Zinn on Serotta.

[David Kirk]

Interesting read on the Serotta situation - I hope I'm late to the party in posting this.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/08/bikes-and-tech/commentary-serottas-shuttering-takes-some-soul-out-of-u-s-framebuilding_299896


dave

[FlashUNC]

Um, didn't Smilin' Andy win the Giro aboard a Landshark, because the Serotta's True Temper tubes kept snapping?

[tv_vt]

Good article. Thanks for posting.

And good catch about the Landshark. Right you are.

[David Kirk]

I don't know if Zinn intended to give the impression that Seotta is out of business or not but the way it reads makes it sound like the doors are locked and windows shuttered. As far as I know this is not the case and the boys are still making chips and sparks.

dave

[FlashUNC]

"I felt bad about not using a Serotta [the company that actually built the team 'Huffys'] and sticking with the team supplier," Hampsten told us. "It wasn't Serotta's fault. But I was in a period of my life when I didn't like crashing due to mystery bike failures, so I went with the sure ride I knew Land Shark would build for me. (http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/historic-pro-bike-andy-hampstens-1988-7-eleven-huffy-giro-ditalia)

Seems like Mr Zinn dropped the ball on this one. Not the best column I've read on the situation.

[dekindy]

Is Zinn a journalist or a revisionist historian? Why not tell the whole story, and accurately? Really bad journalism here.

[pdmtong]

It certainly does read like out of business.
Not good reporting since everyone else not on paceline will read as such and conclude brand is 100% dead gone poof

[laupsi]

hence the reason I'd given up on Velo News long ago

[fiamme red]

The bikes carried the Huffy brand, and Serotta was probably getting paid very little, if anything, to build those bikes, but who can put a price on the value and personal satisfaction of supplying the custom bicycles aboard which Davis Phinney was winning Tour de France stages and Andy Hampsten won his epic stage in the snow over the Passo Gavia at the 1988 Giro d’Italia?Nitpicking here perhaps, but it was Erik Breukink who won that stage.

[cmg]

nice catch. His greatest moment came in the 1988 Giro d'Italia, on a short stage over the Gavia Pass. Attacking on the climb, Hampsten overcame a blizzard to take the leader's jersey - although he finished second on the stage to Dutchman Erik Breukink.

[MattTuck]

Takes a bit of a romantic spin on the whole thing...

Ben’s business seemed on the brink a number of times, but somehow, until now, he always managed to bounce back somehow and continue to build an ever-more iconic brand.


Considering that 'boucing back' involved being sold from one owner to the next, and the iconic part of the brand was the price of the bikes and the association with dentists, I think Zinn fails to understand what really went on (or doesn't want to speak the truth that might cast a person he admires in a bad light). This article has more problems than Michael Rasmussen on a time trial bike.

[FlashUNC]

This article has more problems than Michael Rasmussen on a time trial bike.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Michael_Rasmussen_2005_TdF_Stage_20_St_Etienne_ITT .jpg

[David Kirk]

It feels like Zinn wrote the article based on romanticized memory and that he lost his ability to use Google.

I love Serotta and the brand but he just got a lot of stuff flat out wrong.

dave

[54ny77]

Coming soon, the "Meivici Ti S&P Collection."

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z113/jpmz06/Bike/Serottasaltamppepper.png (http://s191.photobucket.com/user/jpmz06/media/Bike/Serottasaltamppepper.png.html)

[Mark McM]

I don't know if Zinn intended to give the impression that Seotta is out of business or not but the way it reads makes it sound like the doors are locked and windows shuttered. As far as I know this is not the case and the boys are still making chips and sparks.

That's not the way it reads to me. The article is about Serotta the man, not Serotta the company. And at this moment anyway, it appears that Serotta the man is out of (the) business.

[charliedid]

Zinn seems most impressed by how "Big" Serotta got not how great his bikes were/are.

[dd74]

The column is fine. It's more a personality piece than anything business related. At any rate, Serotta (the company) is said as of today to still be in business.

[jlwdm]

Takes a bit of a romantic spin on the whole thing...




Considering that 'boucing back' involved being sold from one owner to the next, and the iconic part of the brand was the price of the bikes and the association with dentists, I think Zinn fails to understand what really went on (or doesn't want to speak the truth that might cast a person he admires in a bad light). This article has more problems than Michael Rasmussen on a time trial bike.

The dentist part is so ridiculous I can't believe people like you keep posting such garbage. And the bikes are great bikes to ride, you left that out.

Jeff

[EDS]

There is nothing wrong with recognizing Ben's achievements and accomplishments, which is what the goal of the article is.

Obviously there are a couple of angles to view the recent developments from, but it did not seem to me that Zinn was trying to play armchair CEO.

[jpw]

Takes a bit of a romantic spin on the whole thing...




Considering that 'boucing back' involved being sold from one owner to the next, and the iconic part of the brand was the price of the bikes and the association with dentists, I think Zinn fails to understand what really went on (or doesn't want to speak the truth that might cast a person he admires in a bad light). This article has more problems than Michael Rasmussen on a time trial bike.

dentists? i wondered how long it would be before that urban myth showed up again :-)

[54ny77]

my prior dentist in nyc was an a$$.

probably rides a beru f1.

http://www.bf1systems.com/images/banners/14/factor.png

;)

dentists? i wondered how long it would be before that urban myth showed up again :-)

[MattTuck]

The dentist part is so ridiculous I can't believe people like you keep posting such garbage. And the bikes are great bikes to ride, you left that out.

