No help from Serotta

[Mud]

Emailed Serotta a month ago, no response. We have no dealer even close to us to get the bearings changed in our Legend ST and Ottrot ST. I can get the bearings but there is a special tool. My only solutions offered were to drive to Frisco with the bikes or to strip the bikes and send the Frames. Anyone have a better choice?

Bruce

[Smiley]

did u screw up the bearings already or are just changing them for the heck of it.

Oh yea buy the tool, Contact the FIXER Pete McKeon as seems seems to get it done :)

[Jason E]

I would imagine you could make a very easy, gentle press with a bolt, some washers, and a small socket. These are small and light, with no C-clip, so it should be one of the easier Home Depot/spare parts around the garage fabrications.

I do remember Charlie at Rotations doing this about on the first Ottrott's they worked on that needed this.. They had the bearings, not the press, and it was easy-peasy.

[jpw]

If this community is solid I would have thought a tool could be sent around to owners in need of the bearing change. Post it, use it, post it back (using a tracking service).

How much is the tool?

[Mud]

Just thought it was time to change them. They may be fine. The bearing is a standard size but the tool seems to work better than anything else. It would not be a problem from Moots or Parlee. I am not a terrible mechanic but I would not feel comfortable working on $10k in frames without the right tools especially never having done it before. Serotta once had a website for problems I thought that was available to dealers. I might be wrong. Anyhow, I will try Pete.

Bruce

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . and another inside contact at Serotta. If you do not hear from someone in 3-4 days PM me and I'll stoke the fire.

BBD

[Pete Serotta]

I sent you a note...Last I knew there were none available from Serotta or dealers. will check next week. PETE

[Kontact]

These bearings are really frustrating. There's little, thin washers in them and the tool is very precise, yet no support on them. And Serotta is still delivering bikes with them as of a few months ago.

[Smiley]

I sent you a note...Last I knew there were none available from Serotta or dealers. will check next week. PETE


PETE is Da Fixer .... thanks Pete :banana:

[Bruce K]

They may LOOK small and not very sturdy but they last a LONG time

The ones on my 8 year old Ottrott are stil solid

BK

[dekindy]

I sent you a note...Last I knew there were none available from Serotta or dealers. will check next week. PETE

So there are no new tools available anywhere? Do LBS's have existing tools? Can a good LBS change it out without using the specialized tool from Serotta? I guess I had better lubricate mine more often.

[akelman]

Where are these bearings? In the pivot (or whatever it is) of the ST stays? Having just spent several days fighting -- because there is no extractor readily available -- with a pair of Campy Power-Torque cranks, I'm nervous about finding myself in another situation where only a phantom tool will save the day.

[Pete Serotta]

and are still fine. Next week I will check with Ben

They may LOOK small and not very sturdy but they last a LONG time

The ones on my 8 year old Ottrott are stil solid

BK

[HenryA]

These folks have the parts and tools in stock and know how to do this job:

http://www.thebicyclefitter.com

Should be a very short turnaround.

[Ahneida Ride]

Rick Trainer, Mountain Cycology, in Ludlow Vermont has the tool.

If one has the tool, it's a rather quick and easy job.

[Kontact]

We used to sell quite a few Ottrotts and Legends - I've done more than a handful of bearing replacements on these frames - they do wear out and make noise.

The bearings are inside the juncture between the dropout and chainstay. The bearings themselves are built to have no play and are very precisely fitted. The extractor/replacement tool is one of the nicest, most precise tools of that type I've used. It is hard to picture cobbling something like that together.

Serotta currently sells the bearings to consumers for $99, but the bearings are standard and available for much, much less than that. I believe Serotta will tell dealers where to get them aftermarket and the stock number. Up until Serotta stopped carrying them, it was recommended to replace the bolts and washers, too. The washers are necessary, really thin and difficult to replace if one rolls away - beware.


Aside from mileage, the bearings are pretty suseptible to rust. Most of those we've replaced looked pretty rough - it is probably a good thing they are pressed into Ti frames.


We aren't going to loan out our tool - it is obviously too precious to risk in the mail - but contact me if you are near Wisconsin or are looking for someplace to ship the frame to for a swap.

[Fixed]

ok i am dumb,
but why bearings in the frame ?
cheers :beer:

[BumbleBeeDave]

ok i am dumb,
but why bearings in the frame ?
cheers :beer:

. . . the bearing allow a bit of play and add some shock absorption?

BBD

[Kontact]

ok i am dumb,
but why bearings in the frame ?
cheers :beer:
They allow the curved carbon seat stays to compress more dynamically to absorb shock and chatter. I think it is a way to mechanically separate the flexing of seatstay and chainstay so the designer can better control how each reacts to bumps.

[SoCalSteve]

These guys have the tool...I had mine replaced there (http://www.sundancecycles.com/)

[Mud]

Very frustrating when I have to get on Serotta's own net to get someone to respond about service. But that being said I now have some options. Thanks to all,

Bruce

[forrestw]

The bearings are inside the juncture between the dropout and chainstay. The bearings themselves are built to have no play and are very precisely fitted. The extractor/replacement tool is one of the nicest, most precise tools of that type I've used. It is hard to picture cobbling something like that together.
Generally what one person can build, so can another, yeah this is not something you'd want to do anything but perfect.

I plan to make this tool this winter, probably late Dec, there are several ways to go about it all of which will work; investment casting, broaching, EDM, powder-metal sintering.

If there are any mechanics/owners out there who'd like one, let me know (PM) - how I do it will depend in part on how many I make. In any case I'll make 2 and be glad to send one out to loan.

[Mud]

I spoke to the shop he recommended. They are about an hour from me. Tool but no bearings. Have bearings coming so it all works out for me.