I saw the MeiVici yesterday

[Sandy]

I went to a Serotta Demo weekend last night, and looked at the Serottas on display, including the MeiVici. Steve Fairchild was there representing Serotta and was very receptive to my questions, which he answered in an extremely knowledgeable and friendly manner. The bikes were equipped with Zipp wheels, some tubular and some clincher, and Zipp carbon stems. I am not sure about the handlebars. All had Fizik saddles except one, I believe.

There was a Corsa, several Ottrotts, a Legend Ti (or 2), and two MeiVicis. No Fiertes were brought, as the shop had several there among other Serottas. The first thing that I noticed about the bikes was the substantial differences in designs and paint selection. When I bought my CSI in 1998, the paint looked nice, but not comparable to the much impoved appearance of these bikes. The paint designs of the bikes are much more varied than those in past Serottas. One of the Ottrotts had the Serotta name on the downtube made from the carbon on the bike which was outlined and then clear coated. The tig welds on the bikes looked really uniform and very neatly done.

The MeiVici's were very impressive, exuding quality. There seemed to be a smooth transition from the carbon lugs into the carbon tubes. Steve bought a 55 cm and a 54 (or 54.5) bikes. I really liked the appearance of one MeiVici in particular, which had a beautiful design scheme with a neatly used candy apple red color. Really gorgeous. The "MeiVici" on the top tube was not a decal, but it was painted on, which looked outstanding. If I understood Steve correctly, the headtube is unique to the industry in that it is some sort of a 3 piece design. The chainstays had a somewhat unique design, at least to my eyes. A 700x23 tire could easily fit on the rear, but I think that a 700x25 would be a tight fit.

I was very surprised that the above MeiVici had a 7 degree slope. It certainly did not appear visually to have that much slope. Perhaps it was because it was not a large bike. The slope looked very good on the bike, and I don't particularly like a sloped bike. Steve said that the bike weighed a little over 14 pounds and it could easily be made lighter

The first MeiVici's ordered are being produced now and should be sent out soon. Horizontal top tube bikes can be ordered and produced. A test rider, an excellent cyclist, said that the MeiVici seemed to have a quick feel, and when climibing hills, it appeared to have a light and very responsive ride. He also noted that the all carbon bike had a different feel than the Ottrott.

I hope that all the above is accurately given. Steve surely knows a great deal about all of the Serottas, and he most willing shared some of that knowedge.


MeiVici Mirman

[Smiley]

So Sandy .... admit it I heard from Steve last nite and he said you laid down some Jacksons as a deposit for this frame. Something about you feeling like it was worth a good sandwich lunch or so ;)

[Sandy]

So Sandy .... admit it I heard from Steve last nite and he said you laid down some Jacksons as a deposit for this frame. Something about you feeling like it was worth a good sandwich lunch or so ;)

I did better than that. When he wasn't looking, I rolled one ot the MeiVici's out of the store. I am now getting it painted, and will soon put Trek decals all over that critter. Steve will never ever be able to figure out what I did. :rolleyes: :)


Slick Serotta Sandy

[catulle]

. :D

[Smiley]

Just returned from visiting with Steve and SandMan you are correct the paint scheme's are out of this world.

[Smiley]

Like SandMan , I wondered off to All American Bikes today to visit Steve Fairchild and meet the Zipp Wheel guy and check out first hand the MeiVici . I think the boys at Serotta filled those tubes up with Helium as those were some pretty light weight bikes. The paint schemes and the overall paint that is coming from Saratoga Springs is second to none . Yes stack them up and my bet is your not going to ever be ashamed to have a Serotta finish. They are matting the decals now where you can get any decal set up you want , like exposing the carbon from the painted tube. Just a great looking option and detail. Too bad and I mean way too bad they did not have a 58 cm frame for me to demo.
Boy oh boy there will soon be some lucky MeiVici owners telling us about their new bikes. I got to start dreaming of one of those soon but my joy of getting my Uniscasi is still red hot and only the rain is keeping me from riding it today .

MeiVici with a Brooks Swallow , how does that sound like :)

[shinomaster]

I saw one at river city here in Portland. It was really nice. It looked like every other carbon frame though...

[vaxn8r]

...Steve said that the bike weighed a little over 14 pounds and it could easily be made lighter...


