1991 Cannondale SM800 Beast of the East - Completed

[chiswickcollectables]

Re:

Wow Kramazeek.... thanks for sharing your Beast of the East story, it was such a pleasure to read; your mix of modern components does nothing to offend, it's just makes me happy to see it given a new lease of life. It's fair to say I'm a little more than obsessed with this particular model of Cannondale. It's played a constant in my life for 25 years and will continue to do so until my dying day. Yes there are probably better riding bikes out there, but for me, nothing captures the imagination of true mountain biking more than this bike. Riding it immediately transports me to a time and a place where everything is blissfully alright again, a time and place where the world is a little less complicated than it seems nowadays.

I'm so pleased that you've found another and I look forward to following its progress. Have you received your new acquisition yet or is it still winging its way across the pond? It's pretty cool that this machine began its life Stateside, has spent the majority of its life over here in the UK and is now returning home to its place of birth.

My '91 SM800 story continues with another build. Just this weekend I've picked up another machine from a well known and respected frame restorer in Bristol. They've transformed what was a really tatty black with orange spots BotE in to a fresh jade green example. You may remember that this was the other colour option for that year. My black/orange Beast is now 100 per cent catalogue spec (geeky I know), but the jade green will be full XT with various other bling, (build to follow).

I grew up in Bristol and I took the opportunity to spend the day riding there on my original SM800 revisiting some of the spots which meant so much to me as a kid.. here are a few pictures of the day. Hope you enjoy and please keep us up to date with the progress of your build.

Craig

 

[kramazeek]

Well said, Craig. Your first paragraph is identical to my experience and beautifully written. A mixture of youth, simplicity, and a wonderful biking experience revisited. As I get older it's so rare to find something that can return you that time and those feelings and nothing more so than a bicycle. I'm sure everyone here has their particular model and an accompanying story. Mine will always be the 1991 Cannondale sm800. I'll keep mine running until my dying day as well.

I've not received the frame from the UK yet. It was only a day or so that I made the purchase so it's likely a few weeks off. I'm thinking of trying something different with the UK frame. Maybe a single speed or a double speed with two front chainrings and a single cog w/ tensioner in the rear. It'll be fun to plan out try something new with this one.

That jade green frame is going to make an incredibly beautiful bike when built up. If I remember correctly the shop I bought my sm800 from carried both the black and orange sm800, the jade green sm800, and the blue sm1000. No one carried any of the suspension models that year in my area. Didn't the jade green model have some bright yellow brake lines or am I mistaken? Your garage is quickly approaching a detailed recreation of the shop I bought my bike from.

Where did you find a Vetta seat from that time in that condition!? That is a miracle in and of itself! Mine looks like a pit bull used it for a chew toy. The weird thing is I don't see nearly as many vintage Cannondale's floating around my area or even Ebay here in the states? And more road bikes than mountain bike frames. I see a few Killer V's and the later M800's but the sm800's are tough to come by here. Were Cannondales wildly popular in the UK in the early 1990's? It seems somewhat easier to find older Cannondale models in the UK?

Great pictures too, Craig. Looks like a fantastic day for a ride.

Best to you!

- Mike

 

[jimmy-s3]

Re:

Very nice bike mate.
What size are yours? I’m looking at a frame the same as yours that’s for sale but can’t work out the correct size for me? 5ft 11..

 

[24pouces]

Re: Re:

Wow Kramazeek.... thanks for sharing your Beast of the East story, it was such a pleasure to read; your mix of modern components does nothing to offend, it's just makes me happy to see it given a new lease of life. It's fair to say I'm a little more than obsessed with this particular model of Cannondale. It's played a constant in my life for 25 years and will continue to do so until my dying day. Yes there are probably better riding bikes out there, but for me, nothing captures the imagination of true mountain biking more than this bike. Riding it immediately transports me to a time and a place where everything is blissfully alright again, a time and place where the world is a little less complicated than it seems nowadays.

I'm so pleased that you've found another and I look forward to following its progress. Have you received your new acquisition yet or is it still winging its way across the pond? It's pretty cool that this machine began its life Stateside, has spent the majority of its life over here in the UK and is now returning home to its place of birth.

My '91 SM800 story continues with another build. Just this weekend I've picked up another machine from a well known and respected frame restorer in Bristol. They've transformed what was a really tatty black with orange spots BotE in to a fresh jade green example. You may remember that this was the other colour option for that year. My black/orange Beast is now 100 per cent catalogue spec (geeky I know), but the jade green will be full XT with various other bling, (build to follow).

I grew up in Bristol and I took the opportunity to spend the day riding there on my original SM800 revisiting some of the spots which meant so much to me as a kid.. here are a few pictures of the day. Hope you enjoy and please keep us up to date with the progress of your build.

Craig

Rare to see those SM800 in green