Polished CAAD 9

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SpecializedColnago
Posts: 227
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2016 11:33 pm

by SpecializedColnago

This is my new rain/race bike for this season. It started life as a NOS team frame for a local bike shop. I've always wanted a mirror polished aluminum frame so I figured this would be a perfect frame to try it out. I stripped the paint using paint stripper, then glass bead blasted the remaining stubborn paint from the frame. I then used various sand paper grits starting with 400 and then ending with 2000 grit. Once the frame was sanded I used buffing compound and buffing wheels mounted to a handheld drill to polish the frame to a mirror shine. All in it took about 40 hours to complete. I have races coming up so I didn't have time to apply the custom decals I had made for the frame. In the winter I will strip the frame back down, touch up the frame with buffing compound, apply the decals and then clear coat the frame. I don't have weights yet as the batteries in my hanging scale were dead but it is heavier than my Allez Sprint by probably a pound which would put it at around 16ish pounds. I will post more pictures and I will weigh it when I have time.

Frame: CAAD 9 size 50cm
Fork: Enve 1.0 with paint stripped and clear coat applied over carbon.
Group: Ultegra 6800
Pedals: Ultegra 6800
Power Meter: Stages Ultegra 6800
Handlebar: Zipp Service Course SL-70 40 cm
Stem: Zipp Service Course SL 120mm
Seatpost: Zipp Service Course SL
Seatpost Clamp: Tune
Wheels: Dura Ace 9000 c24
Tires: Continental GP4000s II 25mm
Saddle: Selle Italia Kit Carbonio Flow
Bottle Cages: Arundel Mandible

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by Weenie


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9734344
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Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2014 10:54 am
Location: Nelson, UK

by 9734344

Your workshop looks like a video from one GCN's tech help series.
Sweet!

If you take away all the excess (like you have) all you are left with is a bike.
ahhh.. The search for the perfect cycle.
I'm not a NUMBER.........I'm a Free Man

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Frankie - B
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Location: Drenthe, Holland

by Frankie - B

this looks great! I might warn you though, polished surfaces aren't great when it comes to letting lacquer adhere to it. That is why the old frame had a sanded finish.
'Tape was made to wrap your GF's gifts, NOT hold a freakin tire on.'
If you want to see 'meh' content of me and my bike you can follow my life in pictures here!

SpecializedColnago
Posts: 227
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2016 11:33 pm

by SpecializedColnago

I have read of the adhesion issues you mention. That's one of the reasons I decided to hold off on the clear coating until I have more time to fully research the best way to seal it. Depending on who you talk to some people say there is no issue clear coating polished aluminum while others say it will stick initially but flake off later.. I was thinking of having my decal guy make me a stencil of the decals I want so I can bead blast the logos on and then maybe clear anodize the whole frame. Just need to find a good local anodizer to talk to about it.

evan326
Posts: 480
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2016 8:51 pm
Location: RVA,USA

by evan326

Could you share any info on your decal guy? You're in VA right?
I have a caad10 I'm looking to do the same too soon. Finding decals has been difficult.

SpecializedColnago
Posts: 227
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2016 11:33 pm

by SpecializedColnago

I am in Virginia. The guy I used is in Hampton, Virginia and he did the logos for my company's trucks a few years ago so that's how I came upon him. He had never done logos for a cannondale before so he actually took the frame with him for a few days before I stripped the old paint and decals off. He took a bunch of pictures so he could recreate some of the logos in the exact font they were but in any color I wanted. I can't think of the guys company name right now but I'll dig up his business card when I get back to work on Wednesday for you. He had a pamphlet with a bunch of vinyl colors made by 3M and he can do various thicknesses so that if you plan to clear coat over you can do super thin ones. I want to say he charged like $75 for one full set of decals which is not cheap but a lot of that cost is the expensive vinyl.

garjo
Posts: 193
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2015 8:41 pm
Location: ITALY

by garjo

nice polish job but please put some CAAD9 decals on it
My 4,93 kg Supersix Evo HM: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=137647&start=30

My 6,22 kg Cannondale R500 1996: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=134364

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kgt
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Location: Athens, Greece

by kgt

Nice job but I have to admit that I prefer the original paintjob.

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Lightweenie
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Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2014 1:00 pm

by Lightweenie

Nice one, but why replace the fork?

CLEAR
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Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2012 2:20 pm

by CLEAR

Love it. Im doing the same to my Allez DSW but dilema also on clearcoating the polished finish. Please let me know if you find an idea to get it finished at the end

SpecializedColnago
Posts: 227
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2016 11:33 pm

by SpecializedColnago

kgt wrote:Nice job but I have to admit that I prefer the original paintjob.


The original paint did look pretty good, but there are at least 10 of them owned by other people still out on the roads in the same color scheme so I wanted something a little different. I figured it would be a cheap project since I was able to pick up the frame and original fork brand new for $200

garjo wrote:nice polish job but please put some CAAD9 decals on it


That's the plan for this winter.

Lightweenie wrote:Nice one, but why replace the fork?


I still have the original fork and I am going to keep as a spare just in case. It's still painted in the blue color that the frame used to be. When I have time I am going to strip it and paint it black. I picked up the enve fork used for cheap so that I could build it up sooner.

CLEAR wrote:Love it. Im doing the same to my Allez DSW but dilema also on clearcoating the polished finish. Please let me know if you find an idea to get it finished at the end


Will do. I'll update this thread when I make any changes

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stockae92
Posts: 295
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2015 5:13 pm

by stockae92

Love that polished look!

SpecializedColnago
Posts: 227
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2016 11:33 pm

by SpecializedColnago

Some minor updates for the 2018 season

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Crit mode for 2018 season

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Switched over to a Zipp Sprint Stem for a little more drop. No more changes planned for the bike this year. Ive been too lazy to put the decals.

garjo
Posts: 193
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2015 8:41 pm
Location: ITALY

by garjo

not bad, but put at least a couple of Cannondale decals on oblique tube so it will look less anonymous
My 4,93 kg Supersix Evo HM: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=137647&start=30

My 6,22 kg Cannondale R500 1996: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=134364

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



kgibbo1868
Posts: 425
Joined: Thu Jun 21, 2012 6:36 pm

by kgibbo1868

I actually really love the lack of decals! So clean with just a polished frame.
2019 Baum Ristretto
Pain is my friend!

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