Greetings from VA

[Lawrence1982]

...Still getting used to the layout of the site. Probably should've started here. My name is Larry and I'm 38 yrs old and am from Virginia Beach Virginia. I recently came across a Cannondale Super V700 SL. Don't know what year the bike is though. I've done a bit of research on the Super V700 line and have had to dig myself out of numerous rabbit holes. I'm trying to restore this bike to a pretty much brand new condition and am having trouble finding certain items and was directed to this site to help me out. Any help anyone can provide me with is greatly appreciated. I have taken the bike to a Cannondale dealer and they have told me there is nothing they can do about certain parts since they are not made anymore and don't have the "special" tools required to even service the parts. The staff has been very helpful in what they could diagnose but I need more help. I have made some minor alterations to the bike but still have all parts that were removed and changed.

 

[black lightning 1987]

Hi Larry. That's a 1998 SV700. Color is Bar-b-que Black with Split Pea swingarm. It's shown in the catalog in white but yours is the alternate color. There is a complete list of the original parts in the back of the 1998 catalog. Note that Cannondale would sometimes make substitutions during the production run.

 

[Lawrence1982]

 

[Lawrence1982]

Not sure why it posted duplicates.

 

[MEENI]

What parts do you need
It looks quite complete

 

[Lawrence1982]

It's in excellent condition. I just had some work done to it by a shop here. I need to either rebuild the Headshok or replace it. I also need the boot kit. I found the boot and tool needed for fork removal on Amazon, but I haven't been reading good things about the Headshok, from what I gather this is not going to be an easy or fun job. I'm pretty proficient when it comes to bike maintenance, but this is my first Cannondale and I'm quickly learning that Cannondale is quite a bit different than other manufacturers.

 

[black lightning 1987]

What is wrong with the fork? The boot looks fine to me, just straighten out the bellows and zip tie it to the headset.

 

[Lawrence1982]

It's torn from the top of the boot to about 1/8" from the bottom. Definitely needs to be replaced. I found one on Amazon I just haven't bought it yet. I also need the tool to access the valve to add air to the shock. Not sure what condition the seals inside the shock are.

 

[JohnnyD]

Other than the Headshock, it looks great!
If you decide to not deal with then front end yourself, there is a bicycle shop who specializes in rebuild/servicing Headshocks.
https://www.mendoncyclesmith.com/
Very knowledgeable and helpful.

 

[MEENI]

Maybe you can weld/glue it on the inside.

 

[Lawrence1982]

I contacted Mendon about the forks and Headshok. From speaking with him, he sounds super knowledgeable about everything I brought up. Just gotta break everything down and ship them out. That will complete my restoration. I'm thinking about painting the bike a totally different color but I'm on the fence about it. Changing the original color scheme is probably not gonna sit too well with certain collectors. I don't plan on selling it any time soon unless the right offer comes around. I'm definitely open to suggestions, comments, advice. Constructive criticism is also welcome.

 

[black lightning 1987]

I don't think a bike has to have a perfect finish to be desirable, in fact I prefer some flaws just so I don't have to worry about riding a bike while maintaining a perfect paint job. You might have a look at the catalogs. Perhaps there is a paint scheme from the same year that you like. Even if it was only offered on a different model, it would still be period correct. Cannondales had a lot of nice paint schemes in the 1990s, perhaps you can find a stock one that you like.

 

[black lightning 1987]

I would add that you shouldn't expect to add to the resale value of the bike by repainting it.

 

[Lawrence1982]

Yea, I'm not really interested in selling it. If someone happens to approach me about selling it and throws out a good enough number then I'll part with it, but that's about the only way I'll sell it. I'm pretty attached to it now. I've got a lot of time invested in it so far. I started riding this to and from work on a daily basis rather than driving my truck. It's a 3 mile ride each way, not too bad, only takes me about 15 minutes to get there. Anyway, after getting used to the bike it went in the shop for about 2 weeks and I rode my roommate's Mongoose instead. It took 1 day of riding that to make me miss the Cannondale. It's like twice the weight of the Super V, totally unenjoyable ride. I figured it would be the same concept as a car/truck. Once you get into custom paint and all the other custom stuff it never adds to the value. Unless you happen to find someone that's got the exact same taste as you do. You also make a good point about having to worry about keeping the paint nice. There's really nothing wrong with it as it sits. I've just been toying with the idea for a few weeks. There's a body shop right behind where I work and they do some awesome work when it comes to painting rims and vehicles.

 

[JohnnyD]

Glad to see you found a solution to your problem with the fork. I am very much a DIY kind of person, however when it comes to Headshocks or Lefty forks I'd rather pay someone else to do the work. If I buy a used Lefty Max for my '04 Jekyll I am going to have it rebuilt since then I would have a little bit of peace of mind on that part.