My Calfee has a 2.5lb frame and a 300g fork and it's built up to 17 lbs. To get to 14 lbs you have to put stupid light stuff on it. Think about it. Take my entire frame away and I still don't get to 14 lbs...or "easily lighter".

[vaxn8r]

.... but my joy of getting my Uniscasi is still red hot and only the rain is keeping me from riding it today .


Ther is no way rain would stop me from riding a new bike. No way at all.

[Smiley]

Van , you all live in Rain , we can wait it out as we just had the driest March on record , i think we had a 0.5 inches of rain in March 2006 .

[Serotta_Andrew]

I did better than that. When he wasn't looking, I rolled one ot the MeiVici's out of the store. I am now getting it painted, and will soon put Trek decals all over that critter. Steve will never ever be able to figure out what I did. :rolleyes: :)


Slick Serotta Sandy

Hey Sandy,

You know there is a gps tag built into the carbon, no??? Steve is tracking you down as I type!!!!!!!

[Smiley]

Andrew , Sandy has been off the boards since this morning when he made the heist :)

[Climb01742]

i saw a meivici up here in boston a few weeks ago after the boston bike show. it was pretty and looked well crafted. but the one i picked up sure wasn't 14 pounds. i assume the one in DC is different? because i was struck, as i held it, by the sensation that...wow, this is kinda...heavy. :confused:

[Serotta_Andrew]

i saw a meivici up here in boston a few weeks ago after the boston bike show. it was pretty and looked well crafted. but the one i picked up sure wasn't 14 pounds. i assume the one in DC is different? because i was struck, as i held it, by the sensation that...wow, this is kinda...heavy. :confused:


Climb,

It was the exact same bike. The demo van out at Boston is the same demo van down at All American

[Smiley]

When does LIGHT not mean some other measurement , Bear in mind these frames had no pedals and they were equipped with some nice Zipps and carbon stuff , that felt light to me. Was the intent of the MeiVici to be the lightess bike out there or was it to be the lightess Serotta while still retaining Serotta manners we have grown to love . Thats is the question to the gallery :)

[Serpico]

have you guys ever had someone crash on a test ride?

what if you told someone they could ride one, and they started with the crazytalk or something?


any good/funny/weird stories? :beer:

[Smiley]

NO SOUP FOR YOU ... Serpico , we now know your intentions :)

[Sandy]

Hey Sandy,

You know there is a gps tag built into the carbon, no??? Steve is tracking you down as I type!!!!!!!

I'm not worried about Serotta Steve. I am always one step (or two or three) ahead of you guys and gals from Serotta. Immediately after the MeiVici somehow disappeared from the store, Slick Serotta Sandy launched one of his Supersonic Speedy Spaceships and obliterated several of those satellites. The gps problem is no more. :) :)


Satellite Spaceship Speedster Serotta Sandy

[Sandy]

My Calfee has a 2.5lb frame and a 300g fork and it's built up to 17 lbs. To get to 14 lbs you have to put stupid light stuff on it. Think about it. Take my entire frame away and I still don't get to 14 lbs...or "easily lighter".

The bike had a carbon handlebar (that Steve said was very light), carbon seatpost, and carbon stem. I believe it had carbon cranks also. The Zipp wheels were tubular. There was at least one pair of Zipp 202 wheels that weighed somewhere around 1400 grams. I don't know what Zipp wheels were on the MeiVici. Perhaps I misunderstood what Steve said about the weight, but I don't think so. The bike felt a lot lighter than my Ottrott ST, but my bike is a much larger bike than the MeiVici. I know that Steve said that the bike could easily be made lighter.


Not so light,


Sandy

[1centaur]

I am with vaxn8r on this one. Carbon bars, stem and post save minimal, if any, weight against their equivalent in aluminum. Normal carbon cranks (as opposed to Pulsions or Claviculas) the same. I have several frames in the 2-2.5 pound range (my presumption for the MeiVici), all with DA components, fairly light saddles, carbon bars, Masterpiece post and not very heavy clinchers and they all weight in the 16s. To weigh 14 they'd need to lose 1,000 grams, maybe 300 of which I could get off with tubulars, 60 with Zipp SL bars, 20 with a lighter post and 15 with a lighter stem - and then what? Super weightweenie parts up the ying yang MIGHT get me there.

