What to look for when checking out an Ottrott?*With Pics*

[huck*this]

Well long story short my money was refunded for the moots. I guess during the tear down some issues arouse which posed some questions. No biggie. Going to check out the Ottrott ST in person. And then try to procure a fork.

My question to all the ottrott experts. What should I look for when checking out the frame? How to test ST bearing system? Any other questionable parts to look at? It will be frame only so I cant ride it.

Thanks guys in advance!

[huck*this]

Here are some pics from the seller.

Here are some pics along with a quick draw up of measurements he took.

https://scontent.fzty1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-9/s2048x2048/50259498_233942940858201_565266267938750464_n.jpg? _nc_cat=105&_nc_ht=scontent.fzty1-2.fna&oh=e5b3724898cf0a09f39870d7288a30b2&oe=5C8E56CE
https://scontent.fzty1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-9/s2048x2048/50082537_232319521046641_4781830121361244160_n.jpg ?_nc_cat=102&_nc_ht=scontent.fzty1-2.fna&oh=c83044d7da936c2722efc12bd9c5c163&oe=5CCAC0EE
https://scontent.fzty1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/49571326_645751462508520_2957824653973782528_o.jpg ?_nc_cat=111&_nc_ht=scontent.fzty1-1.fna&oh=b414e7097d3b07bc9817279ef93577c3&oe=5C8CF36C
https://scontent.fzty1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/49564089_645751525841847_3253756000976502784_o.jpg ?_nc_cat=111&_nc_ht=scontent.fzty1-1.fna&oh=9bb31c90b59f19b7412e3ddb011e0ebe&oe=5C92B73F
https://scontent.fzty1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/50042757_645751555841844_2773027501310476288_o.jpg ?_nc_cat=102&_nc_ht=scontent.fzty1-2.fna&oh=e799c07de51cdebd651c0b2d56c94c6c&oe=5CCB08F8
https://scontent.fzty1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/49937812_645751599175173_22265776182394880_o.jpg?_ nc_cat=100&_nc_ht=scontent.fzty1-2.fna&oh=86c1d99d4c9769892236104f6e33f241&oe=5CCECA2E

Anyone can figure out the effective TT with those measurements?

[Ozz]

I am guessing seller is not the original owner? Otherwise he should have a build sheet....

Serial number shows that it is a custom geometry....

[huck*this]

I am guessing seller is not the original owner? Otherwise he should have a build sheet....

Serial number shows that it is a custom geometry....


Correct. He actually purchased it from a Tag sale. Go figure. Would you happen to know the year?

[merckxman]

I've only seen a few Ottrott frames, the one in these photos is the first I've seen with that style BB (machined). More importantly, is that some space between the welds and the BB shell by the cable guide or dirt or ???

[huck*this]

Yes it definetly needs a bath and I will take a closer look at the underneath of the BB.

Can you elaborate on the machined BB? I don't follow.

[Plum Hill]

Machined BB refers to the recess on the bottom, the area where the cable guide is.
My ‘07 Ottrott had a machined BB like the one in the photo.
My ‘03 did not.

[Black Dog]

The bottom of the bb shell is machined to save weight. This was standard for later model Ti bb’s on Serrotas. Go to the thread on serial numbers in the catologue section for some idea about build year.

[parallelfish]

Can you elaborate on the machined BB? I don't follow.

Believe it is in reference to the pocket milled into the bottom of the Bottom Bracket.

[glepore]

Well, its dirty as crap, but those are enlargements. The good news is a little scotchbrite and that'll look new. The st bearings? I dunno how to test them other than to disassemble and seem if their rough.
The "crack" is dirt caught in the weld, from looking at the photo.

Get a better fork, the bike deserves it. Contact coolplanet bikes, I think there was an f3 or an f5 on his ebay store.

Price ? (if that's not rude).

[572cv]

For price comparison purposes, here’s one that might deserve attention.....

https://glensfalls.craigslist.org/bik/d/saratoga-springs-serotta-ottrott-st/6780103783.html

Maybe this should be a psa.

