Sunday, January 29, 2012

1996 Cannondale H200

1996 Cannondale H200 Hybrid we refurbished here at Bike Boom. If your'e not familiar, Bike Boom is a used bike shop in Davis square, on the border of Cambridge and Somerville , near Boston MA. where we specialize in restoring and refurbishing used and vintage bikes and offer professional bicycle repair services.
This Cannondale H200 hybrid was manufactured in the hey days of cannondale. Cannondale had  huge success  with it's mountain bikes in the 90's and started making hybrids as well as this market segment was growing fast as it appealed to people looking for a sturdy frame and upright rising position but were also looking for a road bike since most of their riding would be on paved roads rather than single track and dirt. 
this Cannondale H200 was a typical find for us, it was stored for a long time and bought from an elder guy who rarely ever rode it. We replaced the bottom bracket, which is usually where manufacturers save money but apart from a few cables and brake pads (these tend to dry over the years and become hard as stones) and a standard tune up,  it was good to go and snapped by a gentleman who drove from a suburb about 45 minutes away from the store looking for a bike he could ride with his son on weekends but didn't wan't to buy a new bike for a dozen rides a year. When we started selling bikes we thought our customers will be only commuters, students and young professional but as the word got out, we started selling used bikes to family people from the over hundred suburbs around Boston  who couldn't find a decent used bike near them and were not interested in buying a used bike and fixing it buy themselves. for us, it;s a great segment of intelligent, educated and experienced individuals who truly appreciate our work and see Bike Boom for what it really is: Honest, affordable, safe bikes and a great alternative to buying a new bike.  

Parts list for 1996 Cannondale H200 Hybrid

Tires (Standard for leisure riding): https://amzn.to/36aCvLz (choose 700x35 or 700x32)
Tires:(Flat resistant, heavy duty): https://amzn.to/2MLhUpj Select (700x35 or 700x32)
Shifter cables and housing: https://amzn.to/38g40ol
Brake cables and housing: https://amzn.to/2DZqPPk
Rear (right) shifter : https://amzn.to/39rOLcO
Front (left) shifter: https://amzn.to/2Qygv6y (select 3 speed)
Front Derailleur: https://amzn.to/2Pj0QHH
Cassette: https://amzn.to/37oL9pN
Chain: https://amzn.to/38ayVCI (fits 6, 7 and 8 speeds)
Headset: https://amzn.to/38EkfvQ (Choose 26.4 but it's better to remove crown race and measure inside diameter for sure)
Brake pads: https://amzn.to/34TYUMF (standard use, original part)
Brake pads: https://amzn.to/369Nvbs improved performance and wet and cold condition 
Handlebar (25.4 clamp): https://amzn.to/34SU2XT

Brake Levers (good): https://amzn.to/2smGpT6







Friday, January 27, 2012

Early 80's Univega Super Ten

Are you looking to repair this bike?
Links below for parts you can buy now on amazon.
Over the years we repaired thousands of Vintage bikes and became experts in finding alternatives to original bike parts. 
Buying parts for older bikes is confusing, as most of the original parts have been discontinued. 
We use these parts everyday and created this list to make it easier for you to repair your bike.

Parts list for Univega Super Ten:

Shifter cables and housing: https://amzn.to/38g40ol
Brake cables and housing: https://amzn.to/2DZqPPk
Handlebar Tape: https://amzn.to/2qxHiaf
Tires (good): https://amzn.to/2s9eipE (similar look, casual use, choose 27x1 1/4)
Tires (better): https://amzn.to/33YwOyl (super flat resistant and fast rolling, choose 27x1.25 or 27 1 1/4)
Shifters: Front and rear (right and left): https://amzn.to/347vWrv
Rear Derailleur (good): https://amzn.to/2DYUOXF (choose w/ direct attachment)
Rear Derailleur (Better): https://amzn.to/2PupyVA (choose GS type)
Front Derailleur (good): https://amzn.to/3415IXm (choose double)
Front derailleur (better): https://amzn.to/2LAI262 (better quality, fit and finish)
Bottom Bracket: https://amzn.to/2RydlSI (Likely 68x122.5 but must measure spindle length before purchase)
Crank (good): https://amzn.to/2Yw7miQ (better quality fit and finish, will likely need a new bottom bracket)
Crank (better): https://amzn.to/2rg0YQx (lesser quality option, likely will not need a bottom bracket)
Headset: https://amzn.to/38EkfvQ (Choose 27.0 but it's better to remove crown race and measure inside diameter for sure)
Pedals: https://amzn.to/3593fvC (Modern style)
Pedals: https://amzn.to/2DZbNZP (same style as original)
Chain: https://amzn.to/38ayVCI (fits 5, 6, 7 and 8 speeds)
Brake pads (good): https://amzn.to/36eEldP (casual use)
Brake pads (better): https://amzn.to/38ixNN7 (Improved performance and wet/cold condition)
Brakes (rear): https://amzn.to/2P31N8o
Brakes (front): https://amzn.to/2Prqcn2
Brake Levers: https://amzn.to/2LQALz9 (similar to original
Brake Levers: https://amzn.to/356h3Hc (modern style)





Early 80's Univega Super Ten we refurbished here at Bike Boom. If your'e not familiar, Bike Boom is a used bike shop in Davis square, on the border of Cambridge and Somerville , near Boston MA. where we specialize in restoring and refurbishing used and vintage bikes and offer professional bicycle repair services.
this bike is a typical restoration, a low mileage bike with great paint. we often change the original wheels with brand new alloy rims which give the bike a whole new life and help reducing the weight.
Steel rims usually develop dents in the rim wall which are hard to get rid off and we often end up replacing both wheels, even if only one is damaged. We also replaced tires, tubes, cables, brake pads, seat and tape.

