Any source to find the year of Serotta frames?

[RobbieTunes]

Namely this one.

C3S tubing. Atlanta model. English threaded.
Appears 130mm rear.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikeforums.net-vbulletin/2000x1124/80-20180611_092231_52cb3cd20b13f1ac4fd91ea389f57d0da3 1fa37a.jpg

[Matthew]

Check the serial number. I think they may have the year stamped in some of them? Possible to look at the catalog thread on the forum as well. Someone here will know, there are lots of Serotta experts here. Nice bike by the way. Paint job is called "Indy." One of my all time favorites.

[azrider]

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=99078

[cmg]

what's the serial number on the bb shell?

[David Kirk]

All Atlanta's had an English BB and 130 spacing and I'd disregard the tubing decal as they were often inaccurate.

It's probably later in Atlanta production seeing as it has the Head-on cable braze-ons.

dave

[RobbieTunes]

I appreciate the info.

The Atlanta, from the catalogs, had the C3S tubing, and the decal supports, but I'll take that with a grain of salt.
I do like the 27.2 seat post with the 34.9 clamp area for the FD.

I had no idea the paint schemes varied so much. The 1999 C5Ti in the catalog had the same color scheme.
I'd love to have THAT one! (Funny, in the catalog, the model is Hors Catagorie in 1999, and Hors Categorie in 2000)
https://www.pedalroom.com/p/1999-2000-serotta-atlanta-37676_1.jpg


The bike doesn't seem to have much wear, but it does have some "tear" under the top tube, apparently from careless transportation.
The components were dirty but hardly worn. It will be a challenge to touch up the missing paint under the top tube, but my local body
shop paint supplier can likely mix me up a can and I'll do the painstaking prep/prime/base/clear to a defined area, about 1" wide by 13" long,
masked off and then feathered. There is one side wear spot about 1/4" x 3" to which I'll do the same. Patience being a virtue.

Lacking polished components, and leaving my DA 9000 on another bike, it looks like this one will get either 6800/Bontrager RXL
or go "back" to 10-sp 7900/Rolf Vector Pro. Not the bling, perhaps, that a Serotta deserves, but a light, tight build.
I have to move in the near future, so it's already packed in a box. The Serotta is destined, at present, for "Little 500" country.

[oliver1850]

The Atlanta is either from 1999 or 2000. 1999 was the first year for the Head-On cable stops, 2000 was the last year for Atlanta. The only way to pin the year down closer would be to find an owner who ordered one new in 1999 or 2000, knows when it was delivered, and can provide the serial number to compare to yours.

[RobbieTunes]

what's the serial number on the bb shell?
as 52 2174

[Ozz]

... I'd disregard the tubing decal as they were often inaccurate....

For sure....my Legend has a sticker for Ottrott tubes!

[RobbieTunes]

The Atlanta is either from 1999 or 2000. 1999 was the first year for the Head-On cable stops, 2000 was the last year for Atlanta. The only way to pin the year down closer would be to find an owner who ordered one new in 1999 or 2000, knows when it was delivered, and can provide the serial number to compare to yours.

1999-2000 is close enough for me.
It definitely has Head-On cable stops (with brass inserts).
It definitely has the same paint scheme as the 1999 C5Ti Hors Catagorie.

I'd try to definitively say 1999 or 2000, but based on my experiences at Bike Forums, someone would argue about it. I'd rather be vague than dead wrong.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[dave thompson]

Serotta often offered paint schemes for many years so it would be hard to pin down a model year by paint alone. Also they made running changes during production so a ‘feature’ can be only a close guess.

It is a little easier to pin down the Atlanta as it was kind of a mid-priced unit (in price only, certainly not in performance) and the noteable changes in it, head-on adjusters and year of last units made, were obvious.

As oliver 1850 points out, the only sure way is to compare to known dates of sales/deliveries and their serial numbers.

IMO, the Atlanta was one of Serottas masterpieces. It had almost all the attributes of their finest steel bike, the CSi, at a bargain price. I’ve had a handful of Atlantas, it was my first Serottaback in ‘99, and I still hold them in very high regard.

[tbike4]

I'd rather be vague than dead wrong

This is the procedure I follow very closely in my job. In IT it's best not to commit to anything that involves technology that is really not under anyone's control.

