Serotta lays off 40% of workforce, planning shutdown

[PQJ]

Originally Posted by SpokeValley

I'm wondering, and this is for brainier folks than I, but...

If DCG didn't provided the funding that would have 'consumated the deal', would there still be a deal?

I'm hoping that Ben would at least retain his brand name. It's his name after all...

It all depends on what the deal docs say. If you have 'em, I'd be happy to answer the question.

[Mikej]

So, no more warranty? As far as Serotta as a brand, Im sure there is a no compete clause. They were so far in over thier heads that selling and breaking even was the best they could do.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . to what has already been said here as far as love and respect for the brand.

I congratulate myself every time I ride my Legend on the good (though ignorantly uninformed) judgment I showed 12 years ago when I chose Serotta because of its energetic ride and jewel-like fit and finish. The bike still rides as sweetly today as it did on July 7, 2001, when I first rode it out the door of Belmont Wheelworks. It will no doubt still ride as sweetly on the 20th or 30th anniversary of its purchase--assuming my body has ended up even half as well preserved.

The only hope I have is that if the Serotta brand name is resurrected somehow it does not end up attached to an inferior product. That would be an insult to every craftsman who has worked with and for Ben, and to all of us as owners of the original.

I also hope that perhaps the very publicity that tells the world of the company's demise may also generate notice by someone they have not thought of or talked to yet who has the love for quality and the resources to help them either continue on a smaller scale or start over, even if it's under another name and in Ben's garage.

I have to say that living near the factory, I probably saw Ben more often them many of us over the past 5 years, and he has obviously been under a lot of stress and looked it. Taking a little while off, then perhaps picking up a torch again and keeping the business ultra-simple and back to roots might be the best thing for him.

If they come back I will gladly support "Saratoga Racing Cycles," "Attores Bikes" or whatever they are called.

BBD

[sngk]

Sad topic for my first post on this forum.

Never got to ride much less buy one of the bikes, but a friend of a friend probably just lost a dream engineering gig...

[sitzmark]

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=133590

Serotta = 2

Sex sells and Serotta unfortunately lost its sexy. Marketing is perceived as evil, but without it ....

Sad news.

[William]

Very sad news. I hope Ben, Bill, and the rest of the Serotta gang land back on their feet in whatever life holds next.

A lot of the craft frame building going on today had it's roots nourished in the Serotta garden. A fine legacy for sure.






William

[weiwentg]

Originally Posted by sashae

RIP Serotta. Seems the 'Divine Cycling Group' nonsense was just that, nonsense -- they had no funding, and were hoping to combine the brands to get it. Terrible.

OK, this thread is all about mourning Serotta's demise, but what the &*^$ is going on with DCG? Is there another side to the story? Is DCG in financial distress, or did they actually breach their contract? I hope we get some clarity on this.

[deechee]

This sucks. I wish the best for the employees and Ben. I hope that whatever is in their future, it fits into something that I will purchase. My CIII is my favourite bike of all time. My friends are amused at my passion for steel but I love the bike!

[Saxon]

Really sorry to hear this. I'm in the trenches with retail and things just keep getting worse despite the apparent pickup in home and car sales. As less folks spend money, this is going to be the trend.

[professerr]

Originally Posted by sitzmark

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=133590

Serotta = 2

Sex sells and Serotta unfortunately lost its sexy. Marketing is perceived as evil, but without it ....

Sad news.

They need[ed] to lose the name -- why won’t anyone say this? Probably because as far as I can tell the place is run and staffed by fine folks that the community wants to support. But as long as I can remember, notwithstanding the various secret (and not secret) builds for some pros in years past, I (and many teammates and friends) have always associated the brand with dorky quality.

I’ll not argue over whether that perception is an informed one or not, but it is out there. Folks I know would buy a frame built by a Serotta builder because they’d have confidence it is built right by a decent guy they’d want to support. But the same folks would not want to be on a Serotta branded bike.

