Cannondale M300 mountain bike restoration

Table of Contents

At just $455 ($716 inflation-adjusted for 2020) the Cannondale M300 was the cheapest non-suspended mountain bike of 1998. It needed a lot of TLC before it again achieved its flawless riding nature it has today. After the first night inside the house it also turned out to be the home of various kinds of insects. Ants, beetles, and ladybugs.

Repairs

Hubs

Everything that could rust, had rusted. Water had seeped into the rear hub and corroded one of the cones and all of the bearings. An LBS helped finding the correct cone and bearings.

Bottom Bracket

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1o4LUioCl1/

Water had also entered the frame, completely welding the bottom bracket into the frame with rust. It was an absolute nightmare and the biggest issue I had with this bike. It took 3 feet of extra pipe on my big adjustable wrench to get it to finally move, laying on the ground, a small table on top of the frame to keep it steady, pulling with all my might.

Brakes

None of the brakes worked. Cables were broken and all cantilevers were seized with corrosion. After I fixed them and put in new brake cables, they turned out to probably be the best brakes on any bike I own. I can easily get my rear wheel off the ground by braking with my front-brake. Who knew these types of brakes, coming from a place of being totally destroyed, would turn out so well?

Derailleur

The derailleur cables were fitted wrongly and crossed each other underneath the lower frame tube. The metal on the front derailleur was one unrecognizable clump of orange. I soaked it in vinegar for four days before trying to move it again. It did.

Tires

It had two flats and a torn sidewall (the other would tear a couple months later). I actually tried to fix the tear with glue, which worked for a while, until the other tire gave out. I replaced both with Schwalbe Fat Franks

Handlebar and Stem

The handlebar and stem were black, but severely faded and scratched. They received a new paint job with a spray can. Note to self: even though it says on the can it doesn’t have to, use primer the next time.

Crankset

The original crankset was completely worn. I received a fantastic Shimano Nexave replacement from a 1994 Gazelle Golvo donor bike with a broken frame. The choice for a bigger chainrings is a logical one considering the fact I do most of my riding in the city and didn’t want to run out of gears.

Cassette and chain

Obviously the chain and cassette we’re worn as well and we’re replaced with a KMC X8 and Shimano 7-speed cassette.

Lessons learned

This bike taught me that you can repair basically anything that’s rusted. Even if it’s totally seized. I didn’t have a rust remover at the time so it was a lot of tin foil and vinegar. But as soon as I got things moving a little, whether it was the front derailleur or one of the v-brakes, WD-40 did the rest.

All in all it’s a fantastic bike and an absolute joy to ride through the city. And the combination of the Fat Frank whitewalls with the “Emerald Green Pearl” paint have turned it into a vintage beauty if you ask me. What do you think? Let me know in the comment section below, and if you have any questions, please ask.

Repair costs

Cassette: €10.49
Tires: €47.98
Chain: €12.95
Shifter cables: €10
Total: €81.50 (excluding shipping fees)

Specifications

Year	1998
MSRP	$455
Frame	CAAD1 Mountain
Fork	Cro-mo
Rims	Sun AT18, 36 hole
Hubs	Shimano RM40
Spokes	DT Swiss stainless steel 15 gauge
Tires	Schwalbe Fat Frank, brown / whitewall, 60-559 \| 26 x 2.35
Pedals	Wellgo LU-924
Crank	Shimano Nexave, 28/38/48, FC-T410
Chain	KMC X8
Cassette	Shimano CS-HG41 7-speed
Bottom Bracket
Front derailleur	Shimano Alivio
Rear Derailleur	Shimano STX
Shifters	Sachs Power Grip Plus
Handlebars	High-rise steel
Stem	High-rise TIG-welded Cro-mo
Headset	Tange-Seiki SE-II
Brakes	TX-22 Side pull canti w. LC26 levers
Saddle	Coda 500M
Seatpost	Kalloy SP-263B
Size	24″