What is this...hmmm! Please help!

[Jon Tay]

Hi All,

First time post and great website/forum!

I stumbled across this frame on facebook and trying to determine what exactly it is.

Based on what i can see visually:
- Caad 4
- Disc
- Headshok
- Build year is 2002 based on BB serial
- Geometry is pretty square with no slope
- Wishbone rear

I have looked at that 2002 catalogue and cannot find an exact match. My guess is either of the below:

- Cyclocross ultra (no disc model or this colour scheme)
- Bad boy Ultra (Geometry doesnt seem to match and no wishbone rear)
- Possibly a something from the MTB range but geoetry doesnt seem to match

Sorry i don't have images with wheels on.

Can someone please assist!! Appreciate any help at all

Cheers,
Jon

 

[black lightning 1987]

My guess based on the XL stamped in the BB is that it's an F series MTB. Guessing that it has less top tube slope because it's the largest frame size. Only thing wrong with my theory is that the only 2002 F series frames seem to be CAAD5. Bad Boy Ultra was 700C and CAAD4, but the catalog doesn't show XL size. There were CAAD4 F series MTBs in 2003, but I am not sure if the bar code corresponds to model year or year of manufacture. In earlier years date codes it was easier to guess the model year as the month of manufacture was included. Get a pair of 26" MTB wheels and tires on it and see what it looks like then.

 

[Jon Tay]

My guess based on the XL stamped in the BB is that it's an F series MTB. Guessing that it has less top tube slope because it's the largest frame size. Only thing wrong with my theory is that the only 2002 F series frames seem to be CAAD5. Bad Boy Ultra was 700C and CAAD4, but the catalog doesn't show XL size. There were CAAD4 F series MTBs in 2003, but I am not sure if the bar code corresponds to model year or year of manufacture. In earlier years date codes it was easier to guess the model year as the month of manufacture was included. Get a pair of 26" MTB wheels and tires on it and see what it looks like then.

Thanks for that. Someone has also mentioned it could be a defective production model given that the decals have not been applied correctly. I'll have to find some MTB wheels asap

 

[black lightning 1987]

It's really tough to guess about the paint/decals, as we seem to get a lot of questions from other countries about bikes that don't match the USA catalogs. My take on bikes that don't have a model number is that once you determine the year and frame series, the model number doesn't really matter. I'd concentrate on figuring out if it's in fact a CAAD4 or if it's a mislabeled CAAD5. One difference that's easy to spot is that the F series CAAD5 frames had small windows in the dropout just in front of, and just above the replaceable derailleur hanger. The CAAD4 frames lack the windows.