Giant rebuild

[Lotus]

I bought my Cadex CFR2 a couple of years ago when I wanted to get back into riding. I didn't have the money for a new bike with the specs I wanted (carbon basically), so I bought this through Junkmail for R3000.

 

After riding it for a while I decided that I liked the bike's handling and weight, but not the looks.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/grahamr_photo/F430/HPIM0695.jpg

 

I re-profiled the top, steerer and front tubes with very light aluminium fairings (Gillette shaving cream can) and epoxy glue, because these areas looked old-fashioned and anaemic. The edges between the carbon tubes and aluminium joints were also faired in. The top tube now has a taper, flaring slightly at the seatpost and more noticeably towards the steerer tube. I also recast the cable guides along the top tube, as the originals had broken off before I got the bike. I did this by taking a foil pressing of the remaining original, then pouring Pratley epoxy glue into the mold with a small piece of curved wire to provide reinforcing.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/grahamr_photo/F430/HPIM1562.jpg

 

I resprayed it, keeping some carbon areas of the fork and tubes exposed (the masked areas in the photo below), and clear coated with tough auto 2K to protect the custom made decals safely underneath. You have to be really careful sanding back carbon fibre. There's a real risk of damaging the structural integrity if you're too rough with it, and you can't use chemical strippers. And don't get one of those splinters in your finger - it's a lot like a sea urchin spine! Burns like crazy and you can't grip it with tweezers like an ordinary splinter.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/grahamr_photo/F430/HPIM1568.jpg

 

The quill steerer was replaced with a headset converter, so that I could use a conventional stem. The upgrade was completed with a Fizik saddle (best I've ever used) and Shimano 560 wheels (I'm not light and these can stand the strain). The new Shimano 105 10speed groupset is nearly as good as the Dura Ace I used to have, just not as light (especially the cassette). Like the Dura Ace the shifting is flawless, and it takes a couple of minutes every other week to keep it that way. Despite the frame mods (which added no weight worth mentioning - hold an empty Coke can and you'll see), the bike is significantly lighter thanks to the new groupset (especially because the BB is no longer a metal cartridge) and the somewhat lighter saddle.

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/grahamr_photo/F430/IMG_0991.jpg

 

Overall it was an interesting exercise in fabricating, graphic and decal design, painting and "wrenching". Would I do it again? No (the short answer). The long answer - it's extremely time-intensive (my job is in consulting, and so I'm rather aware of what time costs), and it's not really cheap. The bike didn't cost much to buy, but the upgrades added a bit. The painting had to be done twice because I wasn't happy with the first design (there's a heck of a lot of visualisation involved , and only the pros get it right the first time). The paints are pretty toxic, and you need ideal weather conditions and proper equipment to get a good finish. There are a couple of bike refinishers on the forum here. Do yourself a favour and call them. Their prices are very reasonable, compared to DIY.

 

 

 

[Mudsimus]

[Cyclewizz]

Looks much better.

[jugheaddave]

nice work!!

[Eugene]

Really impressive..........

[gummibear]

That looks much beter and the steerer is cut down.

[Torres]

Great work, Well done!!!!!!!!!!

[Sabre484]

I'm impressed

[gummibear]

Have you got any closeup  pics of the re-profiled areas?

[Lotus]

 

Have you got any closeup  pics of the re-profiled areas?

 

I'll take some tomorrow and post.

 

[javadude]

Excellent job, really impressed. 

[Matchstix]

looks awesome

 

[Lotus]

 

Have you got any closeup  pics of the re-profiled areas?

As promised - sorry I couldn't get to this sooner.

 

Stem (before)

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/grahamr_photo/F430/stem.jpg

Stem (after)

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/grahamr_photo/F430/IMG_1005.jpg

 

Top tube (before)

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/grahamr_photo/F430/toptube.jpg

 

Top tube (after) - shows tapering tube and joints faired in

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/grahamr_photo/F430/newtop.jpg

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/grahamr_photo/F430/IMG_1001.jpg

 

Another top tube view, showing re-profiled seat tube joint

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/grahamr_photo/F430/IMG_1002.jpg

 

Stem area showing new graphics (compare to first and third pic) and tapered top tube

http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t57/grahamr_photo/F430/stem2.jpg