# Cannondale Capo SS



## zaphod911 (Aug 12, 2011)

Howdy!

I've been looking over the past few years for a single speed that i could build up and use as my everyday bike here in Berlin, Germany. Anyone who has ever been to Berlin will know that the streets and sidewalks are often littered with broken glass, and that the weather is more often than not wet and dreary. Add in a few punks who like to steal / break locked up bikes, and you'll think twice before taking your beloved bike out into the city.

So i found this Capo super cheap (150 EUR complete) and though it is a 60cm Frame, i saw a lot of potential and had to have it.








Now i personally can not stand this sticker fetish Fixie riders have, so the first thing i did was spend a morning with a hair dryer removing all the stickers. I then tore it down to just the frame and washed it thoroughly in my bathtub. There is a special place in hell reserved for people who put paper based stickers on a bike. Even with rubbing alcohol and a whole lot of elbow grease i couldn't get all the goo off (sadly i had no access to goo off). Though she really cleaned up good (note the poor mans bike stand)!








The stickers hid more than an expensive frame. Signs of a struggle:








When i was in NYC a year ago i saw messenger bikes wrapped up in a protective tape, and i spent at least 2 months trying to find a bike shop that offered the service in order to eventually buy the translucent tape and get some tips on the wrapping process. Alas, my Spanish is non-existent and i couldn't find a messenger who could either talk in English or would talk to me, so i left NYC without the tape but with a great idea. So, armed with about 10 euros worth of electricians tape i set out to turn my bike into a shadow!









I ran out of tape in the first night, but i got a great idea while at the hardware store. Inspired by Italian steel racing bikes, with a flag marking welded into the frame and then painted in Italian colors, i decided to do the same with electricians tape. After buying red white and blue, i realized i would have to get creative to avoid making a French colorway. After drawing it out on paper i settled with a WWII reminiscent color scheme, and i think it looks absolutely bad-ass.







Added 15 EUR SKS fenders:







And shes done:








Now i don't fear locking it up and leaving it outside (but i still wouldn't do so over night), and i am no longer as anal about finding a place to lock it down. Just ask my wife; when i had my F600 i wouldn't leave the bike until i was 100% sure it wasn't going to be scratched.

Hope you like her!

notes regarding the taping process:
In hindsight i would have taped the welds first, then the tubes.


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## Possum Jones (Aug 27, 2011)

Very nice! I'd like to find one of these myself.


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## gsteitz (Sep 9, 2011)

outstanding!


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## emerlist-davjack (Jun 20, 2011)

Very neat idea with the tape, the finished product looks pretty trick too.


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## durielk (Jan 29, 2010)

They have other colors from black, go rainbow!


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## rumblytumbly (Jun 5, 2013)

I bet Plasti Dip spray would be a great alt to the tape. Use it on my tools. Adheres real well to wax free surface and can be peeled off later cleanly if needed.


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