Piece of Serotta history

[IXXI]

So technically, every Serotta we each own is a piece of Serotta history; but looks like we now have one with a confirmed pedigree...

As many of you may or may not know I've been busy doing detective work on my new/old Serotta with TdF lugs, posted in the Serotta gallery. Fired up the email today and had this note waiting for me from Kelly Bedford:

Hello Andrew,
Surprise, surprise you're a lucky fellow!
According to our records the frame you have is one of the original Tour
de France bikes built specifically for Ron Kiefel.
Even though we've tried to engineer our Ti and steel frames to have
closely matched ride qualities, the reality is they are still different
materials with different ride qualities.
It's possible that steel suits your climbing style a bit better but on
the other hand, Ti may suit your style better in other areas.
Since you've just started riding this frame I would suggest spending
more time on it, and then possibly riding each one back to back in
varying conditions to get a feel for what conditions each one excels in.
They are both wonderful frames...enjoy.
Kelly


[I had emailed him a few questions and a parting comment that on its maiden ride the bike felt like it climbed a lot more comfortably to me than even my Legend, which may have been more psychological than anything else...] So, the first line of his response was pretty cool!

There was also a great note from 'shiftyfixedgear' about vintage 7-11 Team Serottas; that thread is attached to the picture in the Gallery.

Anyway, just wanted to share. Take it easy.

[Serotta PETE]

That was great news. Kelly is a wealth of knowledge and experience. if you get to the Serotta Open House in June, you will have a chance to meet and probably ride with him.

[dave thompson]

So technically, every Serotta we each own is a piece of Serotta history; but looks like we now have one with a confirmed pedigree...

As many of you may or may not know I've been busy doing detective work on my new/old Serotta with TdF lugs, posted in the Serotta gallery. Fired up the email today and had this note waiting for me from Kelly Bedford:

Hello Andrew,
Surprise, surprise you're a lucky fellow!
According to our records the frame you have is one of the original Tour
de France bikes built specifically for Ron Kiefel.
Just how cool is that!

[Climb01742]

i'll tell you how cool is that...totally cool. can you tell us more about the kiefel bike?

[keno]

curious to know why you chose IXXI (911, kind of) as your forum name. I don't remember seeing it before. Did you change from another name or did I just miss your posts?

keno

[Kevin]

COOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

kEVIN

[IXXI]

Hi Keno, yes, you busted me. 'IXXI' is a bastardization of '911', my favorite things on 4-wheels. I just liked the symmetry of the pseudo-roman-numeral grouping of characters, and wanted to put it on my license plates til I found out some other 911 lover in Southern OR had claimed it a couple years ago first. And I thought I was just so inventive with that one! (Anyway, it's better to have a vanity car with regular plates than the other way round IMHO.)

I've had this screen name now for a couple years, I just don't post that often so you might've missed em.

[Climb01742]

brings up a question i've spent way too much time thinking about: vanity plates for a 911:

BYE-BYE

EGO

NOT ZEN

SM DCK

SO WHAT

WHOOSH

SCOOT

LATER

[Keith A]

Thanks for sharing this bit of Serotta history and enjoy this special ride!

[Kevan]

where's Sandy been hiding? I need to work on some new material for this coming weekend.

[Ozz]

but if you're looking for ideas:

MAX HR

Ties in nicely with your cycling.... :cool:

[IXXI]

Thanks for the ideas. You could go on forEVER with ideas for plates... I know I still play around with it.

Up until I inherited the 911, I drove a '67 VW Fastback for years. I can't say my driving style has changed _that_ much between the cars (other than on loooooong stretches of windy roads with no police presence:)), but I get a kick out of how dramatically different I am perceived by other drivers now; honestly, compared to a friendly bizarre little car like a Fastback, for the most part, people (me included) treat someone behind the wheel of a P-car a teeeny bit less forgivingly! A study in behavioral science with every drive...

[Climb01742]

hey IXXI, where in portland do you live? i grew up there. lived in west hills, went to lincoln high, got high in goose hollow.

[cookieguy]

I ordered a serotta from Ron K. a couple weeks ago. Friendly guy, great shop

Enjoy

[IXXI]

Climb, I live in NE Portland, in the Irvington/Grant Park area. I'm a relatively recent transplant here but after moving around all over the world, I've finally found the place I'm never leaving. I've lived here 5 years and absolutely love Portland and everything about it. Have friends in west hills and one even gave me a tour of Goose Hollow:)! Seriously, if you ever are back in town give me a shout.

CookieGuy, tell Ron K. I have his bike! I emailed him a few days ago and didn't hear anything back. Probably thought I was some whacko. (Which might be right...)

[keno]

I had a 911, a 1970 T in signal orange, from 1975 until 1997, same car. I used to go to racing schools at tracks in the east that the Porsche Club of Massachusetts or the Corvette Club would sponsor. Also did some parking lot gymkhanas. I had it a little tricked out with suspension and Scheel seat and liked to drive it >100 mph. Unbelievably, never got stopped. One day in the early nineties I pulled it into the garage, turned it off and never drove it again. I guess my mid-life crisis had ended. But then it re-emrged two years ago when my wife bought me a mountain bike that has been sold but now live in its place a Concours, a steel Spectrum and an Audi A6 2.7T with 6 speed and sport suspension, a very fun car to drive with great sounds. I drive it about 30k miles a year and have no place to go, save field trips to fly's or Smiley's.

keno

[OldDog]

Keno - the way I see it, all my life I've found myself right there, in the middle of my current life. And we all have some little crisis going on. Good excuse for a mid-life crisis, to go and get some new toys, eh? This theory goes along with the saying: "He who dies with the most toys win".