Regarding your Atlanta. I won't be vague about it. I love mine and I think you will as well. A bunch of frames have come and gone in the 5 years I have owned it but it's a forever frame. It does deserve the best parts you want to put on it and some REALLY good wheels and tires. My 2¢ worth. Good luck with your move and post photos and a ride report when it's all said and done.

[RobbieTunes]

Serotta often offered paint schemes for many years so it would be hard to pin down a model year by paint alone. Also they made running changes during production so a ‘feature’ can be only a close guess.

IMO, the Atlanta was one of Serottas masterpieces. It had almost all the attributes of their finest steel bike, the CSi, at a bargain price. I’ve had a handful of Atlantas, it was my first Serottaback in ‘99, and I still hold them in very high regard.

Regarding your Atlanta. I won't be vague about it. I love mine and I think you will as well. A bunch of frames have come and gone in the 5 years I have owned it but it's a forever frame. It does deserve the best parts you want to put on it and some REALLY good wheels and tires. My 2¢ worth. Good luck with your move and post photos and a ride report when it's all said and done.

Thank you both. I've seen Serottas at NAHBS, none in the wild. People whose opinions I respect like them, and in my world, that's enough.

I traded this, but with a Bontrager WSD saddle and DTSwiss Axxis wheels, for the Serotta with 3x9 Ultegra STI, Bontrager entry-level wheels, and no saddle. My taste in aluminum is more Klein than Cannondale, and I am slowly moving to 54cm from 56cm, having found a bit more comfort on the 54cm setup. The Serotta owner, to his credit, readily admits he's into more modern bikes, and the Cannondale is for his 18-year old daughter, so "pretty" counts! He's happy, and I'm good, looking forward to the build.https://www.pedalroom.com/p/2001-cannondale-r800-35449_6.jpg

Like any good bike curmudgeon, the 3x9 Ultegra has already been re-purposed on another frame. It will be a go-to climber for when I venture into areas that go up/down. The Serotta offers a clean slate, once I have the touch-up done, to build what I hope to be a snazzy one.

While I have a 6800 group and wheels, I'm kind of leaning "back" towards DA 7900 10-sp to take advantage of some Rolf Vector Pro tubulars (black and gold) that would just be great...

[Ken Robb]

I think the catalog I have states "The Atlanta offers 85% of the ride of a CSi for 65% of the price." I also seem to remember one of the Serotta builders posting that the difference between C3 tubing in Atlantas and C4 tubing in CSi frames was insignificant in larger sizes because the C4 tube set offered some thinner tubes for use in small Csi frames but those tubes would not be appropriate for larger sizes. I don't know what size frames were the crossover point. OTOH I might be remembering a discussion between Legends and Concours. I'll bet Mr. Kirk would know. OTOH he's getting old too so he may not remember. :)

[triplecrank]

You wouldn't happen to be The Mr. Tunes from Bike Forum? I would assume a "yes" answer given the similar profile info and the avatar musical notes. You helped me with tweaking out some kinks on a '97 C'dale R900 (Triplecrank92).

I find it ironic that your posting about your new Atlanta at the same time when I just picked up a '95 CSI (pic below is from the PO). I'm in the process of cleaning it up and swapping out some of the parts (I'm trying to tone down the bright yellow but the color is starting to grow on me). I would really appreciate info on your process for touching up the paint. I'm working on scratches on my '88 Centurion Expert and the CSI has some rust on the rear brake cable stops under the top tube.

While the PO posted the CSI as a '97 per the anniversary sticker, I came to the conclusion, with some help from this forum, that it's more likely an early '95 with a repaint. SN = CS 58L 167.

John

[Hindmost]

Atlanta's came in a limited number of stock paint schemes. The blue of the OP's bike was one of the standard colors but I don't recall seeing the seat tube and down tube decals like that before.

[oliver1850]

Atlanta's came in a limited number of stock paint schemes. The blue of the OP's bike was one of the standard colors but I don't recall seeing the seat tube and down tube decals like that before.

True in the early years, but the 2000 catalog states that 15 stock colors and 11 decal colors were available on the Atlanta. It doesn't clarify if that included the various paint schemes like Indy, but I suspect at least some of them were available without going custom.

[Matthew]

I believe the paint colors are Big Boy blue, Competition yellow, and Competition red. White with black outline decals. Had to be an up charge paint job for sure so that's a bonus!!