1988 Team Crest SR500 Cannondale

letsbike

Well-Known Member
I had totally forgotten about this famous bicycle until I saw this Craigslist ad near Wichita, Kansas last week. It's true that only 300 were built. This is a real collectors item.
 

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letsbike

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A few clearer pictures, plus a little history, that I pulled off the internet.
 

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black lightning 1987

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Staff member
I have seen a couple of Crest bikes before but didn't remember the graphics. Guessing the 64 cm measurement is to top of seat tube. I didn't know about the steel frames. Don't recall anyone who rode for the team.
 

letsbike

Well-Known Member
Some pretty big names, including their manager.
 

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letsbike

Well-Known Member
Cannondales in action at the 1988 Coors Classic. The last year of America's greatest bicycle race.
 

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IdahoBrett

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I looked up the ad because the bike interests me. Not a bad price really. Shipping cost would put it out of reach for me unfortunately. Thanks for the extra info!
 

black lightning 1987

Moderator
Staff member
Some pretty big names, including their manager.
Thanks for that. I had no idea. I have two of Alexi's Serottas from when he rode for Coors Light. Dave Kirk told me that he thinks the 2nd bike pictured was the last of the four or five Softride frames he built for Alexi and Alex Stieda. Dave replaced the sloping tube above the rear brake caliper for me a couple of years ago. I still need to find the Campagnolo decal that should be there. The first picture is an earlier bike with slightly different geometry. Magazine pic is Alexi racing one of the two bikes.
ebay build 2009.jpg
alexi.jpg
Grewal Softride Two  1050N-250E CR.jpg
 

letsbike

Well-Known Member
I always thought that Softrides were great bikes with some really good engineering concepts.
What year were your Serottas built?
 

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black lightning 1987

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Staff member
They would have been built for the 1993 and 1994 seasons I think. Stieda was representing Softride at the time and I have read that Alexi had trouble with his back due to an accident in a Jeep. Some say that the bikes cornered really well as the rear tire stayed in better contact with the pavement compared to a conventional frame.
 

letsbike

Well-Known Member
Alexi Grewal's last professional season was 1993. I enjoyed the entire back story that started with this one bicycle being put up for sale. Hopefully there will be more threads like this; although the original Cannondale Corp. had only a few decades in business there seems to be quite a few interesting stories to share.

While looking through an old catalog today I saw that Cannondale had a line of high performance wheelchairs. It would be very interesting to see one of those.
 
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black lightning 1987

Moderator
Staff member
That's interesting. I'd assumed he was with the team until they folded after the 1994 season. I was under the impression that the yellow and purple paint scheme was only used in 1993 and 1994. The original colors were a day glow yellow and red. Perhaps the yellow and purple was used in 1992 but I don't know how to confirm it either way.

I do recall seeing the wheelchairs in the catalogs but never saw one for sale.
 

kjop

Well-Known Member

black lightning 1987

Moderator
Staff member
The motorcycles and ATVs are generally credited with bankrupting the company I think. I've never seen one for sale but parts turn up on eBay.
 
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