Advice on this Serotta requested

[FireMedic13]

There is a Serotta nearby I have my eyes on. They are asking 450. paint is a bit rough in places (pics for sure don’t show it all but it looks like a lot of sweat hit the top tube). I would likely get it repainted and decaled. The parts look like a mix of parts from the parts bin. Thoughts on this? Thanks

https://imgur.com/gallery/mh8X2vh

[Ken Robb]

need more pix and info on parts but I would guess you could find a nicer Serotta with good parts for what you would have in this one after paying for a decent paint/decal job. From what I can see in the one small photo this is an older Serotta frame.

[dave thompson]

IMO, that Serotta is priced sort of at the top end if the bike was in really good condition. That one isn’t. A decent paint/decal job will be at least a couple hundred dollars. It dates from the 80s, the serial number would tell the build date.

Here’s a page from the ‘86 Serotta catalog with some info on that bike.

[Steve in SLO]

Pretty much every steel Serotta is worthwhile buying to ride, parts bin parts not withstanding. The issues with this one is the potential for rust lurking under the paint. By the looks of the pump head, there is been a lot of moisture in the seat/top tube area. You would want to make sure you at least pull the seat tube and the bottom bracket to check for rust inside the frame. Also recognize that if you repaint you are never going to get your money out of it so it would be a project from the heart.

[shinomaster]

Seat cluster is rusty.

[mhespenheide]

I can't comment on that particular bike, but keep in mind that a quality repaint -- strip, paint, decal, and clear -- will likely run you $300-$500 plus shipping two ways, about another $100. It's possible that you can find a friendly auto paint shop locally who's willing to take it on, but don't count on it.

If you just want to get it back on the road, you can probably find a powdercoater near you to strip and powder (no decals, no clear coat) for as low as $150, but that has its own drawbacks and potential pitfalls. Even then you're hitting $600 all together, and you can almost certainly find a nicer secondhand road bike at that price (even if it's not a Serotta).

[ultraman6970]

Cant see the parts but 450 - 350 is not a bad deal, as for the paint always you can do like a bi-color theme or just paint the tubes that are bad only.

The issue in general with old bikes is that if you dont get them for the right price is better not even touch the paint, because paint a bicycle is hard and will be expensive, easier to paint a car panel than a bike believe me, thats the reason good bike painters ask a lot of money. So your 450 project can go all the way to 900 just because of paint and at the time to depart with the bike ask 900 to recover the invested will be hard...

Always you can cry with the arguments Im giving you (sure the seller knows this) and maybe you can get a discount.

[josephr]

my NSX is my favorite bike! that one looks in need of some de-rusting work and maybe a fresh coat of paint, but otherwise looks in pretty good condition. If $450 includes parts that aren't your preference, you can always sell off here or on eBay. Chances are this one came off David Kirk's workbench. :banana: Joe Bell supposedly has a stash of factory Serotta decals but I went with custom decals from VeloCal as I wanted to change up the color scheme. Haggle if you can, but bring it home!

[William]

With the signs of rust there I would be worried about chain stay area...in other words what you most likely can't see.






W.

[AngryScientist]

That's an old bike. Serotta put out some wonderful bikes, but this one is rusty and made with Columbus tubing. What made the nicest serotta's "special" imo was their own proprietary tubing. this is just another steel bike with a production tubeset. if you want the real S ride, hold out for one with in-house tubes.

it's the tubing!

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp1/Serotta-atx/Serotta%20ATX/DSC04011.jpg

[cnighbor1]

http://www.dailylister.com/Search_Results.cfm?q=serotta&as_oq=bik&as_occt=Title&cof=FORID%3A11&cx=partner-pub-4317780967737722%3A1twvgl-vw7d&ie=UTF-8&sort=date&newwindow=1