Bob Ross

Do you think perhaps there's a connection between the change in paint "luster" and the change from metal to carbon frames? None of the USA-made Cannondale frames were carbon.


[edit: Disregard, I'm wrong]

roadwarrior

Totally incorrect. My first Super Six (the first all carbon Cannondale frame) was made in Bedford, Pa. While not all carbon ,my System Six and all of my Six 13's were Bedford made.

Dan333SP

Indeed. I think the GT40 was the first car to race at the international level with the Gulf colors, as it was at the very beginning of branding cars in sponsor colors for races in Europe rather than national colors (gold leaf lotus being the first in F1).

Cannondale should contact this man for an easy sale of that frame, something tells me he has the $$ to afford a bike or two-

https://www.atfullchat.com/index.php/...ulf-collection

ual747captain

A lack of luster, a lack of metallic's and a lack of clear coat in their current paints. Cannondale's of the past had paint jobs were more custom rivaling and looking close to candy colors. Today their paints are looking more like an eggshell sheen.

baj32161

I have always liked the paint schemes of Cannondales. The clean simplicity of them made me want to buy mine:
.
You can't go wrong with classic white on black, IMHO

Bob Ross

I knew about the System Six & Six 13 but wasn't including them specifically because of their aluminum content. I did not know any of the Super Six's were made in America; any idea how long that lasted?

KevinF

I miss the days when Cannondale (and everybody else) put their name in two places -- on the left side of the down tube, and again on the right side, with the company logo on the headtube.

I have my 1998 era Cannondale sitting at home, and I'm pretty sure the above-mentioned three places are the only places where you could tell it's a Cannondale.

New bikes with enormous logos plastered everywhere are (IMHO) fugly.

Dan333SP

Here's my first bike from a few years back, a '99 R300. Still a fair number of logos, but I always loved the yellow color and even at 10 years old the paint finish was flawless.

531Aussie

This is obviously a crappy photo, but I'd have one of these in a second. In fact, I wanted to buy this one (it was on Aus Ebay a few weeks ago), but it sold for $921, which is quite a bit for such an old bike, in my opinion. Probably coz it looked so good

qcpmsame 

I own a Gulf Oil Racing colourway scheme CAAD 10/4, but I miss the metalflake colourways. My R500 is a beautiful blue and my old SR300 was a metalflake black. My desk top on my laptop is a Porsche 917 GOR livery cornering at speed.

halfspeed

They were competing with Klein back then. They HAD to have sharp paint.

Erzulis Boat 

That sounds entirely plausible. I remember some stunning Kleins.

baj32161

Klein did have some gorgeous bikes, indeed.

djb

That makes me think of the line from back to the future where his mom calls Marty "calvin", from his underwear.

Dilberto

So rare, I hear it's one of six left:

LemondFanForeve

I dont "get" why all the bike co's dont allow for custom paint jobs on ALL their bikes? They need to allow buyers to choose their own paint scheme's imo. Alot of co's offer very little to no choices, just get stuck w/the colors they have. Certainly if Im going to spend $2K+ on a bike, I should have the option/choice to choose what colors I want on my ride?

StephenH

Colors would be nice, but get rid of the big ugly logos first. When your bike looks like a rolling cereal box, the colors don't really matter that much.

halfspeed

Because it's expensive, really expensive. Klein used to do it, and you paid for it. Trek does Project 1 on their high-end bikes, and you pay for it. Customization of mass-market products costs extra that most people won't pay.

Hapsmo911

Doesn't Ridley offer custom paint on all their frames?

speedemon

All custom builders such as Seven, Serotta, Waterford, Parlee and more does offer custom paint jobs. Most of you mainstream off the shelf bikes don't offer it. But in the world of custom you pretty much can make your call.

LemondFanForeve

What about "the big boys"? To lose a sale to custom simply bc you dont feel like offering a few more paint options, imo, is just crazy. Im not saying go all out & offer say 10 paint schemes, but how about a few.more options atleast?

speedemon

Hey I totally agree with you. But for the mainstream builder what they offer is what you'll get. They don't give you much of an option.

Grim

80's colors where pretty basic and the decals were just vinyl. Te exception is they had some funky 80's Miami Vice paint jobs that they were airbrushing on. Quite honestly in the 80's they had crappy paint jobs, the paint fell off them. As they went into the 90's their paint jobs (adhesion) improved and mid 90's to early 00's I think was some of their best looking bikes. Mid 90's the paint was top notch and tasteful application of logos'.

I have a few and had a few.

89 R600 Thats as bought picture and that bag came off in the first five minutes I had it home. Paint was flaking on the chain stays and they used Decals over the paint still where the paint changed color but better then mid 80's. Was a little small so I sold it.

My 98 Matt black M400 made foul weather commuter

My first T700 a 95 that was a bit small. Beautiful Mako Blue with silver lettering paint job

My second T700 "Kiwi" with gold logo a 98 in a 63cm size I like a LOT better I pulled the 9speed stuff I had put on the 95 and sold the 95 is stock trim. Color has really grown on me. I have yet to see another.

What it looks like right now in winter commuter trim after about 4500miles since the above picture It will lose the rear for summer soon

My "Sunday rider with my buds" bike. 98 R300 CAAD3 frame where all the parts are off a 2001 R1000si "Red Fade" is the listed color.

When I hit the dirt 97 Super V 1000.

jyl

My R1000 has a nice deep metallic blue.

djb

A whole slew of nice looking bike's there.