Please help ID this cannondale

[franswa]

Brought in by a customer and I can't figure out which model. Full Dura Ace.

Thanks guys!

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1453/26036516684_85539cb39e_c.jpg

[bpm]

That's either a Cannondale 2.8 or 3.0 series frame. They both had the distinctive cantilevered dropouts. I think they marketed the 3.0 first and the 2.8 was a further refinement of that same frame. I'm pretty sure these immediately preceded the CAAD series frames.

[malcolm]

rear brake cable on the top of the top tube 3.0 under the top tube 2.8

[GregL]

My guess is that it's a pre-1993 3.0 frame. 1993 models and later had a separate seat collar unit. The 2.8 frames had a more radically shaped top tube.

- Greg

[franswa]

Y'all are wonderful. I appreciate the info! Love this community.

[peanutgallery]

Don't breathe too hard on the cable guides, they'll turn to dust. Seeing that fram reminded me of the quick lifespan that aluminum forks had on the market. Be thankful, they were really scary

[AJM100]

Had an ST-400 (or 500) that looked very similar with a steel fork. I assume that is a steel fork, right?

[GregL]

Don't breathe too hard on the cable guides, they'll turn to dust. Seeing that fram reminded me of the quick lifespan that aluminum forks had on the market. Be thankful, they were really scary
I broke a few of those cable guides over the years. Fortunately, my local Cannondale dealer had a drawer full of them. I bought extras and kept them in my parts cabinet.

You're right about those flexy Al forks. I replaced the one on my 3.0 frame with an Easton EC-50. Weight stayed the same, but the stiffer Easton fork nicely balanced with the stiff Cannondale frame. With that setup, it was a great bike for a big guy!

- Greg

[zap]

Ah, yes, these wonderful Cannondale frames....they really were for short super hard rides. Didn't have the 3.0 for that long......I was hit by a motorist and busted the frame. That turned into a 2.8 which I sold when I stopped racing crits. This was probably between '88-'91.

[GregL]

As maligned as these frames were for comfort, they really weren't that bad if set up well. 23 or 25mm tires with reasonable air pressures along with comfy bar tape and saddle made for a good all-day bike. Their road (not crit!) geometry was pretty traditional. Here's a photo from the top of Mount Mitchell at the midpoint of a six hour ride.

- Greg

[David Tollefson]

I had a 'Dale MTB from that era. Talk about a miserable ride off-road. I considered converting it to a crit racer for a while. Came to my senses and sold it.

[Tandem Rider]

C'dales were the team bikes for a few years back about '88 timeframe. The frames were pretty rigid, and the steel fork versions were pretty light and nice. The later aluminum fork versions were out of balance to me. I believe the forks were Sakae? Maybe? Lets just say that 55mph descents in a pack were pretty entertaining. I was only a buck forty five then, probably a pretty good pucker if you were pushing 2 bills.