1990 ST600 w/ 27” frame (right?)

[Jeffg]

When I first found this forum I had no idea what this Cannondale I’ve had for a decade or so was, other than it was the biggest bike I’ve ever found, so at 6’5” I knew that I should put it aside until I had time to figure out what it was, and whether I could make it fit me. I haphazardly adjusted and used it a little, but I have been an occasional rider at best, and it never fit right and I actually wondered if it was TOO big for me.

Trying to figure out how to fit a bike using google isn’t easy, there is a lot of useless, misleading, and contradictory info out there, until I found the sheldonbrown site, and the peterwhite fitting page. Good news is that this bike DOES fit me, standover height, seat height, handle distance and it feels great now, though I so far haven’t taken it for more than a few miles yet.

Once this site showed me where to find the serial number, it has ser num 027108901?8, so 27” frame with 130mm fork, built Oct 89, but Catalog color scheme makes it a 1990 ST600. All original except front derailleur is a Suntour (which I guess the Cannondale factory was doing in this time frame), the wheels replaced with 700c instead of original 27”, and Nitto stem replaced with a T-bone, and possibly shifters moved. I was going to find an original Nitto stem, but realized the added height is better for my use and modern touring adjustment, so will keep this.

One question I have is whether shifters were moved from tube to handlebars, or whether these could be original?

Another question, 1989, 1990, and early 91 seem to be only 3.0 touring frames made with 27” size, so are these unusual?

 

[Brian]

Hello,

I would say this is a 89 or built in 89 for 1990. The parts should also have date codes. For the shifters. This would have been added later. I did this to all my road bikes. I had a 1991 Specialized Allez and that was the 1st thing I did. haha

 

[letsbike]

Since the head badge style on this bicycle started being used in 1990, I'd say that is the year it was produced for. Interestingly the catalog lists a 27" frame in 1989, but not in 1990. Seeing all the things that Cannondale cobbled together over the years that doesn't seem out of character.
My guess is that the bike had down tube shifters originally, none of the touring models in 1990 had bar end shifters. People tinker with bike parts all the time. Show me a bicycle with all original parts and I'll show you a bicycle that was never really used.
I'm glad you are taking a interest in this bike. It has many miles left in it.

 

[Jeffg]

Thanks. Besides the badge (which I didn’t know about), it is red like the catalogue 1990 model, different than 1989 or 1991. About shift levers, the 1990 catalog notes down tube shift levers were “braze on”. If these had been installed originally, wouldn’t it be obvious, leaving behind the brazed on mount? Which I don’t see.

This is my only Cannondale bike, but I can see that a lot of people on this forum have big collections of them. Based on what is available used out there, how rare does a 27” frame seem to be?

 

[letsbike]

Your cable stop is screwed into the braze-on mount that used to have the shift lever held there with the same size screw. You can tell by the unpainted portion of frame behind the cable stop that something round (the original shift lever) covered that area.
As far as 27" frames being rare, I'd say that they are as rare as people that have inseams that are longer than 34". I have a 32" inseam and a 25" frame fits me fine. There are hundreds of bicycle manufacturers and it is hard to find any two bikes that are identical. I've never seen another bicycle just like mine. People on this forum quite often are looking for a bicycle like they used to have, but haven't found it yet.

 

[Jeffg]

Thanks for your reply. Here is a closeup that shows what is going on better. If there had been a brazed on mount, then I would expect it to be painted if still there, or disturbed paint if it was removed, but I see neither in this closeup. Maybe I’m wrong and this is what a brazed on mount looks like? I know it doesn’t matter whether it was modified over the years, but I just don’t see evidence of it, which makes me think these handlebar shifters might have been original.

As far as the frame size, I see in the catalogs that 27” was only offered on touring bikes and only for a few years, ending in 89/90 with the introduction of the 3.0 frame. Road bikes always topped out at 25” (63 cm) and Cannondale didn’t offer 27” frames at all after 1990. They can’t have been a big seller. So there can’t be many of these 27” frames out there. It looks like you or others here are often checking through Craigslist and Facebook listings - have you ever seen another 27” frame in your searching?

 

[letsbike]

Here is what the studs look like under your current cable stops. They can be used for stops or shift levers.

 

[letsbike]

I looked around our site gallery. I didn't find any 27 inch frames, but I did find a few 1990 ST600's.

 

[Jeffg]

Thanks, I appreciate your taking the time!

 

[letsbike]

There is a thread named "where did you ride your Cannondale today." Take that one of a kind, cool bike of yours someplace nice and post a few pictures of it in action. In my opinion, the best bikes are the ones that are enjoyed.
Have a great weekend my friend.

 

[letsbike]

Speaking of tall guys on a Cannondale. Did you know that LeBron James used to own part of the company?

 

[marknutzman]

Cool bike!
Yours has an October 1989 production date.

Here is my ST600 with a June 1990 production date.

Interestingly, yours has the crowned fork. Mine has a unicrown fork, which the catalog says it not available until 1992.

Both our bikes are Inferno Red, which was a 1990 only color.

 

[letsbike]

Hey look! A project bike. $100.

 

[black lightning 1987]

Great deal there. Doesn't appear to need much.

 

[letsbike]

Another Big Boy. Just the wrong metal.