Cannondale 2.8 restoration / modern bits

Hi, first project thread on here. Also got one going on our Swedish forum about the same thing in case anyone on here has seen it but my shameless thirst for input from people I've never met needs to be met on an international scale... Anyway I picked up a slightly dodgy Cannondale 2.8 frame off retrobike for a good price and am hoping to refinish it and build it up with modern components. I've been heavily inspired paint-wise by Dammits serotta thread. Here it is at my LBS, time for tapping, facing and reaming:

I also stumbled on a used force groupset on marktplaats

Will be slapping on some 1" carbon forks, zipp SL70 bars, some form of 17 degree stem and eventually I'm thinking carbon medium deep wheels but for now it'll roll on a pair of ambrosio excellence/ultegra wheels I have left over from another bike. Inspiration, sort of (too deep rims etc):

These old things are pretty light (it's a 60 cm frame!)

Here it is last week, left with the paint man. I'm getting the carbon forks done in the same colour as the frame which is going to be some kind of sparkly red, I've sent some pics of Dammit's serotta to the painter but am going for something slightly brighter/lighter (more candy apple/cherry than maroon) with silver period correct decals (mid 90's)

Will update when I have the time. Any suggestions/input welcome. Who makes good 17 degree stems apart from thomson and 3T? Preferably to match the zipp beyond black bars...

Subscribed. Pretty much planning to exactly the same thing with a 2.8, but will be keeping the quill stem and traditional bend bars and maybe some older Campy 9 speed.

Yeah. Period bits > modern stuff on frames of this age

This is a good example of modern bits on a 2.8.

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=97810

I'm only going with the quill stem and traditional bars because I have them already.

Well, yeah, but what's the point? There's so little of the original bike left. Not even the paint. On an alu frame that's 20 odd years old.

sorry - grouch on full effect

Keep grouching Howard, I like it rough. But I've grown fond of the idea of an old tried and true frame with modern components. It's hard finding horizontal top tubes these days and I like the classic road frame look. I've been through some period 80's builds and what I've taken with me is that the lure of modern shifting and cranks that aren't made from spaghetti is just too strong. This is going to be my main (only) training road bike after all.

Thanks V&N, seen that one. Liking the forks and cockpit a lot but couldn't find straight blade 1" forks at less money than a small house in Marbella. Are you planning on stripping and refinishing your frame?

Well, I guess you have to follow your heart. It would do my head in though, personally.

As above with the blue jobby, a super-old school SRM would be a useful, nice touch. If you can stomach square taper

Here's an (almost) original one for you, Howard.

Subscribed. Waiting on delivery of a (admittedly not as old) Caad 7 frameset to do something similar.

Can I ask what you're doing about downtube cable stop mounts? Noticed they're not on the frame in the pics? I'm having problems myself trying to source some for another frame.

On these frames the cable stop mounts are attached via a bolt that goes through the down tube, which I've removed for the paint job. I'm sure I've seen them on a webpage called Dr cannondale or something.

here it is

Thanks man.

If this turns out anything like the blue w/crabonz it will be noice indeed.

I recognise that frame!

^Yes I should hope so!

Was just sent this pic as a colour suggestion from the painter.

It's slightly too... something... I think... My dad had a Harley Davidson for a few years and I've always thought their 'classic' red paint schemes are a bit boring. On the other hand this doesn't have the metallic flake thing underneath so that might change things considerably. I've been promised some pics of test painting with flake metallic underneath this top coat and also one with maroonish top coat instead. It's pretty cool, deciding exactly how it's going to look! But if it turns out like crap that's on me too.

Here's an (almost) original one for you, Howard.

Yes, I agree they look better kept in period IMHO. Maybe a few modern bits. like Carbon forks and aheadset to provide points of contrast !?

http://www.retrobike.es/imagenes/dale/cannondale001.jpg

Yeah... I'm afraid it's not going to be period correct at all except for the actual frame and the decals. I considered it but gave it up. I've had it with old shifting components, basically. And the original fork was not only heavy as hell, it also had a crack in the steerer. The frame itself had no structural issues that I or the LBS guy could discover so it's fine to base a proper build on it. He's on your side btw, hates black components and has a great big beard. Bike Snob writes about him in the 'bike snob abroad' book :)

Thanks V&N, seen that one. Liking the forks and cockpit a lot but couldn't find straight blade 1" forks at less money than a small house in Marbella. Are you planning on stripping and refinishing your frame?

Yeah, I'll probably strip it. The paint isn't original and it has more modern Cannondale decals on it. I'm thinking of stripping it back to raw aluminium and putting more period correct decals on it.

EDIT: Like this one, but with a Cinelli bar and stem and a Campagnolo groupset.

Lots of sanding and polishing ahead of you then. The frames aren't that smooth under the paint, just the ones that were sold polished to begin with.

Yeah. I was more so thinking of just leaving it raw, not polished.

Should work well, raw alu looks good IMO but couldn't resist doing a proper respray myself as I've never been able to before. You've seen this page I assume, with the serial numbers and how to date frames? Mine's from -95 according to their info but the TT is shorter than the geo chart in the catalog from that year so who knows.

I think mine is 1995 as well. It looked like this for a year and a bit.

If I were you I would paint it like this:

Would be a bit odd: IIRC Volvo never sponsored the road team.

The colors are nice though. That little fella needs a yellow headshok boot