A 1993 State of Mind: Isma López and a British Green Cannondale
The frame says 2017. The colour says 1993. The finishing touch is something you feel.
Not every bicycle needs a transformation. Some already have a character worth preserving. This British Green Cannondale has one of those looks that makes you stop, look closer and ask about its story.
2017 SuperSix EVO. A reference to 1993.
A love letter to 1993
This is not a vintage Cannondale. It is a 2017 SuperSix EVO, painted with a nod to the 1993 Cannondale Track. Isma López tells us that the British Green colour comes from the original track-bike inspiration.
Two decades separate the machines, but the connection is immediate. The paint, the silhouette, the sense that a bike can carry history without being stuck in it.
“La pintura és inspirada en la Cannondale Track de 1993, amb el British Green aquest.”
Isma López
That is what we love about this build. The reference is there for anyone who knows it, while the bike remains entirely itself. The right finishing details should respect that balance.
The quiet art of doing it properly
If you follow AMS, you may know Isma López from our previous bar tape installation video. He is a mechanic from the Barcelona cycling scene, and watching him work reminds us that simple jobs are not necessarily easy jobs.
The tension of each turn. The overlap. The curve into the brake hoods. The final cut. None of it is spectacular on its own, but together these small decisions make a cockpit look and feel right.
A careful wrap is a collection of small decisions.
For the practical technique, we have a separate step-by-step bar tape installation tutorial with Isma. Here, we wanted to stay with the details, the hands and the bike itself.
Modern grip. Old-school soul.
For this Cannondale, Isma chose AMS Tessel 2.5 mm in black. The tessellated PU surface gives the tape its distinctive texture. Underneath, an EVA base and non-adhesive gel backing add support and help manage vibration.
Tessel 2.5 is made for riders who want a dense, controlled connection with a little more cushioning than Tessel 1.8. It brings a modern contact point to a bike whose visual personality comes from another era.
And in black, it does something important: it knows when not to shout. The colour lets the British Green do the talking. Up close, the texture tells its own story.
THE TAPE ON THIS BIKE
AMS Tessel Bar Tape 2.5 mm Black
The exact model Isma wrapped on the Cannondale. A textured, controlled feel for road and all-road riding.
The details become the whole
There is a moment when the last bar end goes in and the work disappears. The new tape no longer looks like an upgrade. It looks as though it has always belonged to this bike.
The deep green paint stays the hero. The black cockpit feels fresh. A small change, but one you notice every time you reach for the bars.
Fresh tape. Same character.
A bike from 2017. A colour with roots in 1993. A good excuse to ride it tomorrow.
Thanks to Isma for the careful work, the story behind the paint and the reminder that the best bike details are often the ones you feel rather than announce.
