# Need your opinions on early 1990's Cannondale MT



## bme107 (Jul 23, 2008)

I'm looking at an early 1990's MT to be used for road and path with my wife. The only off-road it will see with us is through the grass and maybe off a curb now and then.

My biggest question is, would this dent below the water bottle cage deter you? Together we are currently 310lbs and fighting weight should be 285-290lbs. Would it be a problem to ride with my brother on occasion at 340lbs? The owner claims the dent is in a "non-structural area."


















I am in communication with the owner to try and find out more about the bike. It appears that he's swapped out a majority of the components from original spec but I'm not totally sure what year it is. (93-94?) I've asked for the serial #.
What I do know for sure is that the frame is black at the head tube and fades to green at the rear triangle and down the fork. The fork is a Pepperoni.

Your thoughts, comments, concerns.......?


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

If the dent has smooth round edges, with no sharp creases it won't be a problem almost anywhere in the middle of a tube on any of the tubes.

Based on the photo, it does not appear creased in any way so it should be fine. You should however look with you eyes and run a finger over to feel the profile / cross section change to be certain.

Knowing from experience how these bikes fit, find out the size of the frame, and post along with it the height of the riders. For short low effort rides proper fit is less important, but if you want to enjoy the bike to it's fullest, and do some distance / trips / fun stuff, make sure it fits both riders well.

The bike itself sounds up to the task you plan for it. This includes riding with your brother.

You can probably figure out the year, and original spec by using the vintage Cannondale scanned catalogs.

BTW, how much are they asking. Sometimes these owners still believe the value hasn't dropped from new, so keep it a buyers market.

Dented frame, older bike, older components, no suspension, = reasonably priced fun bike.

PK


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## bme107 (Jul 23, 2008)

All for not it has been sold.

Contacted him thursday, got some questions answered and some larger pictures. 
Discovered the dent, posted here on friday, asked a few more questions.
Got answers from him this morning at 8am. He sold the bike by 5pm.

I thought it was going to be a great buy at $650 but was worried about the dent. I was waiting to hear what anyone here had to say. It would have been an out of town purchase that my father made for me and delivered in a few months when they visited.


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## PMK (Oct 12, 2004)

Dent or not the big concern would be if it fit both riders.

Price was fair, maybe a touch high for a dinged frame.

Honestly, you possibly dodged a bullet.

PK


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## bme107 (Jul 23, 2008)

I believe we should be looking at a M/S frame. I'm 5'-7" 31.5" inseam and wife's 5'-3" with 28.5" inseam. All my singles have been M or 18 and all her singles have been 14 or 16.

The seller was 6'-2", which is why I believe there was a funky mix of BMX style riser bars.


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## Trails4Two (May 12, 2008)

*Legs!*

5'7" and 31.5 inseam" You have longer legs than I do at 5'10". We had a M/S cannondale mt3000 for several years and it worked fine. After we got a new tandem I realized that the C'dale was really to short in the toptube for me, and that a L/S would have been better. At 5'7" you should do great with a M/S, just adjust the stem and bars for the amount of rise you want. Keep looking, something will show up.


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## bme107 (Jul 23, 2008)

My legs, they go all the way to the floor.

I've ridden some bigger bikes and don't like the feeling that I'm just hanging on, submissive to what the trail dishes out. With a tandem I especially don't want that feeling, knowing that my wife also hangs in the balance. I'd rather put on a 120-130mm stem and 0 rake or drop bars than try to run a DH/BMX style stem on a frame that is too big.


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