Konaglider
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FS- 1988 Cannondale 3.0 Series Frame & Forks
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dirtydaniel
Retro Guru
how big is the frame please?
Konaglider
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Hi, frame measures 22 1/2" or 57cm c-c of seat-tube.
Matt.
Matt.
I have a 1989 Cannondale 3.0 frame.
When these made their debut they were the lightest frames in the world.
Bicycling Magazine used to be much less advertiser driven than it is now. They had constructed their famous 'tarantula' test jig to test frame stiffness. The Cannondale 3.0 frame is the stiffest frame ever tested!
Its funny that so many people are looking for old Masi, Slim Chance, Colnago, Cinelli, Olmo, Guericiotti, Pinerello, and others but all of these vintage/classic steel bikes took a back place to a 'dale.
When you ride a 3.0 frame you have almost a telepathic connection to the road, the road feel is just uncanny. Its impossible to go from a 3.0 to a modern carbon frame. The carbon frame will feel completely 'dead' and still be less explosive in a sprint, be a noticeably less efficient climber, and be less predictable in the corners.
Ten years from now a 'dale will be a very sought after bike. These frames were absolutely legendary, and are the forgotten jewel of US frame production.
The story of the Cannondale 3.0 is that Joe Montgomery brought it some brilliant minds to take the company in a new direction, toward carbon fiber production. Well, MIT had been having symposiums on the technical limitations and performance ceiling of the available materials for producing bicycles (Gary Klein took this class and thus formed Klein Bicycles). It was determined, from a materials science perspective, that no other material (magnesium, carbon fiber, steel, etc.) could produce the combination of efficient energy transfer (stiffness), light weight, and predictable tracking. So one of the 'young minds' (a Stanford engineer) Cannondale hired to get their carbon fiber bikes going told 'em they were nuts, and instead optimized their existing aluminum frame design and the result was the 3.0 frame. Cannondale has made lighter frames, significantly lighter frames, to the point that Cannondale no longer even makes the 66cm special order frame that used to be a staple of their product line. They have tweaked their aluminum bikes to the point that the modern stuff isn't strong enough to support large frame sizes.
The last 66cm frame was CAAD5.
However, no frame ever produced has the combination of light weight, strength, or stiffness as a Cannondale 3.0.
I weigh 375lbs (I'm 6'7") and my Cannondale 3.0 63cm frame is a testament to how brilliantly engineered these frames were.
Comparing a 3.0 to vintage/classic Italian steel is like comparing a Maserati to a Ford Mustang.
A legendary frame. You can't go wrong with a Cannondale 3.0. It was truly fifteen years ahead of its time.
Even now, it will embarass just about any frame that costs less than $2k.
A 56cm frame was right at 3.2 lbs (replace the fork with something modern and ultra lightweight and you've got an epic platform), and a hip whip to boot.
When these made their debut they were the lightest frames in the world.
Bicycling Magazine used to be much less advertiser driven than it is now. They had constructed their famous 'tarantula' test jig to test frame stiffness. The Cannondale 3.0 frame is the stiffest frame ever tested!
Its funny that so many people are looking for old Masi, Slim Chance, Colnago, Cinelli, Olmo, Guericiotti, Pinerello, and others but all of these vintage/classic steel bikes took a back place to a 'dale.
When you ride a 3.0 frame you have almost a telepathic connection to the road, the road feel is just uncanny. Its impossible to go from a 3.0 to a modern carbon frame. The carbon frame will feel completely 'dead' and still be less explosive in a sprint, be a noticeably less efficient climber, and be less predictable in the corners.
Ten years from now a 'dale will be a very sought after bike. These frames were absolutely legendary, and are the forgotten jewel of US frame production.
The story of the Cannondale 3.0 is that Joe Montgomery brought it some brilliant minds to take the company in a new direction, toward carbon fiber production. Well, MIT had been having symposiums on the technical limitations and performance ceiling of the available materials for producing bicycles (Gary Klein took this class and thus formed Klein Bicycles). It was determined, from a materials science perspective, that no other material (magnesium, carbon fiber, steel, etc.) could produce the combination of efficient energy transfer (stiffness), light weight, and predictable tracking. So one of the 'young minds' (a Stanford engineer) Cannondale hired to get their carbon fiber bikes going told 'em they were nuts, and instead optimized their existing aluminum frame design and the result was the 3.0 frame. Cannondale has made lighter frames, significantly lighter frames, to the point that Cannondale no longer even makes the 66cm special order frame that used to be a staple of their product line. They have tweaked their aluminum bikes to the point that the modern stuff isn't strong enough to support large frame sizes.
The last 66cm frame was CAAD5.
However, no frame ever produced has the combination of light weight, strength, or stiffness as a Cannondale 3.0.
I weigh 375lbs (I'm 6'7") and my Cannondale 3.0 63cm frame is a testament to how brilliantly engineered these frames were.
Comparing a 3.0 to vintage/classic Italian steel is like comparing a Maserati to a Ford Mustang.
A legendary frame. You can't go wrong with a Cannondale 3.0. It was truly fifteen years ahead of its time.
Even now, it will embarass just about any frame that costs less than $2k.
A 56cm frame was right at 3.2 lbs (replace the fork with something modern and ultra lightweight and you've got an epic platform), and a hip whip to boot.
Konaglider
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stinus":2mr9z5ki said:
Hello Stinus, thanks for the interest.
I'm unsure about posting overseas due to cost and how safely the frame would be treated, I've never shipped a frame out of the UK before.
Matt.
Konaglider
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Many thanks for the info Mtnbke, interesting reading :!: It certainly does give a very 'involving' ride.
dirtydaniel
Retro Guru
I'd love this frame but it's too small for me. 
Great information there Mtnbke. Interesting reading.
Great information there Mtnbke. Interesting reading.
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I just cant afford it... :cry: :cry: :cry:
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