Buellster

Picked this up for 10 whole dollars at a garage sale.

I was a teenager once, not that long ago in fact, and I or possibly friends may have seen this as a good idea. I was and kids still are stupid sometimes (I dont know but I can only assume this was a group of 12-16 yrs olds) Haha



So they put a skateboard on it as a dumb unusable rack, I'll just take that off and see how it rides.
Nope.

I didnt think to check the mounts, as I figured they just put it on the rack mounts. After all it comes with rack mounts, the easiest thing to do would be just putting the bolts in there, right?
Nope.



They put metal screws into the seat stays! Just drilled straight into the frame. One of them isnt even straight it went in at an angle and left a jagged wonky hole.
So that was disappointing...
I dont quite think this thing is structurally sound anymore...

I know an old SM(?) Cannondale MTB isnt anything to special but I was hoping to ride it around a bit as I really enjoyed an 84 24/26 I had for a bit.

I did notice that it has Suntour Accushift derailurs and index shifters. I really like the set of suntour thumbies I have, how are these? I have an MTB that may take this wheel or gear cassete so I could try it out.







It's a shame because I think it could've been a fun ride, maybe a beater commuter for the winter.
Oh well.
The journey cost me 10 bucks and I got some nice(?) shifters a sugino crank and a very red very tall quill out of it.

ncrnelson

I'd just ride it, personally. I have an 87 Cannondale SM400. Those frames are so overbuilt, I think it would take more than some youth's misguided ingenuity to destroy it.

Darth Lefty 

42 yo me doesn't like the looks of it, but 12 yo me would have ridden it without a thought... even though it was three sizes too big.

Nu2Miele

Hi. I get the need for "nicer" things as we age. The accushift shifters are good, as are the rest of the components that I can see. As far as making it "nicer", I would take everything off of the frame, and wash it with an automotive or bicycle specific soap (not detergent). Get it spotless. Then take your now spotless old Cannondale to an automotive supply store that can colour match the paint and make you a custom spray can of paint. Scuff the buggered areas with 80 grit sandpaper, keeping the rest of the frame masked up. Spray the areas or spray into the can lid and use a small brush to touch up the paint. Clean all your components and re-install , doing a tuneup as required including brake pads and cables (including housing). I only say this because I've recently stripped the paint off of an aluminum hybrid bike to repaint it and forgot how much time it takes to remove all the paint. (But never sandblast any bicycle frame). Service the bearings, and true the wheels, replace saddle as needed. You will end up with a great bike that should ride lose to new.

ryansu

Options ride it as a winter beater, what do you have to lose? ok maybe the rear triangle will buckle but I doubt it. Or strip the parts scrap the frame and you still have $10 decently spent you could always donate what you don't need to your local bike co-op.

katsup

I'd just part it out and recycle the frame. You'll get your money back with the fork if you sell it. I would obsess over the damage too much to be comfortable riding it.

clubman 

Layer aluminum beer can strips around the damage with 2 part epoxy, touch up the paint and ride the bejeezus out of it. What could happen?

tiredhands 

I'd 100% ride that as-is. Fantastic find, if it's got to have one thing wrong with it, it's better that than say, a trashed rear wheel or missing that color-matched stem. Color me jealous - I've got a hair-brained idea that a 24/26er would make the perfect commuter.

due ruote 

I would probably ride it too, but I am a small guy and it would see mostly road use.
I would fill the holes with Bondo or something, and touch them up. Eventually you would more or less forget about them.

dddd

I don't see those holes as a likely trouble spot myself, and the rear triangle won't "buckle" because of the holes.

Yeah, maybe after years of riding this a crack might form at one of the holes, but as likely some crack will have started somewhere else imo.

They used pretty thick tubing on these, needlessly thick almost everywhere, just so that the welding would be less likely to compromise the tubing.

If you are still worried about the drilled tubing, just inject structural epoxy in the hole to fill the last inch of the tube inside. I've done this to repair a carbon chainstay that had suffered an impact with resultant contusion (soft spot), I put JB Weld in a syringe and filled the lower end of the chainstay and it's stronger than new.

clubman 

Put the rack back on with the same screws. That should button it up.

Buellster

I was hoping lots of people would say "dont stress it, probably be fine." Because that's what I've been telling myself the more I look at it Haha
Were gonna give it a shot and see how it rides. Worst case ive got some nice spare parts. Best case I've got a gem of a winter beater.

Buellster

Now some ingenuity! Aluminum+aluminum= good as new! Love it Haha

Buellster

I'll consider it an experiment, we wll see if the welds or the holes give first Haha
I'll start a betting pool

bikemig 

That looks like a heck of a winter beater to me for $10. Snow and salt beat the heck out of a bike and parts.

stardognine

If you get tired of it, I'll give you your $15 back for it. 😁 I'm lovin' my '85 ST500, overbuilt is a good thing, when touring. 👍