'99 Cannondale F300 build

gary71M500

Dirt Disciple
I'm putting together a couple of medium framed bikes for my two kids at present made up from parts collected from this site and eBay of course! :) Both are Cannondales as I'm a bit attached to the brand since buying one new back in '95 and currently owning a CAAD10 road bike and an F29 mountain bike (arrived yesterday!)

I thought I would share the build of the F300 I'm doing for my son as it will have the better spec because he actually uses it off road :D My daughter will get the F600 frame as that was it a mess and needed powdercoat, parts wise hers will be shiny & new rather than second hand and properly functional...;)

Deeply flawed man maths tells me I can build him a decent bike for less than I can buy one complete... Anyway I like tinkering with stuff so it was £150 all in OK? ;)

Rough spec will be:

1999 F300 into a more modern form.
- CAD2 frame in Mango
- 1.5" to 1 1/8th headset conversion (replacing Headshok)
- 2008 Rock Shox Team SID 80mm fork (Almost as new eBay billy bargain! :shock: )
- Mavic X517 rim brake rims on XT 6 bolt disc hubs
- M486 front disc
- XTR rear V brake
- Shimano Hollowtech 2 M542 crankset & BB
- SRAM X9 derailleurs/shifters
- FSA Stem
- Easton EA70 bars
- Sella Italia X2 saddle
- Zoom alloy seat post
- Michelin Racer'R tyres

Build so far has been to strip the bike back to it's frame and attack it with rubbing compound to get rid of the worst of the scratches and marks. Fairly pleased with the outcome as it looked like a shed when I picked it up!

After some extensive Googling I eventually determined that you could ditch the headshok (which I didn't have anyway) and convert the frame to run a conventional fork by use of a 1.5" to 1 1/8th adaptor headset. You can only insert the headset about 11mm into the frame so I have shaved a few MM from the bearing housing to get it in. The original P bone headshok was only around 60mm of travel and the new fork is 80mm so it will change the geometry slightly, but 80mm is as short as I can get on a modern fork.

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Forks in:

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It may be up and running by the weekend, but knowing the vague delivery plans from on line shopping and the chances of it all actually fitting together first time it may be a few weeks yet! :)
 
I like that...I loved these when I first started riding.

That'll be a cracking little bike for your son.
 
Finally finished it!

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Various unnecessary but essential carbon and anodised bits:

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23lb all up weight so quite pleased with that for the budget, he just needs to grow a bit now, but I get the feeling that's not going to stop him riding it! :)

The frame around the rear brake is a bit flexible so you can pull the lever to the bars, so a retro brake booster may be in order!
 
We had our first proper ride out this weekend and it's great! The components should serve him well for years, just need a bigger frame once he gets to more than about 5' 6"!

I've got all the bits to build my daughters F600 frame up now, so I'll crack on with that one soon!
 
What area do you live in as the weather up or way was to damp for me at the weekend but at least your son should be happy as i know i would of been as i only had one decent bike when i was eight which some big kid stole off me then snapped the frame .. so i'd have been well chuffed with the dale you've built :cool: ..
 
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