b dub 

My friend asked me to transfer all parts from a Cannondale failed frame to another C’dale frame.

It’s a 1990 SR300. Here is it’s failure.





The replacement is a 1985 Touring ST500, correction: 1985 SR300.





Easy swap.

philpeugeot 

Is that really a touring? The lack of eyelets at the dropouts and fork blades would make this more of a road frame.

b dub 

I agree but according to the catalog it’s a touring frame.

repechage

Never liked that design. Took long enough to prove my concern!

did not Cannondale have a lifetime guarantee back then?

b dub 

https://www.cannondale.com/en-fr/warranty/

uncle uncle

The darker black area is indicative of previously exposed areas and earlier damage, and the bright shiny areas are what "gave way" when the catastrophic event occurred.

b dub 

Don't get me wrong. This bike was ridden hard as commuter bike in nasty Chicago weather on bumpy and pothole littered roads. I’m not suggesting it should have lasted longer. It served it's job well.

I personally just had not seen a drop out give away like this.

KCT1986

The above picture of the pic of the bike and specs do not match. The bike as described in the specs is on the page after the specs on the Vintagecannondle site. The frame in post #1 is a plum colored SR300.

A ST frame would have a 3rd set of water bottle boss and rack mount on the fork.

Interestingly, the 85 catalog shows pictures of SR frames with the 3rd set of boss but this was never the case.

shelbyfv

Yes, I think that may be an SR. Here are some pics of an ST. https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-st-500-a.html Also, IIRC the ST was 27" and the SR was 700c. Cool bike!

79pmooney

That dropout/stay junction always looked to me to be poor design. Like they intended the dropout to fail just as that one did. I'll give them credit for it going 30 years, but still ... (Anybody know the mileage on that Cannondale?)

Over 55 years of riding, my dropout failures are: Peugeot UO-8 mild steel plate dropouts too distorted to use a rear derailleur after many Simplex disasters. Some broken adjusting screws. Probably a bent dropout or two. Only the UO-8 issues affected my rides. (Remedied by simply running the bike singe speed, then fix gear.)

Chombi1 

I also did not really like the idea of those "cantilevered" dropouts on the 2nd gen Cannondales. I think the design just had so much "unbraced" dropout to possibly allow flexing and eventual fatigue failure.
That, plus the sharp edges around the whole dropout might have also made them prone to stress risers.

b dub 

The only original component left is the Tange headset. So we’ll never know what model it is.

Serial#

tiger1964 

Interesting to read this on a forum where members are fixing up bikes in some cases as old as the late 1800's.

b dub 

Exactly. What is the normal lifespan of a bike frame?
I would say that most bike owners on this forum are not first owners of what they ride.

gugie 

I'd contact Cannondale. There's a chance they'd replace it, and it costs nothing to ask.

repechage

the warranty at the time of original sale was probably less lawyerly- that one applies if ya got the original sales receipt.

b dub 

Interesting thought. I can include a reference to this thread.

There is no more original sales receipt for sure.

Headpost

I had one of these and, as I remember it, they claimed they designed the dropouts that way to make the frame a little more forgiving, but I then read somewhere that it was actually to get around a patent infringement thing with Klein

b dub 

I gave Cannondale Customer Service a quick call. Per the CS rep if I had been the original owner with the original invoice I would have been able to submit a warranty claim.

But since I’m not there is nothing Cannondale is able to do for me.

So there is that.

Headpost

Interesting. I've never heard of a "T" Cannondale with short chainstays like that. Could they have used the wrong picture in this catalogue? The specs say this bike is supposed to have a triple while the one in the pic is clearly a double. The seat is also wrong, and, unless that's red, the color option isn't listed. Or, maybe when you view the entire catalogue it's clear that you're not supposed to reference the above pic; the correct pic is the one below the text.

Oops, KCT1068 already pointed this out. So much for my career as a detective. Anyway, I'm fascinated by old Cannondales so thanks for the interesting thread.

b dub 

More proof of a hard and wet live.
I had to saw off the white Nitto stem unfortunately.





I could have spared myself the effort. The headset is toast.

Charliekeet

Bingo!
[I attached the catalog here.] The STs had chainstays 2.25" longer than the SRs. Love that violet color - paint looks to be in good shape!

Chombi1 

Yes,.... I still remember how I found it hard to believe, back in the late 80's when someone explained to me that "Lifetime Warranty" in Wisconsin, really meant just 7 years max of coverage by manufacturers......
You really really always believe a lot of things that are printed and issued by companies regarding warranties......

shelbyfv

Good find! And as we can see from the specs, 700c wheels for the SR, 27" for the ST.

b dub 

I stripped everything off. The frame & fork are nothing but wall art.

Anybody want it?