I just had to take some decent photos of the two new additions to the family stable:
2002 CAAD4 47cm 650C frame, NOS, built up for Judy:
My new 2011 MY CAAD10 Ultegra:
Both, together. Slight size difference:
Archive for the 'Cannondale' Category
Judy’s bike is also coming together nicely. I’m trying to install components which have a colour similar to those on the frame. Stem, seat post, handle bars all in silver etc. You get the picture. Dr. Cannondale in Germany came up trumps with some minor frame spare parts such as the BB cable guide and I’ve raided my treasure trove of parts to add some serious bling/retro bling to the bike. I’m using an old 7400 series 8 speed Dura-ace rear derailleur for the retro bling and a set of ultra light FRM brake calipers. The wheels were a bitch to get simply because of the incompetence of the people I ordered them from, but they’re really nice Ultegra 6700 hubs laced to Mavic Open Pro’s with 32 spokes front and rear. But I’m most proud about the tyres. Getting a set of white 700C tyres isn’t a problem. Try tracking down a set of 650C tyres in white. I’m pretty sure that the only ones available are these Gran Compe Japanese market only tyres from Dia Compe. Managed to track down one in the US of A, the supplier’s last, and then a second one subsequently, also from the same supplier, at a later date, once he got one more into stock. Lastly there’s a women’s specific saddle, a Selle Italia Diva, because I care.
Anyway here’s some photos.
After months of waiting, carefully reviewing specs and geometry, and having developed an unhealthy interest in all things Cannondale, I finally got round to ordering my new road bike. My LBS couldn’t get hold of anything I wanted, and of course had severely limited stock, so trying out a specific size was always going to be a problem (hence the studying of geometry of various contenders). I also was driving myself insane over whether I should go for an all carbon frame, or specifically because I was considering a Canny, whether I should actually go for an aluminium frame. I didn’t really fancy the idea of a carbon frame on the local roads with my weight – I was imagining stress fractures developing etc. etc. Too much thinking going on. Especially considering the fact that I’m too close for comfort to the maximum allowable rider weight quoted by Canny in their literature for their carbon frames. However in the end, having read the Cycling Plus Bike of the Year awards, I decided to plump for a Cannondale Six Ultegra Compact. But try and get one! After several false starts and cancelled orders, I just couldn’t track down one in the right size. Guess everyone else wanted one also following the Cycling Plus award. So I tried to scare up a 2010 CAAD9 Ultegra Compact instead. Again no joy. At this point I was getting caught by the fact that it was coming up to the time for the 2011 models to be introduced so there was no stock of the 2010 models in my size in the network. The situation which I had hoped to avoid (waiting for the 2011 models) was sadly unavoidable. On previous occassions I have been able to make this work to my advantage as I’ve been able to get an outgoing model at a considerably reduced price. As there were none in my size out there, that wasn’t going to happen this time. At this point my search turned away from Cannondale and I looked at perhaps getting a custom Titanium or 853 or equivalent steel frame instead. Specifically I looked at Enigma’s frames and even went as far as getting them to draw me up a frame based on my measurements. In the end that, along with any ideas of waiting for the 2011 Canny Six to be released were wiped from my mind by the fact that I was offered a place in the University of Limerick studying a BSC in Energy, meant that spending €2500 on a bike was no longer an option. So I waited for the 2011 CAAD10 to be released and duely placed my order for a 63cm CAAD10 Ultegra Compact in Magnesium White. Joy of Joy, the bike finally arrived. About 5 minutes before I was due to head out the door to a wedding in Cork. So having waited so long, this was all I got to see of my new bike.
Weekend over and done with, I unpacked the bike when we got home and carried out whatever minor assembly was required.
Gorgeous bike!!!! The following afternoon, I attached the pedals (Shimano Ultegra 6700 SPDs) and took it for a very brief ride. The ride quality is amazing, even on 23c tyres and it really accelerates instantly. I’ve got a bit of work to do yet on it to set it all up correctly – stem length and orientation, saddle position and some fine tuning of the end points on the front derailleur need to be looked at. Happy days.
Just picked this up for Judy. It’s a 47cms Cannondale frame designed to take 650C wheels. Should be a cracker when it’s completed. I’m aiming to make a hybrid flat bar road bike with it. I’ve tracked down some Dia Compe SS 650 x 26c tyres in white for it. Stay tuned.
Frame mocked up with Lefty Speed DLR2 fork and Mavic/Cannie wheelset (M117 rims on Cannie Omega front and Delta rear hubs). Lefty being shipped to Thumbprint in the UK for a service and optimisation. Thumbprint are the UK agents for EightyAid who specialise in Cannondale‘s Lefty shock. Rear Fox Float RL being sent to Real Cycles, up the north, for a similar treatment. Also worth checking out are Mojo in the UK and PUSH Industries in the States for Fox shocks. Also checking out Dr. Cannondale in Germany for a number of small parts (bearings and bushes) to recon the frame and swing arm.
Change of heart – Actually going to send the rear shock to Mojo in the UK, just been on their site and have come away well impresessed with the process as described there. Sorry Real.
Actually this should be titled Bike Porn #5 or 6 even. But I’m doing up a summarised posting for bikes 1 to 5 which isn’t finished yet, ’cause I’m lazy and haven’t photoshopped the pictures for that post yet. So in the mean time, here’s my latest acquisition……
It’s a 2003 Cannondale Jekyll frame with rear Fox Float RL (remote lockout) shock. Tasty frame, and from a brand that I’ve always fancied. I can remember, as a young fella, being fascinated by the Cannondales that used to come through Shannon airport, normally accompanied by yanks, over here on their cycling holiday. Cannondales have always been a healthy step up from the more ubiquitous Treks and Giants which have become so popular in Ireland (case in point….I’ve got two Treks). This is what the completed article looks like once fully built up.
Need one of Cannondale’s unique Lefty front shocks (so named because the shock is only one sided, there’s nothing holding the front wheel on on the right hand side – click on the photo above to see what I mean). Some brakes, gears and small parts are needed as well. Then Ballyhoura here I come!!!
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