I think the name is/was an albatross, not an asset. Quality not sufficient for sales success in this market. A compelling story, image or concept is what triggers the emotional decision to buy in this sort of market, and for better or worse the Serotta brand is, for many of us, associated with none of these things.

True story: my friend and I are riding up a 20 minute climb that takes us out of town, slow and steady to warm up. We pass a guy on a Serotta doing his best Chris Froome, spinning at something like 110RPM. He’s bristling with power meters, HR monitor, Assos this, Rapha that and enough carbon to reverse global warming. He hangs on her wheel 90 percent of the way up and then on the last 5 percent gets out of the saddle to sprint by us with a swerve, presumably so we can’t, uh, get on his wheel. He reaches the top, gives himself a silent little fist pump, and then turns around to coast back down into town.

Nobody wants to be this guy.

[LJohnny]

Originally Posted by professerr

They need[ed] to lose the name -- why won’t anyone say this? Probably because as far as I can tell the place is run and staffed by fine folks that the community wants to support. But as long as I can remember, notwithstanding the various secret (and not secret) builds for some pros in years past, I (and many teammates and friends) have always associated the brand with dorky quality.

I’ll not argue over whether that perception is an informed one or not, but it is out there. Folks I know would buy a frame built by a Serotta builder because they’d have confidence it is built right by a decent guy they’d want to support. But the same folks would not want to be on a Serotta branded bike.

I think the name is/was an albatross, not an asset. Quality not sufficient for sales success in this market. A compelling story, image or concept is what triggers the emotional decision to buy in this sort of market, and for better or worse the Serotta brand is, for many of us, associated with none of these things.

True story: my friend and I are riding up a 20 minute climb that takes us out of town, slow and steady to warm up. We pass a guy on a Serotta doing his best Chris Froome, spinning at something like 110RPM. He’s bristling with power meters, HR monitor, Assos this, Rapha that and enough carbon to reverse global warming. He hangs on her wheel 90 percent of the way up and then on the last 5 percent gets out of the saddle to sprint by us with a swerve, presumably so we can’t, uh, get on his wheel. He reaches the top, gives himself a silent little fist pump, and then turns around to coast back down into town.

Nobody wants to be this guy.

The guy-type you refer to can be found on any high-end bike frame/brand, not only Serotta.
I think for anyone knowing what a quality steel or Ti frameset feels like, there is no question that Serotta is high on the list of possibilities. Of course now it seems that the used market is the place to look for.

It is all about "perception," I guess.

[slidey]

You should've shouted at an alarming pitch - "Car back!"x2

Originally Posted by professerr

He hangs on her wheel 90 percent of the way up and then on the last 5 percent gets out of the saddle to sprint by us with a swerve, presumably so we can’t, uh, get on his wheel. He reaches the top, gives himself a silent little fist pump, and then turns around to coast back down into town.

[54ny77]

wow, it's depressing to read this. never good news to see any company shut its doors. i wish nothing but the best for ben, serotta employees, and the retailers who carried the brand. hopefully something good and new and fresh comes of all this and everyone lives to fight on another day.

[bikinchris]

Originally Posted by Ken Robb

I think one of the reasons for the ultimate failure is that the "name" only had value to a discerning few. There was no big marketing/advertising program so name recognition is nil to most bicycle buyers.

Yes, but what was worse in my opinion, is that the name was unknown to most BIKE SHOPS.

I really don't know how many bikes they sold online, but when people talk dream bikes at the bike shops, Serotta will not be mentioned in 99% of them. Most people don't buy bikes they never heard of. Especially expensive bikes.
Kind of like some local shops that opened for a few years. They probably went to a realtor to find property and those people hammered them on having a 'great location' and found them an expensive storefront in some retail location. Big mistake. Bike shops are a destination, not an impulse buy. WalMart bikes are impulse buys, not real bikes. High end bikes are not likely to be bought without some good bike fitter measuring and working with a customer. Serotta needed to be in bike shops that sell great bikes.

[alessandro]

It's not over yet.