# 1987 Cannondale SM800 - Timemachines do exist



## Elevation12000 (Jun 16, 2004)

Here it is my SM800 Cannondale. It arrived here with the timemachine directly from 1987, the year that Mathias Rust landed at the Red Square, the Iron Lady got reelected, the Herald of Free Enterprise ferry sunk in the North Sea, Black Monday ....and also the year of 1st spots in the hitparade for songs like Madonna's 'Who's that gril' and George Michael's 'Faith' and movies like Fatal Attraction and Lethal Weapon.

It looks really good. I think someone bought it, put it in a box and stored it warm and comfy for almost 2 decades.










Suntour Rollercams =>










XC9000 =>




























Huge levers. Very good  Also very good: Much use of metal, minimal use of plastics.










Cockpit =>



















I like the QR, with the little ring =>










Old C'dale 'station' logo =>










All pics

Everytime I am taking a closer look at it I am amazed by its condition, quality touches and uniqueness ('87 MTBs are not seen at every corner in Europe). Hope you enjoyed too!


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## steelhead (Jul 8, 2004)

That is one of the bikes high on my list!!! Good find!


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## dh1 (Aug 28, 2004)

"and also the year of 1st spots in the hitparade for songs like Madonna's 'Who's that gril' and George Michael's 'Faith' and movies like Fatal Attraction and Lethal Weapon."


This is back from when I thought George Michael was singing about women. So much has changed, but this bike hasn't. Great find! Where did you get it?


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## ScottyMTB (Oct 26, 2005)

Beautiful. Makes me want to put mine together.


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## lucifer (Sep 27, 2004)

That bike is like totally awesome...:thumbsup: I bet with the skinny steel fork it actually rides halfway decent too.


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## laffeaux (Jan 4, 2004)

That's pretty amazing. It's not often taht you'll find any bike in that condition - much less a 20 year old bike.

Pink cables? Hmmm....


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

Great condition, clean lines, Rollercams, and a fat-tubed Al bike painted such that it doesn't scream out loud.

I know it's kind of not the thing for me to say, being a Klein Guy(tm) and always referring to Cannondales as Klein-wannabees but I like that bike.

Pinguwin


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## retrobikeguy (Oct 27, 2005)

bloody good find Melvin:thumbsup: ,

You must be chuffed to have such a nice piece in you collection.

RBG


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## Elevation12000 (Jun 16, 2004)

Hi All,

Thanks for the kind words. I will bring them over to Mr C'dale. 

@dh1
I got the bike through a house painter I know. He got it as payment for work done.

@Pinguwin
I am also not the biggest Cannondale fan out there, but this one does it for me. It is the nicest I've ever seen. 


So far I have not ridden it. That would be cruel


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## Cycleshark (Jan 21, 2004)

okay let me sum this up

....you have access to a time machine and first thing you got......is this cannondale!?   




just kidding! beautiful bike and never seen before... thanks!


ooh in case you'll find a sixpack belly from 87...it could beeen mine  

sharkypete


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

Elevation12 said:


> I got the bike through a house painter I know...I am also not the biggest Cannondale fan out there


Hey, I wouldn't have passed this one up either. Every bike has a story.

'Guin


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## Fillet-brazed (Jan 13, 2004)

pinguwin said:


> Great condition, clean lines, Rollercams, and a fat-tubed Al bike painted such that it doesn't scream out loud.
> 
> I know it's kind of not the thing for me to say, being a Klein Guy(tm) and always referring to Cannondales as Klein-wannabees but I like that bike.
> 
> Pinguwin


Rumpfy once told me that Cannondales were glorified Kleins. I dont know.



Cool old bike. I say go ride it since even though it does look almost new, its just a "glorified Klein".


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## stan4bikes (May 24, 2006)

*Wow!*

WOW! again! That is double clean....but I suppose Rumpfy will say something like "Clean, but not so perfect you can't take it out and ride the hell out of it"  I KEED Mr. R!


