Serotta / Saratoga Frameworks Last Employees?

[coolplanetbikes]

Hi All,
I'm starting a research project where I'm hoping to compile Serotta historical documents into a free and easy to access website. Ideally it would house Serotta history, PDFs of manuals, serial number decoder, links to the archives of the old website, links to replacement parts merchants, links to repair tutorials (like ST Pivot bearing replacement) and links to owner/enthusiast resources (like this forum and the FB page), and if things go really well - a searchable database of original build sheets.

I already have most of this stuff, but regarding the build sheet database, I'm hoping to reach out to the employees that were around towards the end. Feel free to PM me if you don't feel like name dropping in the middle of the thread.

Or if you have thoughts and ideas for resources to include please let me know. I built and run Serottaparts.com which needs work but gives you a rough idea of what the format might look like.

Best,
Mac

[cmg]

I believe Ben goes by the name "Rusty Chisel" on this board, try contacting him. some former employees started No. 22 bike company.

[coolplanetbikes]

Thanks. Definitely planning on reaching out to him and am hoping to get my hands on a No. 22 at some point for myself. Much appreciated.

I believe Ben goes by the name "Rusty Chisel" on this board, try contacting him. some former employees started No. 22 bike company.

[Keith A]

Mac -- Regarding the build sheets, I believe many of these are lost due to a computer that died with this information on there. I have Ben's email address if you need it.

[coolplanetbikes]

Oh man - that is tragic. No back ups? I'll shoot you a PM also.

Mac -- Regarding the build sheets, I believe many of these are lost due to a computer that died with this information on there. I have Ben's email address if you need it.

[Ken Robb]

There was a time when members of the Old Serotta Board were often able to get build sheet info on Serotta custom frames when employees had a spare moment to pull them up on a computer at Serotta. Then came a sad day when the company posted that they no longer had access to the old files due to a computer failure. If the company got anything but goodwill from this service to owners and buyers of used Serottas I can surmise that it may have boosted the resale value of Serotta frames since potential buyers were not buying "a pig in a poke" with unknown design parameters/specs. This MAY have encouraged potential buyers of a new Serotta to think it might have better resale value than other custom bikes. OTOH I'm sure the cool paint jobs available were a MUCH bigger factor. :banana:

[rustychisel]

Good luck to the OP on the project, sounds worthwhile.

Can confirm 'rustychisel' is not Ben, nor he I. But do have a banana anyway... :banana:

[572cv]

Fitwerx over in Waitsfield sold a good number of Serottas. They may have kept records of the Serottas they sold. Possible, anyway. Thinking about it this way, there might be a way to piece this out at least somewhat by going to the dealer network that was in place at the end.

Good luck with the project!

[OtayBW]

Good luck to the OP on the project, sounds worthwhile.

Can confirm 'rustychisel' is not Ben, nor he I. But do have a banana anyway... :banana:What have you done with Ben?!?? :rolleyes:

[m4rk540]

I believe Ben goes by the name "Rusty Chisel" on this board, try contacting him. some former employees started No. 22 bike company.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=118175

Hi All,

My name is Bill Watkins and am a new member of The Paceline Forum. You may have heard that I am, also, the new CEO at Serotta Competition Bicycles and Great American Bicycle Company.

[SoCalSteve]

Fitwerx over in Waitsfield sold a good number of Serottas. They may have kept records of the Serottas they sold. Possible, anyway. Thinking about it this way, there might be a way to piece this out at least somewhat by going to the dealer network that was in place at the end.

Good luck with the project!

Along those same lines...( the name eludes me now ) but there is a bike store in Manhattan that sold a boatload of Serotta’s back in the day. I think they were, by far, the largest dealer. I am sure someone will chime in with the name.

[David Kirk]

As to the build sheets....or "drafts" as we called them......

I can only speak to my time there and shortly thereafter. In my early days there was a huge book that every bike got entered into that was nicknamed "The Bible" and it had the basics on the (serial number, frame size, customer, completion date, color) and the rest of the info was kept on 5" x 7" index cards. When I left in 1999 the Bible still existed but I hear it got tossed at some point.

Later, about 1992ish, the records were kept on big index cards in a card file. There was no other back up......just thousands of cards more or less in order. Finding old records was tough and you had to be really motivated.

After this the designs were done on a design spreadsheet and these were printed and kept in folders. To my knowledge there was no computer back up.

It went this way until I left in 1999. I think they moved to computer files at some point but would be shocked if they still existed anywhere.

I know that having the records was a PITA for the company. They built a good 30,000 - 40,000 bikes (my very rough guess) over the years and in time they started getting lots of calls and emails asking for the specs on a given bike that someone wanted to buy used. This would not seem to be a big deal until you look at the numbers and realize that with that many used bikes out there that many change hands and this resulted in a constant flow of questions about used bikes. It's a real liability for a company like this. They couldn't just tell people to buzz off nor could they attend to every request and dig through endless paper files to find a given top tube length. I think not having the records was easier.

dave

[likebikes]

i think i read on this forum that the last/final owners of serotta destroyed all records when serotta closed for good.

[pdmtong]

I know that having the records was a PITA for the company. They built a good 30,000 - 40,000 bikes (my very rough guess) over the years and in time they started getting lots of calls and emails asking for the specs on a given bike that someone wanted to buy used. This would not seem to be a big deal until you look at the numbers and realize that with that many used bikes out there that many change hands and this resulted in a constant flow of questions about used bikes. It's a real liability for a company like this. They couldn't just tell people to buzz off nor could they attend to every request and dig through endless paper files to find a given top tube length. I think not having the records was easier.
dave

thanks again for your insights dave.

25 years or so at 1,500 bikes a year (100+ a month) all manual records - no wonder taking a call was a nightmare of digging for zero revenue.

The geometry, the tube selection, the rider weight/dimensions, and usage goal...just too many numbers.

Feel lucky my ottrott had a build sheet and back then kelly answered the phone for me about it.

[Elefantino]

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=118175

Hi All,

My name is Bill Watkins and am a new member of The Paceline Forum. You may have heard that I am, also, the new CEO at Serotta Competition Bicycles and Great American Bicycle Company.

Good lord.