L.L. Bean Pathfinder
08-18-18, 07:26 AM
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L.L. Bean Pathfinder
Hello! New to the forum, and just starting to ride. I can tell you that at 51 years old, and not riding in over 20 years, it's true you never forget how to ride a bike.
I dug a couple of bikes out of my dad's storage barn. They are black mountain bikes, branded L.L. Bean Pathfinder. My dad claims he purchased them in 1989 or early 90s, and that they are a Cannondale built bike. Anyone know if they are indeed a Cannondale? My dad says they are the low end of Cannondale, sold for around $400 through L.L. Bean, but Cannondale sold the same style for $500. I can't find anything saying they are Cannondale anywhere on the bikes. I've searched online, but I can't find anything on these bikes in any searches.
The bikes are in surprisingly great shape after being in storage for nearly 30 years - tires do not even look dry-rotted. We are going to tune them up and get riding. I would post photos, but it looks like I have to have 10 posts to the forum before I can posts photos.
I dug a couple of bikes out of my dad's storage barn. They are black mountain bikes, branded L.L. Bean Pathfinder. My dad claims he purchased them in 1989 or early 90s, and that they are a Cannondale built bike. Anyone know if they are indeed a Cannondale? My dad says they are the low end of Cannondale, sold for around $400 through L.L. Bean, but Cannondale sold the same style for $500. I can't find anything saying they are Cannondale anywhere on the bikes. I've searched online, but I can't find anything on these bikes in any searches.
The bikes are in surprisingly great shape after being in storage for nearly 30 years - tires do not even look dry-rotted. We are going to tune them up and get riding. I would post photos, but it looks like I have to have 10 posts to the forum before I can posts photos.
08-18-18, 07:36 AM
#2
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I don't know anything about them- but what I'd do- is google some pix of some 1989-ish Cannondales- maybe go through the catalogs (they're up online- google 'vintage cannonade catalogs') try to match up the specs on your bike with the identifying features on the corresponding Cannondale model.
My guess is that LL Bean just took an existing Cannondale model and gave it different paint and decals. If it is actually a Cannondale.
Congratulations on getting back on the bike (or 'back in the saddle' as the case may be.
. ) I was never into bikes- other than as a kid- and took up biking and bike stuff around 40.
Good Luck!
My guess is that LL Bean just took an existing Cannondale model and gave it different paint and decals. If it is actually a Cannondale.
Congratulations on getting back on the bike (or 'back in the saddle' as the case may be.
. ) I was never into bikes- other than as a kid- and took up biking and bike stuff around 40.Good Luck!
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Commence to jigglin’ huh?!?!
"But hey, always love to hear from opinionated amateurs." -says some guy to Mr. Marshall.
08-18-18, 07:43 AM
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Badge engineering is what it's called. Car companies have done it for decades.
08-18-18, 12:13 PM
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Hello! New to the forum, and just starting to ride. I can tell you that at 51 years old, and not riding in over 20 years, it's true you never forget how to ride a bike.
I dug a couple of bikes out of my dad's storage barn. They are black mountain bikes, branded L.L. Bean Pathfinder. My dad claims he purchased them in 1989 or early 90s, and that they are a Cannondale built bike. Anyone know if they are indeed a Cannondale? My dad says they are the low end of Cannondale, sold for around $400 through L.L. Bean, but Cannondale sold the same style for $500. I can't find anything saying they are Cannondale anywhere on the bikes. I've searched online, but I can't find anything on these bikes in any searches.
The bikes are in surprisingly great shape after being in storage for nearly 30 years - tires do not even look dry-rotted. We are going to tune them up and get riding. I would post photos, but it looks like I have to have 10 posts to the forum before I can posts photos.
I dug a couple of bikes out of my dad's storage barn. They are black mountain bikes, branded L.L. Bean Pathfinder. My dad claims he purchased them in 1989 or early 90s, and that they are a Cannondale built bike. Anyone know if they are indeed a Cannondale? My dad says they are the low end of Cannondale, sold for around $400 through L.L. Bean, but Cannondale sold the same style for $500. I can't find anything saying they are Cannondale anywhere on the bikes. I've searched online, but I can't find anything on these bikes in any searches.
The bikes are in surprisingly great shape after being in storage for nearly 30 years - tires do not even look dry-rotted. We are going to tune them up and get riding. I would post photos, but it looks like I have to have 10 posts to the forum before I can posts photos.
Hi and welcome. Do a google image search for ll bean pathfinder cannondale bike
There are a few pictures of LL Bean Pathfinder bikes. Yeah, it's a Cannondale. Totally worth fixing up, and perfectly ride-able as is. I do recommend you replace the tires and tubes and brake pads - basically all the rubber things. They degrade with time.
Cannondale models all used the same frames, at least within a genre, so it's kind of irrelevant if the LL Bean model used some cheaper parts, because you can hang the very best parts on them and it's still appropriate and worthy of the upgrade. The 'Pathfinder' bikes I've seen looked quite decent anyway. I wouldn't bother at first. Just get some decent tires and do some maintenance and tuning.
08-18-18, 09:41 PM
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I had an LL Bean Cannondale mtb back in the day. I recall it had Suntour components. I ended up returning it to LLB and buying a Giant mtb.
08-18-18, 10:14 PM
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I have to agree with Salemandine. It looks like you got yourself a nice bike. Get good tires, get it running and see how things go from there. If the derailleurs are not so good, then you can upgrade them. Do it yourself, if you bring it to a bike shop they will talk you into something else. Which may not be terrible, but if you can do it yourself, your better off.
Get up to 10 posts and post some pictures of the bike. If it is dusty and ugly, so much the better because the before and after pics will be even more impressive.
Get up to 10 posts and post some pictures of the bike. If it is dusty and ugly, so much the better because the before and after pics will be even more impressive.
08-19-18, 03:33 AM
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Thanks everyone for the input. I've taken photos, dust & rust (although not much rust). I'll have some afters once they are cleaned up.
08-19-18, 01:26 PM
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Heh. I didn't even know C-dale ever had it's own branded rims. Of all the C-dales that have passed through my hands, none had those.
Anyway, cool bike. There's nothing wrong with the running gear on that bike, if you have Suntour AR like in Billnuke's photos, it's good enough to use for friction shifting. (I just put AR on my latest gravel grinder build, as it allowed a greater range of gearing than either my Vx-GT or Cyclone GT derailleurs.) By the late 80s, most everything was indexed, so the AR would be considered pretty low end. Clean and lube everything and it should be fine.
Those old skinwall tires are probably rideable, but be forewarned, when they go, they go pretty fast. Don't ride them hard in the rough stuff, and be ready to walk home if you have to.
Anyway, cool bike. There's nothing wrong with the running gear on that bike, if you have Suntour AR like in Billnuke's photos, it's good enough to use for friction shifting. (I just put AR on my latest gravel grinder build, as it allowed a greater range of gearing than either my Vx-GT or Cyclone GT derailleurs.) By the late 80s, most everything was indexed, so the AR would be considered pretty low end. Clean and lube everything and it should be fine.
Those old skinwall tires are probably rideable, but be forewarned, when they go, they go pretty fast. Don't ride them hard in the rough stuff, and be ready to walk home if you have to.
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● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
08-19-18, 07:09 PM
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C’dale rims.
I checked my rims when you mentioned the C’dale rims.
I went out to the shop to check the rim.
Very interesting stampings on the rim...
