New Frame Day

[smontanaro]

I have bought many bikes and frames over the years, but never outed one here before (well, except for a CdA which was just a flip, and that was in the classifieds). This is different, my first keeper Serotta:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49992617126_e61e662520_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jaFemA)

More pix here (https://flic.kr/s/aHsmNGcmr9).

While raising a family in the Albany NY area in the 80s and 90s, I always wanted one, but that was incompatible with family finances at the time, so I made do with a Trek 760 I brought with me from the Left Coast. I've been keeping my eyes open for a candidate Serotta in my size for awhile and it seems I might have found it in this example.

It was advertised as a 1978. That seems reasonable given the top-of-bottom-bracket cable routing. It has a small "Campione del Mondo" sticker (model name?) on the top tube visible just ahead of the top tube "Serotta" decal. I couldn't find any evidence of a serial number (and found nothing obvious in the catalog forum), but didn't know where to focus my attention. The previous owner had it for years but never built it up. The bottom bracket and headset show little speckles of rust, but will be going into the parts bin, so no big deal if Evapo-Rust doesn't take care of it.

The rear triangle is a bit out-of-whack, but my local steel frame expert thinks it will be no problem bringing it back into alignment. I'll have it finish at 126. I'll build it up with a Dura-Ace 7400 group I've assembled.

Feedback on issues related to build date/year/era and where I should expect to find a serial number (if any) is welcome.

[Hilltopperny]

Serial number is likely on the fork steerer. It looks to be from the era stated and could have been built by Ben himself. It could be an early Club series, but I am not sure about when they were given actual model names over just being custom bikes. Nice find!

[mhespenheide]

Was this one off the Los Angeles craigslist?

[Coffee Rider]

I have one from the year before (not built yet) and it has BS in the serial number on the fork.

[smontanaro]

Was this one off the Los Angeles craigslist?

Yes, though my contact was through Classic Rendezvous. The seller is a member there and his bikes were outed by another CR member. (Oddly, he didn't post them there for sale.)

There's a small backstory on the purchase. I contacted the seller and told him I was very interested in the frame but that my PayPal account was running on fumes. I'd just bought a Turin-branded Eisentraut and couldn't see pulling funds out of the checking account to cover the cost of the Serotta. That was good motivation to get rid of some stuff I didn't need.

Fast-forward to a point where I had almost enough in PP and another pending sale which would put me over the top. I looked back at his LA CL listings. Oh no! It can't be! While several bikes were still for sale, the Serotta was gone. He'd also listed it on eBay. I checked there. Gone! My heart sank.

I sent him an email asking if I'd missed the boat. He replied a couple days later that no, the Serotta was still available, but that he'd ended the listings to focus on the other stuff he had. WHEW!

[smontanaro]

I have one from the year before (not built yet) and it has BS in the serial number on the fork.

I guess it's time to pull apart the headset.

... time passes ...

BC 249:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49996993377_67612e9a8c_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jb4Egc)

[Tickdoc]

Congrats! Awesome condition and a nice retro color. Love that the font is the same on such an old one.

[smontanaro]

Congrats! Awesome condition and a nice retro color. Love that the font is the same on such an old one.

I was just thinking it must be a repaint with that blue paint on the steerer tube. And my head tube decal doesn't match the "Circle S" as shown in the early brochure (https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=82643).

[Pastashop]

Glad it stayed "in the family" – I was eyeing that frame and was thiiiiis close to buying it! I do already have one very much like it, so that's the hesitation. I love mine! Enough to have it retrofitted with couplers and repainted. Enjoy yours!

[Tickdoc]

I was just thinking it must be a repaint with that blue paint on the steerer tube. And my head tube decal doesn't match the "Circle S" as shown in the early brochure (https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=82643).

Sorry I’m a bit daft. Yes a repaint but a nice retro color. I’ll get there eventually.

[mhespenheide]

Yes, though my contact was through Classic Rendezvous. The seller is a member there and his bikes were outed by another CR member. (Oddly, he didn't post them there for sale.)

There's a small backstory on the purchase. I contacted the seller and told him I was very interested in the frame but that my PayPal account was running on fumes. I'd just bought a Turin-branded Eisentraut and couldn't see pulling funds out of the checking account to cover the cost of the Serotta. That was good motivation to get rid of some stuff I didn't need.

Fast-forward to a point where I had almost enough in PP and another pending sale which would put me over the top. I looked back at his LA CL listings. Oh no! It can't be! While several bikes were still for sale, the Serotta was gone. He'd also listed it on eBay. I checked there. Gone! My heart sank.

I sent him an email asking if I'd missed the boat. He replied a couple days later that no, the Serotta was still available, but that he'd ended the listings to focus on the other stuff he had. WHEW!


Cool! I emailed with him a couple times, but then got distracted with a vintage Trek up in San Jose instead. (Not the same thing, I know, but the seller claimed that it would fit 32’s...) Enjoy it!