a steel frame, your aluminum frame can't be spread to 130 mm, which is the correct spacing for 8-, 9- and 10-speed cassettes. The short of this is that if you want brake-shifters on the handlebars, you need to find 7-speed brake-shifters. Those are hard to find now, especially new. An alternative would be 7-speed bar-end shifters, which go into the open ends of the handlebar.

- My unsolicited advice would be to ride and enjoy the bike as is. The cantilevered rear dropout frame is not one of the more desirable Cannondale frames anyway, so I wouldn't spend a fortune on it.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

wim said:


> - Most new forks come with a steerer tube around 300 mm (12 inches) long. You simply cut the steerer down to the size it needs to be for your frame and headset.
> 
> - Seat post diameter for that bike is 27.2 mm
> 
> ...


+1 on what wim has offered re: the shifter/ drivetrain upgrades.

Here's a link to a 1" threaded fork. It comes in different steerer tube lengths, so with your 150mm head tube length I'd order (at minimum) the 220mm then have it cut to the correct length at your LBS. I've used these and can vouch for their quality/ ride.

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_174894_-1_201497_10000_200456


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## o0adam0o (Jul 24, 2010)

Thanks for the replies. I love this bike so far and to me this thing flies! Im going to use it to go to work 2 times a week and in time ride it every day to work. My job is only 5miles each way and its mostly within the city (austin tx) and im going to do alot of stop and go. Im not too worried about upgrades aside from getting a carbon fork/seat tube to make the ride a little smoother.

Someone is selling a "Cannondale Carbon Fork 1" R900 Headset 43 Offset threaded" but its 15cm long... my head tube is the same lenght. Will this fit?


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

o0adam0o said:


> Thanks for the replies. I love this bike so far and to me this thing flies! Im going to use it to go to work 2 times a week and in time ride it every day to work. My job is only 5miles each way and its mostly within the city (austin tx) and im going to do alot of stop and go. Im not too worried about upgrades aside from getting a carbon fork/seat tube to make the ride a little smoother.
> 
> *Someone is selling a "Cannondale Carbon Fork 1" R900 Headset 43 Offset threaded" but its 15cm long... my head tube is the same lenght. Will this fit*?


If the seller measured correctly, I'm leaning towards it not working, because the steerer tube is the same length as your head tube, leaving no steerer tube extended above the head tube for the upper headset cup to thread onto. 

You could ask them what their head tube length is on the bike they had the fork installed on, but ideally (if they're local) they'd let you try it and if it didn't work take it back.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Wrong approach*



o0adam0o said:


> Thanks for the replies. I love this bike so far and to me this thing flies! Im going to use it to go to work 2 times a week and in time ride it every day to work. My job is only 5miles each way and its mostly within the city (austin tx) and im going to do alot of stop and go. Im not too worried about upgrades aside from getting a carbon fork/seat tube to make the ride a little smoother.


A CF seat post will not get you any noticeable smoothness. A CF fork might give you a little. What you really need to do is to put the widest possible tires on it that will fit in the frame/fork and run the lowest possible pressure in those tires. That frame is super stiff, and tires are your only real option for a better ride.


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