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1993 Cannondale M800 BOTE

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1993 Cannondale M800 BOTE

Old 02-19-21, 09:08 AM
  #1  
retrodude
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1993 Cannondale M800 BOTE

I’ve been really into bicycles since the early 80s, when mountain bikes came out I started with a basic BRC unit and quickly moved to a Ritchey Ascent. Fitted as many XT parts as I could afford. I always drooled over Brodies, Fat Chance, etc, etc. My Ritchey was fantastic as well but I’ve always wanted to go next level. My grail bike would be a Klein (before they sold to Trek), any number of Kleins would fit the bill. Back in the late 80s early 90s I had an admiration for Trek/Cannondale/Specialized, some of the bigger top quality brands. Anyway, Cannondale was never a brand I drooled over. I always had respect and thought their sanded wells, American/built in-house frames were very cool, was always jealous of the listed frame weights, didn’t like the cantilevered rear drop outs too much (at the time) …

Fast forward 25-30 years. Going through FB marketplace I noticed a pretty ugly Cannondale for $100. The Syncros seatpost and XT thumbies sold me right away, with the LX other parts it was a great parts bike at the very least. Talked him down to $90 and brought her home. Wouldn’t be a problem to build up a vintage Cannondale and sell it right?

After stripping down to the frame and weighing it I started doing some research. Never took notice of the Beast of the East build, remembered the odd early version with the 24” rear wheel. Wheels started turning and before you knew it told the wife “sorry” I’m keepin’ it…

I have a bare frame aluminum GT Zaskar that’s polished and really like the look. After removing the rattle can blue paint I found it was one of the dark-blue-purplish ones with pink/fuchsia quick release and rear canti’s only. I needed a fork. Its has 1-1/4” steering, what to do? Ended up sourcing reducers, the best deal on a Pepperoni fork was unthreaded 1-1/8” steel steerer. The fork that I bought the bike with was 1-1/8” Rock Shox low end, with and extra crown race thrown in for good measure, not sure how the previous owner didn’t die, plus 1-1/8” headsets and stems will be cheaper and easier to source.

Decided to go stripped of paint/polished and source decals. With black and silver only I wanted a bit of fun color. The decals I found had yellow in them so went with yellow grips instead of black (a first for me using non black) and a couple gold anodized (well more like orange) bits for chainring bolts and seat collar. Had to use the Dura-Ace RD I grabbed last year for $20 all scratched up which I then polished (yes, it needs a cable anchor trick to work with any other Shimano 7 speed shifter)

The flat carbon bar has been sitting, waiting for a couple years due to it’s larger clamp diameter which came off a bike that needed a riser. Figured with the threadless fork I could go a bit modern in the steering area, then threw on the more modern Ritchey carbon railed saddle (yellow accents too &#128522. The Innova tires are crasy light at 618g a pair, love the skin wall look, I’m confident the minimal knobbies will be fine for the smooth trails I take me old school fully rigid MTBs on.

I was worried about the high BB at 13”. Here I am putting all this work and close to $500 into this project, what if I don’t like the ride? Yikes!

Okay, so pretty long story, I know. What follows are pictures only. She weights 19.75lbs, I basically put almost every lightest version of a part on it as a light weight build. Drum roll ..… it rides amazingly well. If not my favorite vintage MTB it’s in my top three with my Kona and Rocky Mountain. And I can say I have a real and proper Cannondale, built in the USA









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Old 02-19-21, 09:51 PM
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Very Nice build.

I imagine more for pavement with a Dura Ace 74XX rear derailleur. May be the only M800 with that RD. Running in friction or alternative routing?

John
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Old 02-19-21, 11:49 PM
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Originally Posted by 70sSanO
Very Nice build.

I imagine more for pavement with a Dura Ace 74XX rear derailleur. May be the only M800 with that RD. Running in friction or alternative routing?

John
naaaah

i was a NORBA expert BITD

i was running a paramount 70 series frameset, 8 speed Sachs 12-26 freewheel on an American Classic wheelset with a short cage 105 derailleur and Gripshift. No granny ring and i forget thespecifics of the crankset other than thesmall ring was deleted

That was a lowest common denominator bicycle - meaning if it didnt help the bike go faster or weigh less, it was deleted or replaced—- and was fairly typical for the time period. If you needed the 3rd ring and a long cage derailleur, you didnt need to be racing was the mindset

fast forward to today and i run an 11-50 12 speed setup with a 30 tooth front ring. I wish i still had the legsnto push the old setup , even if machismo seemed to be the reason it was used .
But back then , roadies using 52-42 cranks with 12-19 corncob freewheels was notuncommon either

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Old 02-20-21, 12:24 AM
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I liked it but one thing had me a bit reeling was the 7400 derailleur. I also liked the 3DV stuff but you did such a nice job I can forgive it.
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Old 02-20-21, 11:13 AM
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Originally Posted by 70sSanO
Very Nice build.