[happycampyer]

As others have noted, the machining of the underside of the bottom bracket was a process that Serotta added to (upper models of) Ottrotts and Legends in the late 2000’s to shave weight. They stopped it a couple of years before the factory closed, so probably 2011 or so. The frame also has the asymmetrically machined headtube, which was added a little before the bottom bracket machining was (and continued after they stopped machining bottom brackets). So that would place the frame in the 2007 - 2011 timeframe.

In terms of manufacturing, this frame represents the pinnacle of Serotta’s workmanship. With the exception of the bottom bracket machining which no one does today as far as I’m aware, all of the features of this frame can be found on some current bike (e.g., Seven asymmetrically machines its headtubes, Moots now swages some of their tubes, etc.), it there is no bike currently made that has all of these features.

There’s nothing that jumps out in the photos, but you really need to clean the frame thoroughly and inspect all of the welds and joints closely.

[duff_duffy]

If your initials are BH would be a great deal (check out head tube lug).

For price comparison purposes, here’s one that might deserve attention.....

https://glensfalls.craigslist.org/bik/d/saratoga-springs-serotta-ottrott-st/6780103783.html

Maybe this should be a psa.

[Matthew]

This is of no help but I'd be ashamed to send pics of a frame I am trying to sell in that condition. It would take 5-10 minutes of some pledge or windex and it would look much better. Nothing like planting seeds of doubt in a buyer's mind right from the beginning. Lazy

[Ozz]

Correct. He actually purchased it from a Tag sale. Go figure. Would you happen to know the year?

Serotta didn't have model "years"....just a model and then production number.

That one is #1388 in the production series

Check out this "serial numbers decoded" thread: https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=99078


There might be something there that would give a clue to model year.

[happycampyer]

^ That’s true—it’s probably bettter to think of a model “generation” than year. Serotta stopped publishing catalogs in 2007 or 2008 or so. I noticed the “SE” sticker, which was a designation for the higher end, custom version of the Ottrott introduced sometime after that (the other version, the “SG,” had fewer bells and whistles and was sold at a lower price point).

[Jeff N.]

Titanium Serotta's "single pass" welds need to be looked at closely.

[huck*this]

Thank you everyone for the exceptional details and explination. Can you go into detail what asymmetric headtube means? Tapered HT?

[huck*this]

Bump. Going to look at it tomorrow.

Anyone can elaborate on what asymmetric HT is?

[Jeff N.]

The asymmetric HT refers to how the internal bore of the HT is slightly offset, resulting in it being a bit more beefy at the front. No big deal.

[huck*this]

The asymmetric HT refers to how the internal bore of the HT is slightly offset, resulting in it being a bit more beefy at the front. No big deal.

Nice! Thanks Jeff. So not a tapered HT just regular 1 1/8" steerer correct?

[happycampyer]

The asymmetric HT refers to how the internal bore of the HT is slightly offset, resulting in it being a bit more beefy at the front. No big deal.Actually, it’s the opposite.

Some builders just use a straight tube for the headtube (and Serotta did for earlier and lower-tier models). To save a little weight, some builders machine the tube. The most common approach is to machine the tube all the way around, leaving it thicker at each end to handle the stress of the headset bearings. However, the back side of the headtube where the toptube and downtube join is subject to greater stress/distortion from welding than the front of the tube is. So some manufacturers (e.g., Seven, Serotta bitd) machine only the front face of the tube (i.e., asymmetrical machining) in order to save weight only on the side of the tube that is not welded. As I understand it, the tooling and set up is more complicated.

When I had the headtube on my Legend ST replaced (due to a rare crack), I asked the builder if they could replicate the asymmetrically machined headtube. Since the builder doesn’t offer that feature, the quote I got was prohibitively expensive.

The only bike Serotta offered with an oversized headtube was the Pronto, which has a straight tube.

[Jeff N.]

Nice! Thanks Jeff. So not a tapered HT just regular 1 1/8" steerer correct?Correct. Right, beefier at the REAR of the HT.