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## XR4TI (Sep 6, 2005)

1987 also made the XR4TI. I like white bikes. Classy look.


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## Elevation12000 (Jun 16, 2004)

Nice... My father has had two of those cars, but not XR4Ti or XR4i's. The first was even a 1.3 litre 60hp one. Only produced in the 1st year. Proved to be too slow  

Dreamed of a Cosworth back then

...oh, and of the Cannondale SM800 of course


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## XR4TI (Sep 6, 2005)

Elevation12 said:


> Nice... My father has had two of those cars, but not XR4Ti or XR4i's. The first was even a 1.3 litre 60hp one. Only produced in the 1st year. Proved to be too slow
> 
> Dreamed of a Cosworth back then
> 
> ...oh, and of the Cannondale SM800 of course


Cosworth. Yes. Beautiful car. This XR is a little monster. Keep breaking stuff. But that makes it kinda fun. Just makes it a little faster next time out. I believe the XR4Ti is called the Mustang eater. This one anyway.


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## RyKnow (Jun 30, 2009)

my wife just got this bike in pink. I am a bit bummed because the cable holsters are broken off...I would like to get some to replace them but I cant find them anywhere...she also has the same brakes and derailers ect....
I rode the bike to check it out and it is very lightweight and fun to ride downhill


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Geez that thing is clean! Cannondales don't usually do much for me as far as collecting goes but that thing is a rare beauty. Retail cost for that must have been insane back then. That being said I have owned 3 cannondales all of which were excellent bikes. Currently my 1fg singlespeed is seeing more action than all my other bikes combined.


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## CS2 (Jul 24, 2007)

I'm not a big Cannondale fan but that bike is beautiful. The early ones seemed to have much slimmer tubes than the current beer can sized bikes they make now. I'ts a shame Pacific bought them. Cannondale was one of the last real American makers.


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## RyKnow (Jun 30, 2009)

Heres a pic of my wifes SM800 I love jumpin on this thing and goin downhill. The brakes can stop on a dime.


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## RyKnow (Jun 30, 2009)




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## Original SM800 (Dec 14, 2009)

*Sentimental Journey*

I bought an 86 SM800 upon graduating from college (Art Center) and getting a job that was taking me to Hiroshima, Japan. I'd ridden a friend's the previous New Year's Eve on Colorado in Pasadena (the night before the Rose Parade) and when he disappeared, I had his bike all night, during which I basically went into the arroyo (he had a light on it)... Long story short, I loved the responsiveness of the bike, found I could "plonk" around on it wonderfully-well and decided I needed one. I know, strange story.

So, I found one in La Mirada, bought it, boxed it up and took it to Japan with me... Here's a photo of it in Hiroshima, circa 1988.




























Still have it; Can't part with it... Still entertaining, though I know it's archaic. Nothing like it, though; The guys at the LBS get a kick out of it.


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## Vlad (Feb 7, 2004)

There is something way cool about old Cannondales. Don't know what it is. I dig the headtube sticker on this bike! My old Cannondale road bike has plastic cable guides like yours. Does anybody here know when they started to weld their guides?


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## MendonCycleSmith (Feb 10, 2005)

Vlad said:


> Does anybody here know when they started to weld their guides?


Mid 90's. When they went from the 2.8/3.0 series to the CAAD series.


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## Shayne (Jan 14, 2004)

*1992-1993*

The first year of 2.8 road frames had the plastic guides but the rest of them had them welded on the side of the toptube. 3.0 frames went to welded guides in 1993 also. Some of the lower end touring bikes used the plastic guided for another year or two.


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## MendonCycleSmith (Feb 10, 2005)

Shayne said:


> Some of the lower end touring bikes used the plastic guided for another year or two.


That's right, I was confusing that cross over time period as a definitive stop point for the plastic stuff. Thanks for straightening that out:thumbsup:


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## Dr S (Dec 7, 2007)

Thats lovely. I'd love a pair of those forks to finish my SM600. The originals were destroyed many years back :madman: They ride surprisingly well too.


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