Show/tell your Cannondale SM/M**** please!

[setspeed]

I have never owned a Cannondale with a Pepperoni fork, and I quite fancy one.
Show me your SM**** or M**** model. Tell me the good years/bad years/issues - I gather the Force40 brakes are a pain, can you tell me the years to avoid, or is it easy to get round the issue with retrofit brake hangers?
What should I look out for with these frames? Are the forks nearing the end of their fatigue life after 30yrs, and hence likely to crack/sheer?
What year/models had unusual/funky paintjobs?
I am especially interested in seeing pics of any 20" or 22" bikes, as the ones I've seen so far are not very flattering field gates. Being 6'4", I'd need a larger size.

Pic for attention of @jimwise68 M1000 found on here!

 

[Vesatoro]

1992 (and some early 1993) Pepperoni forks with aluminium steerer tubes were recalled, so especially for heavier riders it might be advicable to avoid them. https://groups.google.com/g/rec.bicycles.tech/c/c9fMXBWXbRY

Heat treated aluminium 6061-T6 is not so prone to cracking as some 7005 series frames. However, any frame will crack when abused too much. Look especially for bottom bracket and head tube areas. Also seat post attaching area is at high stress IF there's not enough seat post inserted.

Force 40 plus, can be adjusted to work ok with the instructions http://vintagecannondale.com/tech/Force40Plus.pdf But, IF not set up properly, they will not work properly.

 

[setspeed]

1992 (and some early 1993) Pepperoni forks with aluminium steerer tubes were recalled, so especially for heavier riders it might be advicable to avoid them. https://groups.google.com/g/rec.bicycles.tech/c/c9fMXBWXbRY

Heat treated aluminium 6061-T6 is not so prone to cracking as some 7005 series frames. However, any frame will crack when abused too much. Look especially for bottom bracket and head tube areas. Also seat post attaching area is at high stress IF there's not enough seat post inserted.

Force 40 plus, can be adjusted to work ok with the instructions http://vintagecannondale.com/tech/Force40Plus.pdf But, IF not set up properly, they will not work properly.

This is exactly the kind of info I wanted! I guess I'd be considered a heavier rider at 95kg, so I need to look out for the Pepperonis from those years. I don't suppose there's any way to tell if the steerer has been replaced without partial disasssembly.
Was the Pepperoni continued in 1993 and later? I think it just looks so much better than the wimpy-looking steel fork that was fitted to the lower models!

 

[Vesatoro]

This is exactly the kind of info I wanted! I guess I'd be considered a heavier rider at 95kg, so I need to look out for the Pepperonis from those years. I don't suppose there's any way to tell if the steerer has been replaced without partial disasssembly.
Was the Pepperoni continued in 1993 and later? I think it just looks so much better than the wimpy-looking steel fork that was fitted to the lower models!

There are Pepperoni forks untill 1995. My 1995 M2000.

 

[Vesatoro]

Just go https://vintagecannondale.com/catalog/
and start browsing the years 1990 - 1995 (the Pepperoni years)

 

[setspeed]

There are Pepperoni forks untill 1995. My 1995 M2000.

That's a beautiful paintjob! What's the cranks on it? I just checked the Cannondale '95 catalogue, and they appear to be some other Coda cranks, than you have?

 

[Vesatoro]

That's the CODA 501M crankset, which was quite soon replaced with 502, as they had material issues (too soft). In the 1995 catalogue photo there are wrong cranks (Coda/Sugino M300) attached to the bike, but the spec sheet is right (Coda M501).

 

[setspeed]

That's the CODA 501M crankset, which was quite soon replaced with 502, as they had material issues (too soft). In the 1995 catalogue photo there are wrong cranks (Coda/Sugino M300) attached to the bike, but the spec sheet is right (Coda M501).

Can you also please tell me about the stem setup, as it originally came? If the Pepperonis have/had an alloy steerer, then did they still use a regular quill stem? Yours doesn't, but I can't quite tell from the catalogue what was going on with the original components. It looks like it could be a quill?

 

[Vesatoro]

Can you also please tell me about the stem setup, as it originally came? If the Pepperonis have/had an alloy steerer, then did they still use a regular quill stem? Yours doesn't, but I can't quite tell from the catalogue what was going on with the original components. It looks like it could be a quill?

From 1994 onwards all M-models were with threadless headsets/clamp stems. Before 1994 quill stems and threaded headsets.

 

[Once A Hero]

Here are a couple of pics of the two I have:

Firstly a 1995 M900 but fitted with an earlier threaded Pepperoni. STX/STX-RC groupset, not quite the latest pic, but you get the idea. Size is 16”.


Secondly a 1996 M900 with the P-Bone fork.
XTR drive train, Coda 502M cranks, Magura brakes, CrossMax wheelset. Size 16”.