CAAD something overhaul

[vqdriver]

i offered to service a friend's bike so she can get back into riding.
i've ridden with her before and knew the bike was old but when she dropped it off i realized how old it really is. it's an early edition caad something or other with quill stem, dt shifters, and steel fork.

i've worked on my own bikes of this era and still have the proper tools from that time as well. but it's been a long time and frankly i've forgotten all the subtleties.

i'm totally into doing the work, but would prefer to avoid any surprises. anything i should keep in mind before tearing it down?

[97CSI]

It's old and aluminum, check closely for cracks.

[AngryScientist]

i've heard from various sources that the older alu caad frames are very uncomfortable, super stiff bikes to ride. great for crit racing, not so much for cruising pleasure rides.

depending on what if any budget your friend has, i would look to replace the fork with something carbon.

if thats not in the budget, my priorities would be on fatter tires and beefier bar tape to eliminate some of the road buzz.

things to watch out for, in my experience would be dependant on who did the last bit of work to the bike, the bb threads could be a pontential nightmare if they've started to corrode...

[nahtnoj]

Do you have headset wrenches?

[Ralph]

I think any of the road frames after CAAD 3 ride fine. Depending on what you're doing with bike.

[d_man16]

the Al is really thin on those frames If the cage mounts are corroded it's easy to strip out the mounts. It's not a deal breaker most shops can get you back on the road but that's all I can remember about my experiences.

I think this is a post 2.8 frame but check for slight deformation on the top tube

[vqdriver]

Yeah frozen threads are a concern. I was planning on repacking the bb, headset, and hub bearings cuz I'm pretty sure it's never been done, at least as long as she's had it. But I may reconsider opening the bb.

I'll definitely keep an eye out for frame damage and wrinkled paint.

[Ralph]

Getting BB out may be bike shop job. You don't want to bring threads out with it....assuming you have a big tool where you can get that much leverage. Home type BB tools probably won't get it out.