Univegas were very popular in the east coast and we find and refurbishe a few dozens every year. they were well built machines, the oldest ones are from the late 70's and most of what we refurbish are from the early 80's. Univega was a a brand of bikes made in japan and strictly imported to the american market by Ben lawee who was the importer of motobecane. When motobecane ceased production ben lawee started importing bikes from Italy under the italivega brand and later imported bikes from japan under the univega name. They are always great bikes to work on. All the parts are standard threaded, parts are readily available and interchangeable with modern ones. They are also well made and lots of great specimens are out there. Once restored they are beautiful and reliable bikes. later models, of mid 80's have very nice geometries resulting in a great fast commuter. The older ones such as this univega super ten have a comfortable touring geometry. Bought by a Tufts student looking for a fast bicycle to commute to class.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

1994 Cannondale M300

Are you looking to repair this bike?
Links below for parts you can buy now on amazon.
Over the years we repaired thousands of Vintage bikes and became experts in finding alternatives to original bike parts. 
Buying parts for older bikes is confusing, as most of the original parts have been discontinued. 
We use these parts everyday and created this list to make it easier for you to repair your bike.

Parts list for 1994 Cannondale M300 
Are you looking to repair this bike?
Links below for parts you can buy now on amazon.
Over the years we repaired thousands of Vintage bikes and became experts in finding alternatives to original bike parts. 
Buying parts for older bikes is confusing, as most of the original parts have been discontinued. 
We use these parts everyday and created this list to make it easier for you to repair your bike.

Parts list for 1994 Cannondale M300

Tires (pavement, light off road): https://amzn.to/2YsSodj (choose 26x2.1)
Tires:(high performance off road): https://amzn.to/2LzPazq ((choose 26x2.1)
Shifter cables and housing: https://amzn.to/38g40ol
Brake cables and housing: https://amzn.to/2DZqPPk
Front and rear (set) Shifters (better): https://amzn.to/2Qzzv4X (3x7 only)
Front and rear (set) Shifters (good) : https://amzn.to/2u89Usc (select 6 or 7 accordingly)
Front Derailleur: https://amzn.to/2Pj0QHH
Crank: https://amzn.to/2qp6e3H (choose 42/32/22 tooth type)
Freewheel (7 speed): https://amzn.to/2EZunS6 
Freewheel (6 speed): https://amzn.to/2qx4c1t 
Chain: https://amzn.to/38ayVCI (fits 6, 7 and 8 speeds)
Headset: https://amzn.to/38EkfvQ (Choose 26.4 but it's better to remove crown race and measure inside diameter for sure)
Brake pads: https://amzn.to/34TYUMF (standard use, original part)
Brake pads: https://amzn.to/369Nvbs improved performance and wet and cold condition 
Handlebar (25.4 clamp): https://amzn.to/34SU2XT
shifter cables and housing: https://amzn.to/38g40ol
brake cables and housing: https://amzn.to/2DZqPPk




    1994 Cannondale M300 we refurbished here at Bike Boom. If your'e not familiar, Bike Boom is a used bike shop in Davis square, on the border of Cambridge and Somerville , near Boston MA. where we specialize in restoring and refurbishing used and vintage bikes and offer professional bicycle repair services.
This is one of my favorite refurbs we did this year. Throughout the Nineties,  mountain bikes based on this frame brought cannondale it's fame among mountain bike riders and later to the road bikes scene. Admittedly, cannondale started it's bicycle business with road bikes (they made trailers and riding gear at first) but were a very small bicycle company before the mountain bike boom of the 90's. More on cannondale's history from MOMBAT.  Cannondale has a huge following and a vintagecannondale.com is great website with old brochures and serial numbers info, a must for every vintage cannondale fan.
This M300 was cannondale's entry level mountain bike and when we received it, we were not surprised to observe that most of the original, low end parts have been replaced over the years with mid end ones. The famous fat tube frame though was in perfect shape, with just a few marks. We ended up replacing the cockpit (stem and handlebar) to a more upright riding position and replaced the rear wheel with a brand new one and a newer matching front wheel. Finally , new 1.5" semi slick tires were installed, which resulted in a fast, light and upright, effortless riding position. A great bike for a short (2-5 miles on average) daily commute, campus ride or "ride to the subway station and park" kind of bike. Most of our customers commute fits this description, and being our most affordable bikes makes them very popular around here. Modern mountain bikes are considered slow for road riding since they are heavy due to the thick tires and suspension but also because they are equipped with a small front chain rings (crank). In the late 80's and early Nineties  they lacked suspension forks and came equipped with a relatively large crankset (48, 46  or 44 teeth count on the large chain ring)  compared to modern mountain bikes from the late 90's and on with only 42 teeth on the large chain ring. this means these bikes, though not racers can actually achieve relatively high speeds. 
Today, a proper mountain bike must have at least 3" of front suspension , so the new version of these rigid mountain bikes converted to city bikes are called by the leading bicycle companies, "city commuters" or "comfort bikes", which are basically a hybrids with round profiled mountain bike wheels (26", instead of 700c) What can I say, Marketing can perform miracles.