Anyone know about the Serotta Classic/Classique?

[makoti]

A friend has been offered a "Serotta Classic" for the low, low price of free. I'm guessing that it is the Classique. I'm told it is a 2002 Ti version & it was a custom. Has a carbon fork.
I know not a thing about the Serotta line. Can anyone tell me about this model or link me to info? Where in the line did it fall? Would this bike have been made in custom geometry? The Ti tubing - straight? Butted? Any owner reviews?
She wants a new bike & you can't beat the price, but I'd like to know more about it.

[oliver1850]

I believe the Classique Ti was only made in 2001, was replaced in the line by the Peloton for 2002. Tubeset was the C2 Ti, which I think had a tapered down tube with constant diameter top and seat tubes. HT could be 1" or 1 1/8". S bend stays and 3D XL dropouts. Stock finish was matte Ti, but could be painted or polished optionally. Stock or custom sizing. I have never seen one in person but I wouldn't expect it to ride much differently from a Concours - perhaps a bit less stiff in the BB as it lacks the tapered seat tube. No geo chart in the 2001 catalog but I'd expect it to be the same as 2000, when the Classique was 853 steel only. Serial number should identify model, size, and whether stock or custom geo.

[tylercheung]

I think there was a size 52" on sale in classifieds a few days ago. There was a thread regarding this a few years back...

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=2705

[makoti]

Thanks guys. Any info is helpful. The 1" HT might be a thing, if it is that.
I saw that thread for 2004, and there is some good info in it. I have to admit, I wish it was the 853 version (even though I'll never ride it).

[Dude]

@oliver1850 nailed all of the details. It only had a colorado concept downtube. Still a great riding bike. Sometimes, only sometimes if a Classique or Concurs was built for a bigger rider (either height or weight) the frame was spec'd with OS tubes - essentially "classing" the bike up. A classique with an oversize DT and TT would ride more similar to a Legend than a classique. Those weren't all that common. So if that free Classique happens to have an OS tubeset you should steal it from your friend.

[oliver1850]

Thanks guys. Any info is helpful. The 1" HT might be a thing, if it is that.
I saw that thread for 2004, and there is some good info in it. I have to admit, I wish it was the 853 version (even though I'll never ride it).

I'm partial to 853 as well, but given the choice between steel and Ti I'd take Ti simply because I'm in the rust belt.

I wouldn't worry too much about it having a 1" HT, if that's the case. F1 forks turn up fairly frequently, as well as Reynolds, and there are the Nashbar options to get it on the road while you wait for the right fork to turn up.

[oliver1850]

@oliver1850 nailed all of the details. It only had a colorado concept downtube. Still a great riding bike. Sometimes, only sometimes if a Classique or Concurs was built for a bigger rider (either height or weight) the frame was spec'd with OS tubes - essentially "classing" the bike up. A classique with an oversize DT and TT would ride more similar to a Legend than a classique. Those weren't all that common. So if that free Classique happens to have an OS tubeset you should steal it from your friend.

I always suspected this was the case though I've never come across a frame that looked to have a tube out of normal spec - but it's hard to know what normal was for any given model. In the Concours discussion in the classifieds I mentioned the tube dimensions for my frames, which are in the 60 cm range. Would be interested to know if diameters varied for the same model in widely divergent sizes.

[Dude]

You can look for two things. The first is if the chainstays are NOT the normal s-bend. The sbend CS at the bb would be round, the OS chainstays (that aren't s-bend) are taller than they are wide, have a single bend and then are straight from that bend to the dropout - usually were spec'd on bikes larger than 58cm.

The second one, for Concours...the OS tt, at the ht/tt junction, will have the same OD as the legend TT. Then it will be the same OD the length of the TT.

Those are two things you can look for.

The TT isn't a hard and fast rule - these were custom bikes. It was dependent on the rider weight, height, riding style, intentions, etc.