# Cannondale 24/26



## bmxcollector (Nov 21, 2006)

Some local tweaker just stopped by with a pink Cannondale 24/26. Woke up the baby and angered the wife! Oh well. It has the rollercams and the XC beartraps so I gave him $40 for it. I haven't really checked it over too much. It looks like the frame has some airbrushing from the factory on the rear triangle. What year these things come out? I always liked the look of the 24/26 thing all though I'm sure why they did it.


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## pinguwin (Aug 20, 2004)

Either post some pictures of it or look at: http://www.mtb-kataloge.de/

People will be happy to help but your description is vague.

Penguin


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## bmxcollector (Nov 21, 2006)

Oh I guess I didn't realize that there was a long run of pink 24/26 Cannondales. 

It has Suntour XC 9000 derailures. RM-20 rims and as mentioned it has the Suntour roller-cams. The seat and seat post is not original. The bike is in pretty good shape over-all but could use a good cleaning. It sure is pink!

What was the purpose of the 24/26 thing anyway?


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## hollister (Sep 16, 2005)

bmxcollector said:


> What was the purpose of the 24/26 thing anyway?


the same thing as the 26/29 thing


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## laffeaux (Jan 4, 2004)

bmxcollector said:


> It has Suntour XC 9000 derailures. RM-20 rims and as mentioned it has the Suntour roller-cams. The seat and seat post is not original. The bike is in pretty good shape over-all but could use a good cleaning. It sure is pink!
> 
> What was the purpose of the 24/26 thing anyway?


Use this site to figure out what you have:
http://www.firstflightbikes.com/cannondale_specs.htm

A larger front wheel will allow the bike to roll over obstacles much easier than a smaller wheel. So a big front wheel prevents sudden stops, and smooths out the ride. However, a large rear wheel increases the gear ratio of the bike - the exact same gear combo on a 24" rear wheeled bike compared to a 26" rear wheeled bike will be easier to turn (also it weights a bit less and is stronger). The rear wheel is going to follow the front wheel, pretty much regardless of it's size. So a 26/24 (or a 29/26 as Hollister points out) is going to have a front wheel that is good for downhill speed and technical trails, while having a rear wheel that aids in climbing.


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## broomhandle (Jul 27, 2006)

its an 87. i have one as well.

www.vintagecannondale.com

26/24's came out in 1984


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## bassteban (Jun 16, 2007)

OK, not to go all PC but, did you just buy a bike from a tweaker? That would be like paying him to go steal another one.


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## bmxcollector (Nov 21, 2006)

Yeah I thought about that. If it was a new full suspension something or other I would have been a little more concerned. I should check Craigslist to see if anyone has posted a stolen pink bike. The dude has been riding it around for the last month day and night so he doesn't seem to concerned with being seen on it. 

I've bought hundreds of bikes and bicycle parts from illegal aliens, tweakers, grandma's, 250k a year computer geeks and anyone else you could think of. I don't discriminate or assume any of them were thieves. I understand the chances of a stolen one finding it's way in to my garage is pretty good. The chance of any collector ending up with a stolen bike is pretty good. However anyone with a police report and a serial number can have it back.


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## bmxcollector (Nov 21, 2006)

Oh yeah thanks for the responses and info. 

What's the feeling on running dirt drops on this thing?


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## ScottyMTB (Oct 26, 2005)

bmxcollector said:


> Yeah I thought about that. If it was a new full suspension something or other I would have been a little more concerned. I should check Craigslist to see if anyone has posted a stolen pink bike. The dude has been riding it around for the last month day and night so he doesn't seem to concerned with being seen on it.
> 
> I've bought hundreds of bikes and bicycle parts from illegal aliens, tweakers, grandma's, 250k a year computer geeks and anyone else you could think of. I don't discriminate or assume any of them were thieves. I understand the chances of a stolen one finding it's way in to my garage is pretty good. The chance of any collector ending up with a stolen bike is pretty good. However anyone with a police report and a serial number can have it back.


I agree with you 100%. The only way you know it was never stolen is if you buy it brand new at the store. What kind of bikes to the grandmas ride?


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## bassteban (Jun 16, 2007)

*If it smells like a meth-head duck...*



ScottyMTB said:


> I agree with you 100%. The only way you know it was never stolen is if you buy it brand new at the store. What kind of bikes to the grandmas ride?


In theory I'd agree w/this but I've seen too many bikes(& other items)being hawked for a 'great price' by some scabby-faced paranoid blur of a former human to not comment. If you truly feel that the stuff is _not_ hot, wonderful. But if it doesn't matter to you whether it is or not(& I don't mean to imply the latter)then my belief is that it will come back to you someday(not neccesarily literally, of course). Call it kharma(sp?)or 'As you reap so shall you sow', but the end result is pretty much the same.
More on topic, I vote dirt drops.

Edit: After rereading my post(particularly the title), I want to clarify that I do not suspect the OP's bike is stolen. My comments are more of a generalization of some of my own worst experiences.


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## ScottyMTB (Oct 26, 2005)

I agree with you too. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.


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## SanAnMan (Mar 22, 2004)

*I was a teenager in the '80's..*

I dreamed many a night about having one of those 26/24 Cannondales as a kid. I guess back then they were shooting for the motorcycle look. Here's a few web pics I scrounged up. One is a Cannondale (of course) and the other is an IBIS Mt. Trials 26/24.


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## ScottyMTB (Oct 26, 2005)

Those Cannodales are pretty common. I have owned a couple and have two in my unwanted frames pile.


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## MERCURY (Aug 23, 2004)

Hi all: I still ride my 1985 26/24. Would it be wrong to call it a 64? It is still a great bike.
In 2004 i did the divide and last summer for grins did the northern tier. no mechanicals.
i love the wheel bearings, ( 1 piece, like bob trailer ) never had them wear out on a trip.


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## bassteban (Jun 16, 2007)

I had a friend w/one of these back in the day- he cut the little tube going between the seat stays & shoved a 26" wheel in. I think he used some kind of self-made clamp-on canti mounts because the brakes no longer lined up right. The thing had like 14" of ground clearance.


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## MERCURY (Aug 23, 2004)

Hey bassteban: Thanx for the clue. i had some fantasies of making it a 24/26 back
wheel but didn't want to mess with the frame ( weaken). i was gonna have 2 more posts
for the brakes.


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## laffeaux (Jan 4, 2004)

SanAnMan said:


> I dreamed many a night about having one of those 26/24 Cannondales as a kid. I guess back then they were shooting for the motorcycle look. Here's a few web pics I scrounged up. One is a Cannondale (of course) and the other is an IBIS Mt. Trials 26/24.


Nice looking Ibis.


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