1988 Black Lightning

[Peat]

Also I've just come across this bike for sale on an FB group called 'AUS Cannondale Buy Sell and Swap'

It's a private group so may not be easy to see, also for future viewers of this thread this will be useless.

But its basically a 61cm Criterium BL which looks to have all the OG components and is somewhere in the USA.

photo taken from sale post on fb

 

[IdahoBrett]

Also I've just come across this bike for sale on an FB group called 'AUS Cannondale Buy Sell and Swap'

It's a private group so may not be easy to see, also for future viewers of this thread this will be useless.

But its basically a 61cm Criterium BL which looks to have all the OG components and is somewhere in the USA.

photo taken from sale post on fb

It’s on ebay. I’ve messaged with the seller. Nice fella. It’s actually a 63cm frame. He sent pics of the serial number upon request. Not sure if he has added them to his ad. All the important bits are there. It also needs a paint sharpee here and there.

 

[IdahoBrett]

This looks great! Have you repainted the stem mostly? What are you planning to do with the lettering on the stem? I believe originally it would have been that same dull gold/yellow colour as the other decals.
I have two stems like that, would love to bring them back to their original glory. Both are well, well worn but the 'Black Lightning' lettering is still faintly visible on both.

After the lacquer thinner I taped over the remaining logo and rattle can painted the stem. It’s kind of ugly. But I’m leaving it as is for now.

Still trying to figure out how to remove the “Hatta” caged bearing retainer. Or even if I should. I’d like to remove it as I’ve got new bearing retainer sets. Internet search turned up very little. Some had success removing it. Some have destroyed the retainer. And some have just cleaned and regreased.

 

[black lightning 1987]

I would probably clean and repack the bearing with the retainer in place. I'd think the spindle is more likely to wear than the cups. Never serviced a BB with the retainer but doubt that it's needed if you destroy it getting it out.

 

[black lightning 1987]

I did measure my handlebar and it measures approximately 42 cm outside to outside. It's a model 185 and is stamped 400, which is the approximate center to center dimension. The other model I have seen is the 55. I don't know how it differed. There's an ebay seller that has NOS 40 cm black/gold Nittos but I can't see a model number on them. I'm beginning to wonder if they were made in wider widths.

 

[Peat]

It’s on ebay. I’ve messaged with the seller. Nice fella. It’s actually a 63cm frame. He sent pics of the serial number upon request. Not sure if he has added them to his ad. All the important bits are there. It also needs a paint sharpee here and there.

Any chance you ended up grabbing this?
From memory he wasn’t asking too much for it and would be well worth it for the parts alone!
I was keen for the frame size initially. My current BL is a 58 but I’m 194cm (6’4”) and it’s probably too small for me.
I ended up getting a longer similar looking seatpost and bringing up the stem as much as I could and it’s actually a beauty to ride though.

 

[Peat]

After the lacquer thinner I taped over the remaining logo and rattle can painted the stem. It’s kind of ugly. But I’m leaving it as is for now.

Still trying to figure out how to remove the “Hatta” caged bearing retainer. Or even if I should. I’d like to remove it as I’ve got new bearing retainer sets. Internet search turned up very little. Some had success removing it. Some have destroyed the retainer. And some have just cleaned and regreased.

Keen to see how your stems end up looking!

 

[black lightning 1987]

Any chance you ended up grabbing this?
From memory he wasn’t asking too much for it and would be well worth it for the parts alone!
I was keen for the frame size initially. My current BL is a 58 but I’m 194cm (6’4”) and it’s probably too small for me.
I ended up getting a longer similar looking seatpost and bringing up the stem as much as I could and it’s actually a beauty to ride though.

You are taller than I but I rider higher seat height than most folks who are even a couple of inches taller. I'd think you would like a larger frame better and would probably prefer the 63 cm frame.

 

[Peat]

You are taller than I but I rider higher seat height than most folks who are even a couple of inches taller. I'd think you would like a larger frame better and would probably prefer the 63 cm frame.

Totally! I originally saw that 63cm for $400 on an Australian Cannondale marketplace page and couldn’t believe it!
Turns out the guy had accidentally posted it there and obviously was in the US.
For now I’m stoked with my more or less catalog exact BL.

With that said I did recently buy a 60cm CAD3 Saeco which I’ve been riding and it’s an absolute dream. Fast and responsive like the BL but frame size much better suited to me and going from the questionable at best Suntour 7sp on downtube shifters to a full 7700 groupset is undeniably so much nicer.

Still just absolutely love the BL and it’s clean minimal appearance and simplicity though. I think I’ll keep both forever!

 

[Peat]

Totally! I originally saw that 63cm for $400 on an Australian Cannondale marketplace page and couldn’t believe it!
Turns out the guy had accidentally posted it there and obviously was in the US.
For now I’m stoked with my more or less catalog exact BL.