Jeff

dentists? i wondered how long it would be before that urban myth showed up again :-)

For better or worse, the brand had a perception problem in some circles... I think Bill would agree with that, and was a reason for the recent refocusing on competition minded bikes and sponsorships. I am not saying it was deserved -- The bikes are great, but so was the price tag. Generally, companies with a great product, compelling story, solid value proposition and competitive pricing do not go out of business. Do not shoot the messenger, or people like him.

PS. I only know two dentists that ride bikes. One a regular Trek, the other a Merlin. That said, urban myths are hard to kill.

[William]

I think Charlie wrote that article!!

Charlie is the kind of guy who when you asked him if that Serotta in the classifieds was a good deal?....he'd tell ya "No way!". Then the next day you'd see him go flying by on it with a smile on his face! That's a thin slice a Charlie for ya!;);):)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAsCYm9-vMc&feature=player_embedded







William

[oliver1850]

Are the 40% layed off back to work after the departure of Ben and Bill?

[jlwdm]

For better or worse, the brand had a perception problem in some circles... I think Bill would agree with that, and was a reason for the recent refocusing on competition minded bikes and sponsorships. I am not saying it was deserved -- The bikes are great, but so was the price tag. Generally, companies with a great product, compelling story, solid value proposition and competitive pricing do not go out of business. Do not shoot the messenger, or people like him.

PS. I only know two dentists that ride bikes. One a regular Trek, the other a Merlin. That said, urban myths are hard to kill.

So why do you say dentists? Are you saying dentists are poor riders with poor fitting bikes. Are you saying they aren't smart?

Jeff

[LegendRider]

With all these Serotta memorials recently, I haven't read any mention of Pascal Richard riding a Legend Ti to the gold medal in Atlanta. I was there to see it so it stands out in my memory.

[fiamme red]

With all these Serotta memorials recently, I haven't read any mention of Pascal Richard riding a Legend Ti to the gold medal in Atlanta. I was there to see it so it stands out in my memory.It was rebadged as a Coppi.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/willj/2752903971/in/photostream/

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3203/2752903971_4b07da3c5d_b.jpg

[LegendRider]

It was rebadged as a Coppi.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/willj/2752903971/in/photostream/

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3203/2752903971_4b07da3c5d_b.jpg

Yep, but like the Serotta Huffy's, it was well-known to be a Legend.

[cmg]

So why do you say dentists? Are you saying dentists are poor riders with poor fitting bikes. Are you saying they aren't smart?

Jeff

he's beginning to to sound like an Anti-Dentite . it starts with few jokes.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ythrdCsOFJU

[dd74]

My old man is a retired periodontist, so maybe there's some generational truth to the Serotta myth.

[flydhest]

isn't the dentist comment supposed to evoke dentists as rich but dull? The Inlaws played into that riff, for example, with Alan Arkin nailing it.

[oldpotatoe]

Is Zinn a journalist or a revisionist historian? Why not tell the whole story, and accurately? Really bad journalism here.

I think it's more of my 'buddy, frame builder, who has seen good, now bad times', type article..I know Lennard real well....I don't slam him for his skill in
'journalism'...Tough crowd..but in spite of some of the points made, about who won the stage...all in all, nice article. Personal.

It was online also, done probably pretty quickly..not submitted to the chain of editors, type thing, for print.

[Bob Ross]

Just for the record, my dentist rides a Cervelo.


This sentence
Ben’s business seemed on the brink a number of times, but somehow, until now, he always managed to bounce back somehow and continue to build an ever-more iconic brand
drives me batschidt. Find another word. Please.

[nicrump]

Leonard wrote about Ben. Not the brand.

My dentist has 2 Crumptons but my GP has a Serotta. Go figure.

[mike p]

For gods sake the piece wasn't meant to be a laser accurate documentary on Serotta. It's obvious that Zinn admires Ben, he wrote an off the cuff obit of Serotta. You don't dance on your friends grave.....very tough crowd.

Mike

[FlashUNC]

For gods sake the piece wasn't meant to be a laser accurate documentary on Serotta. It's obvious that Zinn admires Ben, he wrote an off the cuff obit of Serotta. You don't dance on your friends grave.....very tough crowd.

Mike

Yet there's enough high points in the history of the company to not bring up stuff that, yanno, they didn't have a hand in.

Never mind bringing up what is probably the most embarassing episode in the company's history -- those Huffy frames that snapped like twigs in a tornado.

There's enough greatness at Serotta to eulogize -- and that was clearly his aim -- that making it up is unnecessary. Five seconds with Google. That's all it takes.

[ctcyclistbob]

isn't the dentist comment supposed to evoke dentists as rich but dull? The Inlaws played into that riff, for example, with Alan Arkin nailing it.

Funny movie!

"Serpentine Shel!"

[laupsi]

For gods sake the piece wasn't meant to be a laser accurate documentary on Serotta. It's obvious that Zinn admires Ben, he wrote an off the cuff obit of Serotta. You don't dance on your friends grave.....very tough crowd.

Mike

Velo News is source of news, cycling news. As such the commentary like the reporting should be factual. I get the point Zinn was making, it just isn't news worthy. If he admires Ben then he should write a piece saying so w/out presenting incorrect information disguised as historical fact.

[Spin71]

It certainly does read like out of business.
Not good reporting since everyone else not on paceline will read as such and conclude brand is 100% dead gone poof

Not many people are reading or care.

[EDS]

Leonard wrote about Ben. Not the brand.

My dentist has 2 Crumptons but my GP has a Serotta. Go figure.

Nic - Safe to say then that you have had more dental work than general health issues?

; )