Look! 'Dale Special

Wheelspinner

OK, this is a parts bin special. Picked up a Cannondale CAAD 7 (R2000) frameset off Fleabay, which was a hideous colour scheme. Stripped it back with the intention of a respray, but that turned ugly with a paint disaster. So, stripped it back again to bare metal, and polished it. Decided the original fork looked crap with no paint, so fitted a (new) LOOK HSC 5SL carbon instead. MMMMMMMMM.... nice. Still fiddling with gearing so I can hopefully get rid of the chain tensioner. Finished bike is light, STIFF and a blast to ride (on flat roads.. )

Frame: 'Dale CAAD 7, 58 cm
Fork: Look HSC 5 SL full carbon
Headset: Campagnolo Record Hiddenset (top bearing) and sealed bearing lower to get the right ACB for the Look fork...
Stem: Pinarello MOST as shown, will swap for shorter Ritchey carbon PRO I think
Bars: 3T Ergosum TEAM carbon
Bar Tape: Look
Seatpost: Thomson Masterpiece
Saddle: San Marco Zoncolan
Brakes: Campagnolo Chorus
Brake Levers: Campagnolo Record Carbon
Cranks: Campagnolo Record 175 mm, TA Chainring, 46 teeth
Bottom Bracket: Campagnolo Record square taper
Wheels/Tyres: DT Swiss R 1600, Vredestin Fortezza Quattro
Pedals: Look Keo Carbon, may change for Speedplay Zero stainless

Zachariah

Intriguing.

amaferanga

Looks great apart from the fugly chain tensioner.

A half link should make it easier to find that magic gear.

hairyleg

Love the bike,how long did it take to get that finish on the frame?Have you got a clear coat on the frame? LOve Cannondales

Wheelspinner

hairyleg wrote:

Love the bike,how long did it take to get that finish on the frame?Have you got a clear coat on the frame? LOve Cannondales

I spent quite a few hours with wet and dry sandpaper getting rid of the paint, including probably a couple of hours with the last one at 1200 grade alone. After that, it was a simple clean, and buff with metal polish.

I've not clear coated the frame yet as I'm not convinced it will stick that well to bare aluminium (polished). Might have to do a test on something else first!

What was a surprise was there was one visible ding in the top tube when I bought it with the original paint, but there were a couple more hidden under the paint with filler. Was a bit disappointed that Cannondale apparently used dented tubes in manufacture. Not big, but there. You can just make out one in the first pic, about a third of the way along from the seat tube junction.

Berk Bonebonce

You can't scratch paint that ain't there. There should be more polished aluminium bikes about.