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A Cannondale like this 1988 white version was my first real bicycle after my Schwinn Varsity. Mine was a 1985 ST-500, the touring version with triple water bottle cage brazings and 27 inch wheels. Otherwise they were the same bicycles, the 1988 version here is the race version, it does have 700c wheels by 1988 and has a lot nicer headset and stem. I road mine for well over 30,000+ miles and sold it not too long ago, wish I never sold it but it was 58 cm and I out grew it a very long time ago but continued to put miles on it. I hope someday to find the same frame in at least 63 cm.
Cannondale was one of the first to build aluminum frames, you can tell this had not refined the design of an aluminum frame at this time, he tubing is very large but unlike today’s refined design of aluminum frames the frames from the early days seem to have a much better ride to me.
I am very excited to work on the white 1988 Cannondale, it will be a trip down memory lane for me. The Cannondale is in pretty decent shape to start, the white paint is pretty dirty and dull and has some chipping but being aluminum there is no rust under those chips. The alloy has some corrosion and is very dull but all in all it The Cannondale should come out pretty nice.
The 1988 Cannondale will receive a total restoration with all new cables and cable housings, new tubes and tires, new handlebar tape and saddle.
I stripped the bicycle down and got to work cleaning the frame. White is a difficult color to get to shine nice, white has no depth to it and depth is what makes a finishes really pop. It took a lot of elbow grease but in the end the white paint looks very good.
Frame Polished – Fork
I had a shop injury a couple days back and cut my had pretty bad so The Cannondale was my first day back working in the shop again. I started with the rear wheel as a test of my hand, my hand is functioning well and started on the rest of the bike. A little strange start from my normal routine so you will see the rear wheel complete in all the photos. The freewheel is a little rough, I have that soaking in oil at this time. The rear wheel polished very nice and the new Continental Ultra Sport tires are the tires the White Cannondale was meant to have, great look between the all black tires and white frame.
With my hand functioning well I got to work on the headset and bottom bracket. The headset is a Levin CD, I have only come across this headset a few times, it seems to be fantastic quality, there is not one thing that says its quality other then the over all feel of quality you find in some products, just a feel. The bottom bracket is also very nice, both cleaned up very well and polished very nice. Installed the headset and bottom bracket really shine and function extremely smooth!
Bottom Bracket – Complete
The stem and handlebars are very nice. The stem is a fantastic Nittio stem and the handlebars are 3TTT, the handlebar stamped badges where covered by the old handlebar tape, I will keep them showing when I install the new handlebar tape.
Both the handlebars and stem polished beautifully, I could not be more happy with the results, a high polish to the stem and handlebars really make the over all look of a bicycle.
Next came the Sugino VP 130 crank set was next, it was dirty and dull, I disassembled it and cleaned and polished the components. I am happy with the results, this is when the shine on the alloy components starts to set its self apart from the white frame, a great look!
Crank – Installed
I remember the brake calipers well from my Cannondale, they work descent and are easy to adjust. This set of calipers have really strong caliper springs, it makes for a very crisp action. I am very happy with the before and after of the brake calipers. I really like the way the bracket around the adjustment area polished out gold, it looks very cool.
Rear Caliper – Installed
The derailleurs are nice, it is a Sun Tour Accushift 6 speed indexing group. The rear derailleur need some internal work on the tension spring, I do not have a photo of that. The front derailleur is a brazed on derailleur, I think they did this then because they did not want a clamp on to collapse the aluminum frame? Both derailleurs polished out very nice and after lubricating function really nice. I know this group set very well, it was the same on my Cannondale.
Last of the main components of the frame was the seat post and saddle, as I always say “Fluted seat post, My favorite!”.
The front wheel was a little rougher then the rear wheel, it took a a lot of cleaning, polishing and truing but it came a long ways back, a little rough on the side wall of the rim but not to bad over all. The new Continental tire really looks good also.
The brake levers functioned well before but the levers where very dull and the white hoods where black and horrible looking. I am going to toot my own horn hear and say this may be the best I have ever done on brake lever hoods, they turned out fantastic!!! I could not believe I got the white to come that far back, it took a lot of work and a secret I have for brake lever hoods. That secret I am going to keep a secret for a while yet!
At this point the Cannondale is ready to be wired and tuned. The wiring went fine other for the ridiculous angle they want you to get the cable through the brake lever. The new handlebar tape looks great installed and the white cable housings are perfect for the white frame.
I have the freewheel back on the rear wheel, it is okay. I tuned out the Cannondale and took final photos. I am very happy with the results of the Cannondale, it was a lot of fun working on a bicycle I know so well and have so many miles on.
I like the white, I really like the black and the white. I think the white cable housings where the perfect choice, it sets them into the frame color so there is not a black line running down the center of the frame.
The final photos are below, they are not very good because I could not get a good white balance setting right and taking the photos indoors does not help. I wish they where a little better to show of the white paint but i think the beauty of the Cannondale still shows through!