Not to say the MeiVici doesn't ride great, but I'm guessing it should be viewed as in the same weight class as most other CF frames.

[dbrk]

Does anyone have a level top tube, no paint Meivici on order? Gosh, I'd love to see one. This bike is simply too rich for me but I can admire it. The more traditional looking it appears, the more it would suit me. But so it goes. Just a thought. PM if you don't want to out yourself. I won't blow your cover. Curious, that's all.

dbrk

[Smiley]

Good Dr. the level Top Tube bikes will be next , I think the ones on order now are all slopers. When the announcement was made the feedback through the net was clear that people wanted level TT's and so we shall have our wish , just not yet :)

[Sandy]

I believe that you order level tt bikes now.



Sandy

[Sandy]

I am with vaxn8r on this one. Carbon bars, stem and post save minimal, if any, weight against their equivalent in aluminum. Normal carbon cranks (as opposed to Pulsions or Claviculas) the same. I have several frames in the 2-2.5 pound range (my presumption for the MeiVici), all with DA components, fairly light saddles, carbon bars, Masterpiece post and not very heavy clinchers and they all weight in the 16s. To weigh 14 they'd need to lose 1,000 grams, maybe 300 of which I could get off with tubulars, 60 with Zipp SL bars, 20 with a lighter post and 15 with a lighter stem - and then what? Super weightweenie parts up the ying yang MIGHT get me there.

Not to say the MeiVici doesn't ride great, but I'm guessing it should be viewed as in the same weight class as most other CF frames.

As I said before, maybe I misunderstood what Steve said, but I don't think so.


Sandy

[Sandy]

There was a picture of a MeiVici in the April issue of Bicycling magazine. The following is a quote- "...WEIGHT:15lb.,8 oz. (claimed,55 cm,w/o pedals)...".

In the VeloNews Buyer's Guide, there is a picture and comments about the MeiVici. The stated weight for the frame was 1100 grams. 1100 grams is 2.43 pounds.

In the same issue, a Calfee custom Dragonfly was shown. It stated that "...a fully built-up Dragonfly comes in at a mere 12 or 13 pounds,...".

I don't really know much about all of this. I am just a forum reader. In addition, I don't even care what my bike weighs, although I know that many cyclists do.


Sandy

[zap]

For those that care, getting the Meivici down to 14 lbs would not be that difficult.

After all, Zap has a 14.52 lb Record equiped bike thats bigger, has pedals, two bottle cages and gets ridden every other day with parts that have lasted 2+ seasons.

The funny thing is, every time Zap rides this bike to a bike shop, they hang the bike from their scale and the thing reads 13 something lbs ;)

But anyhow, buy the Meivici with a level tt, keep the disc in the rear (at least until Serotta glues on a solid do), put what you want on it and it will weigh what it weighs.

[Dr. Doofus]

yawn

[Skrawny]

I got to ride a Meivici for about 50 miles a few wks ago when James came to town with the fleet. :D
Will give ride report when work lets up a bit...
-s

[Serotta_Andrew]

The Meivici with the red panels weighed in at 14.5. Parts, Dura Ace, Zipp bars, stem, carbon cages and 202 wheels with Vredestein tyres, thomson seat post with Fizik arione saddle.

[Serotta PETE]

The Meivici with the red panels weighed in at 14.5. Parts, Dura Ace, Zipp bars, stem, carbon cages and 202 wheels with Vredestein tyres, thomson seat post with Fizik arione saddle.

Wish that I could lose 14.5 lbs from my body and donate it to Sir Sandy or Mr Flydhest.


PETE

[1centaur]

"The Meivici with the red panels weighed in at 14.5. Parts, Dura Ace, Zipp bars, stem, carbon cages and 202 wheels with Vredestein tyres, thomson seat post with Fizik arione saddle."

Apparently I need to own THAT scale.

[Serotta_Andrew]

"The Meivici with the red panels weighed in at 14.5. Parts, Dura Ace, Zipp bars, stem, carbon cages and 202 wheels with Vredestein tyres, thomson seat post with Fizik arione saddle."

Apparently I need to own THAT scale.

That would be multiple scales.... the bike was weighed at different shops all having the same weight