Upgrading old school Cannondale R600

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Upgrading old school Cannondale R600
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Posted: Mar 3, 2019 at 15:10 Quote
Hey guys, I have a 2001 Cannondale R600 (CAAD4). I'm considering either upgrading the groupset to 11 speed or just buying a new bike.. The bike has a Mavic Aksium wheelset, so 11 speed rear cassette fits.

My biggest question is which BB do I need? My bike currently has the BB-5500, 68mm, but also specifies 118mm - I assume 68mm is the frame width, and 118mm is the spindle length (this bike is a triple crankset). If that is the case, then any hollow 68mm, english thread BB will fit? I'm thinking something like a SRAM Force or Red crankset.

Posted: Mar 3, 2019 at 15:16 Quote
Jasinto wrote:
Hey guys, I have a 2001 Cannondale R600 (CAAD4). I'm considering either upgrading the groupset to 11 speed or just buying a new bike.. The bike has a Mavic Aksium wheelset, so 11 speed rear cassette fits.

My biggest question is which BB do I need? My bike currently has the BB-5500, 68mm, but also specifies 118mm - I assume 68mm is the frame width, and 118mm is the spindle length (this bike is a triple crankset). If that is the case, then any hollow 68mm, english thread BB will fit? I'm thinking something like a SRAM Force or Red crankset.

Thanks!

I would just look for a complete bike at whatever price point you can muster. taper steerers, front through axles, carbon goodness, so much tech since 2001. depends on your budget. but really really, i think its your best bet. shop used too!

Posted: Mar 3, 2019 at 15:42 Quote
lifted-d wrote:
I would just look for a complete bike at whatever price point you can muster. taper steerers, front through axles, carbon goodness, so much tech since 2001. depends on your budget. but really really, i think its your best bet. shop used too!

I know what you're saying, but I'm happy with the rigidity/comfort, the handling, and it surprisingly isn't much heavier than a modern carbon bike.. My only gripe is popping off the chain when I least expect it. My biggest worry is putting $600+ into a bike that's worth $300..

Posted: Mar 4, 2019 at 7:56 Quote
Jasinto wrote:
lifted-d wrote:
I would just look for a complete bike at whatever price point you can muster. taper steerers, front through axles, carbon goodness, so much tech since 2001. depends on your budget. but really really, i think its your best bet. shop used too!

I know what you're saying, but I'm happy with the rigidity/comfort, the handling, and it surprisingly isn't much heavier than a modern carbon bike.. My only gripe is popping off the chain when I least expect it. My biggest worry is putting $600+ into a bike that's worth $300..

every old bike gets to the redo-it stage. but sounds like you need a fresh drivetrain mostly. though the 2 piece cranks are lighter than 3 piece types.

Posted: Mar 6, 2019 at 9:44 Quote
Jasinto wrote:
Hey guys, I have a 2001 Cannondale R600 (CAAD4). I'm considering either upgrading the groupset to 11 speed or just buying a new bike.. The bike has a Mavic Aksium wheelset, so 11 speed rear cassette fits.

My biggest question is which BB do I need? My bike currently has the BB-5500, 68mm, but also specifies 118mm - I assume 68mm is the frame width, and 118mm is the spindle length (this bike is a triple crankset). If that is the case, then any hollow 68mm, english thread BB will fit? I'm thinking something like a SRAM Force or Red crankset.

Yes, you have it right. 68mm is the shell width of the frame and 118 mm is the spindle length. So any modern two piece with external bb bearing cups should work. The key is having enough spacers and figuring out which side of the crankset to mount them to get the right chain line with the new drivetrain. Have fun fiddling.

Posted: Mar 7, 2019 at 8:43 Quote
dirttorpedo wrote:

Yes, you have it right. 68mm is the shell width of the frame and 118 mm is the spindle length. So any modern two piece with external bb bearing cups should work. The key is having enough spacers and figuring out which side of the crankset to mount them to get the right chain line with the new drivetrain. Have fun fiddling.

Great, thanks!

Posted: Sep 9, 2019 at 8:15 Quote
photo

I just realized that I never updated this post. I did choose to upgrade my old bike, and I'm glad I did. I switched to Ultegra-6800 groupset that was pulled off of a new bike. I sold the 3x9 setup to someone that was restoring a similar bike, so the whole upgrade cost me $200.

I needed a BB-RS500 and a clamp-on FD adapter. Luckily, the Mavic wheels allowed the use of the 2x11 cassette.

Posted: Sep 16, 2019 at 10:47 Quote
Looks awesome. Have fun riding it.

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