Time for comfort

[CanMan]

After many years, it was time to modify my wife’s Cannondale F500 to more of a comfort rider. The low slung handlebars and grip shifts had to go. I also replaced the cantilever brakes with more effective V-Brakes.

New parts:
Alloy riser handlebars
660mm x 100 rise x 25.4mm clamp
Manufacturer: Dimension
Manufacturer P/N: NPD105170 100MM BLK

Shift/brake lever combo:
Shimano ST-EF500-7R2A (7 speed rear)
Shimano ST-EF500-L2A (3 speed front)

V-brakes
Manufacturer: Tektro
Manufacturer P/N: M530

Grips
Manufacturer: Ergon
Manufacturer P/N: GP1
Small or large depending on your hand size.

Notes:
The brake posts on the Cannondale are shorter than normal. Replacing with longer posts was not an option due to the atypical 5/16-18 threads. The M530 brakes are made for the shorter posts.

The tension pins on the Tektro brakes had a step that prevented full insertion into the mating frame holes. I drilled the holes out to 0.109” (7/64”) for a better fit.

The brakes come with two noodle angles. I used 90 degrees on the front and 135 degrees on the rear. I opened up the angle a bit on the rear to make for better cable routing.

 

[black lightning 1987]

Nice job. Another bike that I can't be sure of the year. Appears to be a 1998 frame as that's the only CAAD2 that the catalogs show with a frame mounted rear canti stop. The 1997 frames had the cable stop dangling from the seat clamp. Galaxy red was a common 1997 color. I'm guessing your frame is a late 1997 and the cable stop was a running change that doesn't appear in the catalog. What were the original brakes? Catalog says DiaCompe VC-2 but I've never seen them.

 

[CanMan]

Good call on the year. We couldn't find any receipts but we do have some pictures dating back to 1998.

The original cantilever brakes were DiaCompe VC-2 as you predicted. I've attached a picture.

 

[black lightning 1987]

Those look pretty nice. Did you replace them just because the new shifters have V brake pull ratio?

 

[CanMan]

The original cantilever brakes never did work very well and as time wore on they required too much grip force for my wife. Replacing pads and adjusting didn't help and I decided that it was more of a geometry issue inherent with the cantilevers. The V-brakes do seem to be more efficient. The shifter/brake combos took care of the v-brake pull ratio with the added benefit of switching from grip to trigger shifts. Again for ease of use.

 

[black lightning 1987]

Kind of surprising that braking power was a problem here in IL but perhaps you are in far south or far NW.