I'm finally getting around to organizing the various photo shoots I've done for my bikes over the past few years and thought it would be helpful to compile the occasional gallery here on this site for each build I finish. Along with the photos from each shoot I'll also include a few short blurbs about the parts list on the bike at the time the photos were taken, as well as a list of cleaning supplies and tools that I routinely use to maintain and keep my bikes looking as sharp, clean, and tuned as possible. My hope is that these gallery threads serve not only to show off the bike builds that I'm most stoked about but to also provide some insight and education about the details of the build process and my rationale behind certain component choices.
With that in mind, I'll kick this off with a few details about my 2012 Cannondale CAAD10 in the famous raw brushed aluminum finish. For those unfamiliar, this was a factory paint option in the 2012 model year -- fortunately for me there was no DIY painting involved with this build. I picked up this frame from an online classifieds ad all the way back in April of 2016, but before I dive into the details about the bike itself, I wanted to give a bit more context to this story.
I had just started graduate school in fall 2015, my wife and I had just started our family, and money was really, really tight. I owned a Cannondale SuperSix Evo at the time -- which I absolutely loved -- but we were simply in need of some extra cash to pay the bills (by no means an unusual thing for us back then). I decided that the easiest way for me to bank a few extra bucks while still staying active on the bike would be to sell the Evo and replace it with a "downgraded" CAAD10. Maybe it was luck or just plain good timing, but the same week I sold the Evo I came across the ad for a raw CAAD10 complete with a trusty Shimano Ultegra 6800 component spec, all for around $800 less than what I sold the Evo for. I immediately fell in love with the utilitarian look of the brushed raw finish, so I messaged the seller, arranged for shipping, and later that week had a CAAD10 sitting in the living room of our town home.
Initially I didn't put much work into the bike -- I didn't have the means! -- but the Ultegra 6800 groupset worked flawlessly for me for many many miles. Over time I was able to source good deals on a few parts (I've got some stories to tell at a later time!), and I eventually upgraded the wheels and swapped out the stock Cannondale stem for a Pro Vibe stem. Aside from that, the bike as a whole stayed fundamentally the same for several years.
Despite the bike serving its purpose perfectly, I eventually succumbed to the itch to go all in on a build spec that I had at one time only dreamed of. With a slightly better funding situation, I came across some too-good-to-pass-up deals on a SRAM eTap groupset, a set of ENVE 6.7 tubulars, a set of Cannondale SiSl2 Hollowgram cranks, and a set of 3rd gen Cane Creek eeBrakes. Those are the foundational parts to this build as shown in the photos here and collectively transform this bike into what I view as a top-level build.
Here is the complete build list (w/ links, as appropriate):
Frame/Fork: 2012 Cannondale CAAD10, 56cm
Wheels: ENVE 6.7 tubular rims, Sapim CX-Ray Spokes, Chris King R45 hubs
Tires: Veloflex Arenberg
Shifters: SRAM Red eTap 11-speed, rim brake
Front Derailleur: SRAM Red eTap 11-speed
Rear Derailleur: SRAM Red eTap 11-speed, short cage
Cassette: Shimano Ultegra 6800, 12-25T
Crankset: Cannondale SiSL2 Hollowgram, 172.5mm, 52/36T
Bottom bracket: BB30 bearings, sourced from Enduro
Pedals: Speedplay X2 Stainless
Chain: SRAM Red 22
Brakes: Cane Creek eeBrakes (gen 3)
Cables/Housing: Jagwire Elite Link
Seatpost: Cannondale (stock)
Saddle: Generic carbon saddle (sourced from Ebay)
Stem: Shimano Pro Vibe Di2, 100mm, 10 degree
Handlebars: Shimano Pro Vibe 7s, 42cm, classic drop
Bartape: Fizik
Bottle cages: Generic carbon, sourced from AliExpress
This is the build list that I had on this bike through 2020; the bike as it currently stands in 2023 is sitting on a different set of wheels, which I'll share photos of in a future post. Aside from the wheels and cassette, however, this bike is largely still built up the same. I go back and forth all the time about additional components I'd like to swap out. Eventually I'll be upgrading the seatpost and stem. I'm undecided about the handlebars, though. The traditional bend on these 7S bars are hard to come by anymore, so I'll definitely be keeping those -- whether they stay on this bike or get swapped over to another build, I'm undecided.
Here's the full gallery:
And for those interested, here is a short list of a few supplies I have on hand at all times to keep my bikes as clean and tuned as possible (note that these contain affiliate links):
RainX Foaming Car Wash Soap (initial spraydown and scrubbing)
Muc-Off Bike Protect (final frame polish)
Molten Speed Wax (for chain waxing)
Crockpot Mini (for dedicated chain waxing)
Park Polylube 1000 (bearing lubrication)
Blue Loctite (light threadlocker for screws -- e.g., bottle cage mounting screws)
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And lastly, I am a one-man operation that does all this purely as a passion project in my spare time -- it's something I enjoy almost as much as I enjoy riding my bikes. If you would like to support my work, please consider checking out the shop page and picking out a print or a t-shirt. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this site and help support future projects. Thank you in advance!