1989 Black Lightning, not so lightning right now

[MEENI]

Saved this one from the scrap yard yesterday
Student used it in Utrecht to get around town
Frame has no dents but is pretty ruf due to use of lock and chain and heavy use
all the original components are on.
According to frame numder its number 19 from that year
Everything is working exept the bearings in the headset are gone
This is my first bike with the old logo

Not sure what to do with it.
Anny ideas ??

 

[black lightning 1987]

Nice find. I would probably take it apart, clean everything and touch up the frame, and put it back together with the original parts that are still in decent condition. It shouldn't be hard to find replacements for any of the original components that are needed, with the crank being the exception. I might have an Edge rear derailleur, will have to check.

 

[MEENI]

Its freezing pretty hard over here so will wait for better temperatures
To give it a good clean end see what comes from underneath all te black grease and dirt.
Checkd yesterday but it shifts pretty good
Seatpost is too far gone so will replace that

 

[black lightning 1987]

It's been very cold here the past two weeks. Low tonight of -24 and high tomorrow of -17. I just came to get warmed up after moving snow with the tractor before heading back out to saw some firewood.

I did find a couple of Edge rear derailleurs here, unfortunately neither is black.

 

[MEENI]

If we had those temperatures overhere the whole country would seize to function.
We are not used to it over here. We now have ice to skate on, the last time that that happened was 4 years ago.
Last year we had no snow at all.
Thnx for looking.
I never saw a black lightning here in the Netherlands.
Is this a common bike in the us?

 

[black lightning 1987]

They are the most common of the late 80s/early 90s road models that had special paint dedicated to a given component manufacturer. The Black Lightning was always SunTour. There was also a blue/white bike that came with Campagnolo Athena, and a yellow/black bike that had a full Mavic group. The Mavic and Athena models were only made for two years while the Black Lightning was made for four. As a result of that and the fact that it was always lower in the line and more affordable than the other two, Black Lightnings are much more common. I've seen several of the the Athena bikes listed for sale but have yet to own one. I've only seen one of the Mavic bikes, the 1992 R1000 that I own.

 

[MEENI]

Looks great.
The most rare one i have is probably the raw cannondale

 

[black lightning 1987]

It would be interesting to see production figures for every model produced. Lacking that, we have to judge rarity based on what we see - and that is probably highly influenced by what our interests are, and where we live.

 

[MEENI]

Little update:
New bearings in the headset
Broke the cranckset so have to change that (thread is gone)
Front derrailleur was broken (the cage)
Now working on the brakebolts (both are verry rusted and stuck)
Polished frame,seatpost and stem and deepcleaned the steer and brake handles that came outpretty good
Thougt about painting the parts black again but i like the contrast maybe go for a 600 group that i have left from another build.

 

[black lightning 1987]

It's looking better. I'm surprised at the large areas of paint loss - that was fairly common on older Cannondales but I wouldn't have expected it on a 1989 model. My first Cannondale was a 1989 mountain bike with the same black and gold paint. I had almost 8000 miles on it when it was stolen but the paint still looked great aside from a few rock chips.

600 would look fine on it if you don't want to search out SunTour parts. I'd be happy to sell you SunTour derailleurs but shipping might be expensive.

Did you pull the threads out of the crank spindle hole? I would still consider using it, especially if it's the drive side that's damaged. I think you could remove the crank with an automotive ball joint tool, commonly called a "pickle fork" in the USA. The fixed cup on the drive side would provide a smooth surface for it. The left side might be more of a problem.

 

[MEENI]

Thnx for the advice, maybe i will try to make new thread in the cranck
Frame paint damage is not from riding but from use of a chain on theusual places hardly anny paintsweat or scuffing. I like it when a bicycle has a bit of wear and tear.
Drilled out the caliper bolts yesterday.
Took my time and did not damage the frame so another step further

 

[black lightning 1987]

I just thought it looked like the preparation for paint might not have been very good, as the paint came off in large areas. Zinc chromate primer is best for bare aluminum. I don't think it was used on the first few years of Cannondales, but I think it was used at some point. I have a MTB frame here that I'm stripping for repaint that appears to have it. It's a distinctive color, kind of a greenish yellow and bonds well to AL.

 

[MEENI]

Ik know what you mean, this bike has that layer too
I have a r frame from 1990 that is stripped and waiting for a rebuild, took a lot of efforts
to strip it form paint.

 

[MEENI]

My 600 group was to nice to put on this bicycle
Then i found an old xt set ........
And another period correct saddle end silver seatpost hook.

 

[black lightning 1987]

Hard to beat an old 110 mm MTB crank, as they can be set up so many different ways. Are you going to keep it as a single ring?

 

[MEENI]

For now single
Wil try to restore the original cranck
Wil have al closer look at the derailleur today

 

[MEENI]

No Black lightning this weekend
Something else came up!!
A second raw andthis one has the frame protector that i was looking for
This one is not as nice asmy other one and a size smaler
Bought it for €150,- and could not pass on that
I would have paid 50,- for only the protector.

 

[black lightning 1987]

You should be able to make money on that deal.

 

[MEENI]

Ordered some new clips for the fenders
And wil try to straigten the chainguard
It was pretty scuffed but that came of pretty well

what would it be worth in the us in this state?

 

[black lightning 1987]

Hard to find that specific model, but used Bad Boys and Quicks seem to be bringing $500-750.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_od...id=m570.l1313&_nkw=cannondale+hybrid&_sacat=0