What is this (Homemade Serotta XY tool)?

[smontanaro]

Stumbled on this eBay listing.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/114093252219

Minimal description...

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Mw4AAOSwrrleNFl-/s-l400.jpg

[ultraman6970]

I think is great!

[jlwdm]

Go to the classifieds and search "Serotta tool" in titles only to see a few that have sold.

Jeff

[smontanaro]

Got it. Thanks, Jeff.

[Dude]

It was Serotta’s answer to the Fit Kit. Essentially align one end with center of BB spindle. Then you can get X,Y measurements for saddle height, setback and handlebar and handlebar drop. You could then lock the tool, attach to another bike and map that position to any other bike.

[Dekonick]

Easy enough to make something similar from wood, if you don't have access to a mill. IMO it needs a horizontal and vertical level, or a protractor so you can dial in angles. Without this, it is hard to write down any values that mean anything.

If you go from the BB to the seat (pick a standard point) and then seat to the bars, or even BB to the bars, all you need is the length of each distance and the angle. That is what I do - I use string.

[Dude]

String, XY tool, Fit Kit, stack/reach. It’s the all the same.

[Dekonick]

String, XY tool, Fit Kit, stack/reach. It’s the all the same.

String and a protractor = $5, but you are right.

[charliedid]

XY measures a bike, Fit Kit measures you for a bike.

[Dude]

They also have an xy tool. The older version looks exactly like the Serotta one but with a level on it. Maybe it was the Fit Stick? Can’t find a picture of it now.

[charliedid]

They also have an xy tool. The older version looks exactly like the Serotta one but with a level on it. Maybe it was the Fit Stick? Can’t find a picture of it now.

Sure, but I think they just sell one not make one.

[tepextate]

Bumping an old thread to avoid creating a new one.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to create a homemade XY tool?

Would love to be able to use one of these to measure my contact points, but the retail price is way too much for a solo individual.

https://purelycustomfit.com/product/xy-tool/

Wondering if there's some way of cobbling two levels together to approximate the effect...

[unterhausen]

start with a drywall square. That, and a tape measure are most of what you need. My only ideas about making one involve a milling machine, although maybe going to osh cut with a dxf file wouldn't be too expensive to get one laser cut

[Brian Smith]

Bumping an old thread to avoid creating a new one.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to create a homemade XY tool?

Would love to be able to use one of these to measure my contact points, but the retail price is way too much for a solo individual.

https://purelycustomfit.com/product/xy-tool/

Wondering if there's some way of cobbling two levels together to approximate the effect...

The unit price is less than that of a nice pair of cycling shoes, saddle, or handlebars, and is less than you could garner from an online job shop to make a dozen or less. I therefore challenge your notion that the price is way too much for a solo individual.

Alternatively, if you still think it's overpriced, I'll charge you much less to use mine on a bike you've got in order to provide you some measurement readings. Your local tool owner probably would as well.

[Hindmost]

...start with a drywall square. That, and a tape measure are most of what you need...

Yes, I have added a meter stick, 6-in scale, small/8" square, tiny clamps. You can measure all of the pertinent points on a bike relative to the bottom bracket or the ground. You need a pretty flat, not necessarily level, section of floor under the bike. With careful repeat measurements you can get within a couple of millimeters. (Angle measurements would be nice but I never found them necessary.)

[tepextate]

Nice! Thank you guys - the drywall square seems like a genius idea! Not exactly the same, but pretty darn close.

@ Brian, I hear you, but $300 is more than I'm looking to pay for a device I would use a few times a year. Definitely worth the price if I were using it more, though. Until then, the drywall square will do!

[tepextate]

Yes, I have added a meter stick, 6-in scale, small/8" square, tiny clamps. You can measure all of the pertinent points on a bike relative to the bottom bracket or the ground. You need a pretty flat, not necessarily level, section of floor under the bike. With careful repeat measurements you can get within a couple of millimeters. (Angle measurements would be nice but I never found them necessary.)
Do you by any chance have a photo of your setup? Really curious to know what your homemade device looks like.

[Hindmost]

Do you by any chance have a photo of your setup? Really curious to know what your homemade device looks like.

A picture would be worth a thousand words: let me see what I can do. It's not so much a device as the combinations used to get a measurement:

The t-square on floor, aligned to the bottom bracket, with the 8" square will give you saddle set back.

T-square with 8" square on the saddle then on the top of the bars I'll give you saddle to bar drop.

Meter square aligned to the bottom bracket with 8" square on top of saddle will give you saddle height.

T-square and meter square for front center.

Etc etc

Small clamps can hold the 8-in square steady on the others and attached for markers. 6-in scale can be used to measure differences. It's nice to have something to index the bottom bracket center--I have a rubber plug for ultra torque cranks.

[benb]

I would love to have one of these two, even at these ridiculous $300 prices they would eventually pay for themselves if your time is worth much.

I could see trying to build one myself I guess.. but this really is something that is ripe for a chinese knockoff.

It's no more complex than a lot of construction/carpentery tools there's no way on earth it should cost $300.

The thing with it is your homemade one better work nearly as well as the expensive one or it will be fiddly and not actually save the time versus more traditional methods like putting the bike in the corner and measuring from the floor & wall to multiple points and then doing the math. I usually measure up the seatpost and then use the calculator on my phone to calculate the Y height of the saddle and then measure from the wall to the BB and then the wall to the saddle nose to figure out the setback/X position. For bars it's more error prone IMO.