I imagine more for pavement with a Dura Ace 74XX rear derailleur. May be the only M800 with that RD. Running in friction or alternative routing?

John
When you clamp the cable like so it will shift standard shimano 7 speed

I've always run short cages since the late 80s, the 7400 is limited to a 26 rear cog which is plenty with my 22 granny gear. I can climb a wall like hill on a nearby trail, the lightweight total bike helps too

its very light and I think it adds some bling. My other bike are a 2008 Dawgma for real BC trail riding, a 93' Kona Kilauea, a 1990 Bianchi Sika, 1994 Rocky Mountain Vapor and a 1996 GT Zaskar
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Old 02-20-21, 11:24 AM
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Originally Posted by retrodude

I've always run short cages since the late 80s, the 7400 is limited to a 26 rear cog which is plenty with my 22 granny

yep. Quicker , more precise shifting and more importantly the cage is up a little more out of the way as well. I dont understand why people cant grasp the concept
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Old 02-20-21, 12:16 PM
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Originally Posted by DMC707
yep. Quicker , more precise shifting and more importantly the cage is up a little more out of the way as well. I dont understand why people cant grasp the concept
Legs pure and simple. Most people can’t climb a wall with a 22/26.

I rode 7400 with a 26t, and then a 28t for a while. That said, Shimano’s M900 RD remains the best RD made, modern advances notwithstanding, as it is as quick as any 7400 I’ve had and gives a bit more capacity and max cog. Ironically I’m running an M910 on my road bike with 7401 DT shifters and the “opposite” alternate cable routing.

John
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Old 02-20-21, 02:54 PM
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Originally Posted by 70sSanO
Legs pure and simple. Most people can’t climb a wall with a 22/26.

I rode 7400 with a 26t, and then a 28t for a while. That said, Shimano’s M900 RD remains the best RD made, modern advances notwithstanding, as it is as quick as any 7400 I’ve had and gives a bit more capacity and max cog. Ironically I’m running an M910 on my road bike with 7401 DT shifters and the “opposite” alternate cable routing.

John
I would so love to get my hands on some M900 kit. So expensive to buy now. The 7401 used I picked up on CL for $20 and then went to work polishing. I do have an M900 crankset I found for sale at $10 without chainrings and very well used. Lots of polishing later and an XTR decal found on eBay and it's not too shabby

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Old 02-20-21, 11:05 PM
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Yeah prices on M900 is pretty nuts these days. I was able to pick up some of it a few years back, I wish I had found a set of hubs. They would make a nice build.

John
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Old 09-01-21, 03:30 PM
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Thought I would provide an update. So I like this bike soo much I decided to make it even nicer. Got rid of the generic modern carbon flat bar and alloy stem and when with Syncros Cattlehead and Syncros Hardcore bar, Flite Alpes saddle, a nicer large chainring, black foam grips, XTR M900 RD and Avid Ultimate Ti levers. It's still under 20 lbs. I also ordered some Syncros seatpost decals from a UK outfit. Yup, one of my top two 90s MTBs for sure



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Old 04-30-22, 12:38 PM
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that is one gorgeous build!
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Old 04-30-22, 08:23 PM
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Originally Posted by pfriedl
that is one gorgeous build!
I was going to say something about a zombie thread but then I remembered this is a pretty bike and was grateful to see it again : )
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Old 05-03-22, 12:03 PM
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Originally Posted by retrodude
Thought I would provide an update. So I like this bike soo much I decided to make it even nicer. Got rid of the generic modern carbon flat bar and alloy stem and when with Syncros Cattlehead and Syncros Hardcore bar, Flite Alpes saddle, a nicer large chainring, black foam grips, XTR M900 RD and Avid Ultimate Ti levers. It's still under 20 lbs. I also ordered some Syncros seatpost decals from a UK outfit. Yup, one of my top two 90s MTBs for sure




you found a mid length xtr RDR fo ot ! Looks very nice !
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