An original SystemSix

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RichTheRoadie
Tinker, Taylor, Tart
Posts: 2070
Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2008 8:00 pm
Location: Sydney, Aus.

by RichTheRoadie

I recently picked up a Cannondale Silk Road locally, which was going to become a bit of a quirky 60th bike build for me, but then the old square taper BB got stuck in it. Before doing any irreversible damage to the frame I sold it on *really* cheap making the BB issue clear in the hope that someone else had better kit than me to be able to remove it.

BUT, by now my love of Cannondales was rekindled...

Then randomly an original SystemSix cropped up - but not just any old example with the usual galvanic corrosion, signs of the aluminium part separating from the carbon etc. No, this one was basically brand new, totally immaculate, came with the original ControlTech-made SystemSix stem and has a BSA BB. I'd had one of these before, so now instead of my 60th bike being something a bit quirky, it was something nostalgic, but not too old, instead.

I'd already begun sourcing parts for the Silk Road, but luckily they were good parts - namely 10spd SRAM Red black edition and Zipp 202s. Perfect for this build too. I finished the build this morning and took it out for a 30km shakedown before lunch:

Image

I remembered these being good bikes, and I wasn't wrong. Even with 23c rubber on Sydney's crappy roads, it was still a damn smooth ride. I love it!

As much as I prefer the BSA BB, it does mean I can't use Si SL cranks, which is a damn shame. The ones on this are blacked-out Rotor 3D24s, but I might get something like a set of Stronglight Vulcans in future. The WR Compositi seatpost and Flite Evo saddle are placeholders for now too.

I'm actually picking up another, much smaller, SystemSix this weekend to steal some parts from it, so the seatpost will change to a USE Alien (which the high end Cannondales of around this time were supplied with) and the saddle will probably change to the white Aliante that is also on that - although I'm also going to order an original Selle Italia SLR in white. I'll probably change the bar tape to black too (this blue stuff has been on a couple of bikes before but I like to reuse tape whenever possible).

Eventually I'll probably sneak some 25c rubber on it (it'll be maxed out on that), but otherwise I'm really pleased with this.

by Weenie


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RichTheRoadie
Tinker, Taylor, Tart
Posts: 2070
Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2008 8:00 pm
Location: Sydney, Aus.

by RichTheRoadie

A few updates to swap out the placeholder kit, and a *much* better pic:

Image

What a great bike - *and* it fits 27mm tyres!

RichTheRoadie
Tinker, Taylor, Tart
Posts: 2070
Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2008 8:00 pm
Location: Sydney, Aus.

by RichTheRoadie

Had to give the Zipps some TLC to quieten them down - now they're back on the bike I definitely prefer the look of the silver spokes and black tyres:

Image

Now just to get a set of wider tubs installed on them...
Last edited by RichTheRoadie on Wed Nov 16, 2022 9:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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tarmackev
Posts: 899
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 9:59 pm

by tarmackev

Thats a super cool bike.

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