Cannondale Black Lightning Full Superbe Pro 1986 54 cm Sweetness

This is an odd duck. The catalogs don't list a "black lightning" from 1986, but the frame logo is clearly 1986 or earlier. The component spec, Superbe Pro all around, is the same as the 86 SR800 but again, the components are not blacked/golded out like this example. I'd be surprised if this isn't a "concept" from cannondale for the what-would-become Black Lightning mainstay of cannondale from '87 and on. It's cool no matter what it is and well, a simple decoding of the serial# would tell us the year..?

Was able to correspond with David Campbell @ Cannondale who is thier original product developer and spec'd all the early designs, specifically the "Black Lightining" line. In response to my inquiry I will quote directly from his reply......

"I have been with Cannondale since 1980, before bikes. I was the first product manager, planning, “specing” product.

I was the originator of the special road bike we called the Black Lightning. A friend of mine still has the prototype I made, sending out all the little parts to be anodized black.

In brief there were two generations: The first had a Suntour Superbe Pro group, was more expensive. The Superbe Pro group was black with some gold accents. The second kept the look of the original Black Lightning, but was lower cost with lower spec Suntour parts, an effort to get more sales volume."

This clears the mist of why it wasn't listed in the catalogues.

And as an added note David mentioned that since its a bit small for me and he fits a 53/54 he may be a potential customer! How cool would that be if it found its way back home?

This thing is a keeper

Man that is cool. Thank you for keeping us in-the-loop as that is a special conversation/connection I'd say! That would be pretty sweet if it ended up going back to David Campbell.
These sorts of stories, that pop up about builders and riders, really make cycling into such a special hobby/passion...

serial number 54052286374

54 = Frame size
05/22/86 = Production date
374 = Sequence Number
Unfortunately, the serial# doesn't tell us the model, but color typically indicates which build it was destined for (since all the frames were the same across the genre).
It is a sweet bike and that group is gorgeous, but I fear I am biased with any opinion on breaking up the two!

My guess is that it is an 86 sr800 frame that was left over and they just built it up in 87 with the black lightning group. Is that crazy? I also would not break it up. Isn't your 3rensho a track bike anyway. You wouldn't get half the parts on it. And it looks pretty sweet as it is.

I think your reffering to my SRE Keirin. I also have a 54 3rensho SR super record export full Ishiwta 019 chrome fork and a 55 Athlete. I'll post pics after the holidays. To many other home related projects taking priority.

The Superbe Pro isn't listed in the '87 or '88 catalog for the Black Lightning--although it is in the photo pictured in the '88..?!?
I don't have access to Euro cats from that period (nor do I know if there were ones); is it possible that this is a European model of the Black Lightning , also per the size in cms? (both my '87 C'dales list the size in inches, but neither are from the SR-line) I like the "built up an '86 frame in '87" theory, but it's odd that the Superbe Pro is there, plus I think the powder-coat would have gone on relatively closely around the production date..? Cheers

I've seen several other on different sites. cobbled parts (mainly Maede subs) Sugino branded cranks, dia compe brakes, lower tier suntour derailleurs and gearing, but NEVER a full SSP, not sure which is more desirable, the frame or (my leaning) the gruppo. Saw one sell w/o wheels 2 mos ago on Ebay for six hundred ebay listing Item number: 260846551965

Of a nice SSP group less the brakes for around five hundred.

the gold stampings on all the components are hard to photograph. Its by no means a drab black, there is a gold or yelloy in the clear that compliments the accent in the components.

send me an offer. Its so much more in person.