With that said I did recently buy a 60cm CAD3 Saeco which I’ve been riding and it’s an absolute dream. Fast and responsive like the BL but frame size much better suited to me and going from the questionable at best Suntour 7sp on downtime shifters to a full 7700 groupset is undeniably so much nicer.

Still just absolutely love the BL and it’s clean minimal appearance and simplicity though. I think I’ll keep both forever!

Here it is before I fully 7700’d it and got a yellow/red SMP saddle for it.

Also switched out the stem and bars to a BL stem and bar set I had spare haha

 

[black lightning 1987]

I still "need" to find a Saeco bike in my size. 7700 is nice stuff, the only real knock on it is that the finish doesn't hold up very well. I have a 7703 group on a steel Serotta. The 7703 triple crank is really nice and light.

 

[IdahoBrett]

Any chance you ended up grabbing this?
From memory he wasn’t asking too much for it and would be well worth it for the parts alone!
I was keen for the frame size initially. My current BL is a 58 but I’m 194cm (6’4”) and it’s probably too small for me.
I ended up getting a longer similar looking seatpost and bringing up the stem as much as I could and it’s actually a beauty to ride though.

No I did not. Sadly. I'm out of space. I did receive a message from the seller the other day. He's wanting to make a deal......

 

[Peat]

I still "need" to find a Saeco bike in my size. 7700 is nice stuff, the only real knock on it is that the finish doesn't hold up very well. I have a 7703 group on a steel Serotta. The 7703 triple crank is really nice and light.

Haha it definitely is a ‘need’

Those era Saeco CAD’s and the pre CAD Black Lightnings are the only Cannondales I truly care for.
Without a quill stem and a horizontal top tube I just can’t agree with the aesthetic.
I’m also not an older bicycle purist at all either, just love that old classic geometry and the simple elegance of a quill stem.

 

[black lightning 1987]

Haha it definitely is a ‘need’

Those era Saeco CAD’s and the pre CAD Black Lightnings are the only Cannondales I truly care for.
Without a quill stem and a horizontal top tube I just can’t agree with the aesthetic.
I’m also not an older bicycle purist at all either, just love that old classic geometry and the simple elegance of a quill stem.

Interesting. You're limited to CAAD4 and older with a quill stem. I'm with you on the level top tube, though I have a few bikes with sloping. I don't mind threadless stems though. Here's the first new Cannondale I owned, a 1999 R4000 purchased as a frameset and built with Campagnolo Daytona 9 speed and Ambrosio rims. This is as close as I have to a Saeco as the frame and fork are the same as the 1999 team frames except for the paint.

 

[JohnnyD]

No I did not. Sadly. I'm out of space. I did receive a message from the seller the other day. He's wanting to make a deal......

Do what I am doing about the space issue. Building a 12x16 workshop/shed for just my bikes!

 

[black lightning 1987]

Do what I am doing about the space issue. Building a 12x16 workshop/shed for just my bikes!

I moved a 10' x 16' building from a neighbor's farm to my place winter of 2022. From the looks of it the original use was storage for oats or small grain. Got it moved to where it's going to stay last summer. Just started working on it. Plan is to insulate, install good lights, and a small electric heater. Will be storing bikes and tools in it, and in our climate heat is necessary to combat the rapid temperature changes and high humidity.

 

[JohnnyD]

I moved a 10' x 16' building from a neighbor's farm to my place winter of 2022. From the looks of it the original use was storage for oats or small grain. Got it moved to where it's going to stay last summer. Just started working on it. Plan is to insulate, install good lights, and a small electric heater. Will be storing bikes and tools in it, and in our climate heat is necessary to combat the rapid temperature changes and high humidity.

My plan is similar, although heating isn't really a huge issue down here in Texas but A/C is a must during the summer. Although, a lot of the natives seem to think it's FREEZING when it dips into the 50's. Thankfully, I have a small window mounted 8000 BTU A/C and heater combo that will take care of all my needs. Especially since I will insulate it like crazy so I can comfortably work in it anytime of the year.

 

[black lightning 1987]

AC would be a good plan for me too but mainly to reduce the humidity. Just one small window in the shed but I guess I could install a bigger one. I didn't know they made a window AC/heater combo.

 

[JohnnyD]

AC would be a good plan for me too but mainly to reduce the humidity. Just one small window in the shed but I guess I could install a bigger one. I didn't know they made a window AC/heater combo.

Got it as Lowes...Hisense AW0822DR1W . 8000 BTU cooling 4000 BTU heat. More than enough for the "cold" here in Texas.

 

[IdahoBrett]

Good enough for a ride! BL II did fine. The indexed shifting was difficult for me to tune.