Serotta Fierte Carbon/Ti

[Frank Draper]

I currently ride a 2003 Legend Ti Custom (all ti except the F1 fork) with all Campy Record components (175 crank), Serotta Ti stem 105mm, and Mavic Kysrium ES w/GP 4000's. The geometry is: ST-58 CtoC, Top Tube 56cm center to center no slope, Seat Tube angle 74, and Chain Stays 42cm.

I am considering purchasing a 2006 58cm carbon/ti Fierte demo with stock geometry. The geo as listed by Srerotta is ST length 52, St angle 73, TT 56.5, TT slope 9, Head tube angle 73, HT length 19, Chain stay 42.

My Legend fits well. However I am not familiar with the difference a slope tube will make in fit or handling.

My main concerns are will it fit? And the difference in the ride compared to my Legend. I will be appreciative of any input.

I am a fit, active 63 y.o. male and have been into athletics all my life. I currently ride 4 days a week for 30-40 miles 18-20mph, and complete about 3 centuries a year. I ride both flat, rolling terrain and 3-4 times a year ride in the mountains.

I will be buying this bike through a dealer in another state.

FrankD.

[hansolo758]

a good question to pose to Serotta directly. They could look up the specs on your Legend Ti (via serial#) and give an estimate as to how this new purchase you're considering might fit you.

[Ken Robb]

a good question to pose to Serotta directly. They could look up the specs on your Legend Ti (via serial#) and give an estimate as to how this new purchase you're considering might fit you.

Maybe they can't look up info on older bikes like his Legend. One of the Forumites was told recently that the database for older frames was in a software that they can no longer open on their new computers. Rats! That makes buying a used custom riskier.

[hansolo758]

my bad.

[Frank Draper]

I have contacted Serotta and would still be interested in input from forum members.

FrankD.

[Frank Draper]

I have sent Serotta an e-mail and would still like to hear from any forum members.

FrankD.

[Frank Draper]

Small change made in description of bike geometry.
FrankD.

[Frank Draper]

Any input will be appreciated.
FrankD.

[Frank Draper]

Having trouble posting my edited message.
FrankD.

[hansolo758]

here's my $0.02.

As far as reach goes, the seat angle on your Legend is 74 degrees and top tube 56 cm. On the Fierte demo, seat angle is 73 degrees and TT 56.5. To keep your same position over the cranks, your effective TT is 0.5 cm shorter on the Fierte. So, you're probably OK on reach. If you can tell this 0.5 cm difference (I probably couldn't), if you can find it, you could use a stem that's 0,5 cm longer.

My concern is about standover height. Your Legend is 58 cm c-c for seat tube. The Fierte is 52 cm for seat tube but a 9 cm slope, if I understand it, makes this effectively a 61 cm c-c seat tube, nearly 3 cm taller than your Legend. If I am correct about how to interpret "slope", you may not have the standover clearance on the Fierte you have with your Legend.

People more knowledgeable than I can feel free to weigh in here.

Good luck with your search.

[Frank Draper]

So a 56 cm seat tube may fit?

[Frank Draper]

This may be a case of don't buy it if I can't ride it.
FrankD.

[Fixed]

bro i don't know much but...the legend is a...... legend .

cheers :beer:

[davids]

In terms of character, I'd describe the ride of the all-Ti Fierté as a "creamy buzz" and the ride of my Nove as "creamy smooth". Both are pretty d@mn nice as far as road feedback, just slightly different.

But I believe geometry will make more of a difference in your long-term enjoyment of a bike. I don't have anything to offer on the differences between your Legend and a stock Fierté IT.

[BarryG]

The Fierte is 52 cm for seat tube but a 9 cm slope, if I understand it, makes this effectively a 61 cm c-c seat tube, nearly 3 cm taller than your Legend. If I am correct about how to interpret "slope", you may not have the standover clearance on the Fierte you have with your Legend.Nah, plenty of standover clearance. He won't be straddling it right at the headtube.

[hansolo758]

enough in my earlier post.

The Fierte is a compact frame and compact frames have more SO clearance than level TT frames. I suspect you'll be fine with SO clearance...the only way you might not is if the head tube length for the Fierte is considerably taller than that of your Legend. If it is, the expected increased clearance your get with a compact frame may be offset by the head tube length being greater.

My point is that you need to know the standover clearance of the Fierte with the tires you plan to ride it with. The dealer should be able to tell you that.

You also asked about handling. I may be stating the obvious but compact frames are thought to be stiffer than regular frames. If you're a weight weenie, the compact frame weighs less but this is offset by your needing a longer seatpost. If you like the feel of the top tube between your knees on curves and descents, you may not have that with a compact frame.

Good luck. As Fixed said your Legend is a pretty sweet bike...I saw the photos of it when you first posted them.

[jimp1234]

Don't want to change the topic but isn't that 9 "degrees" of slope not 9 "cm" slope? If degrees I'd be interested in knowing myself how degrees of slope tranlates into "virtual" ST length.

-Jim

[hansolo758]

but in this case 9 degrees of slope works out to 9 cm drop, viz., 9 degrees of slope...h'mm, let's see, the tangent of 9 degrees is 0.158, which multiplied by 56.5 cm (top tube lenght) yields an approximate drop of 8.9 cm along its length -- close enough to 9, nest-ce-pas? The top of the top tube at its junction with the seat tube is 9 cm lower than at the head tube.

The OP wanted to know about fit, amongst other things. Reach seems to be OK. Without knowing things like BB drop or head tube length of both bikes, it's difficult to be precise about standover.

[djg]

I don't have any secret method for fitting the OP over the internet, and there are better opinions here on how to do it in person, but I'm not sure I understand the great concern about "standover." Given the numbers that have been tossed out, I gather that the seat tube/top tube juncture has to be lower on the bike with the sloping top tube, despite the nominally greater size. I seem to understand that there's some concern that the seat tube/head tube juncture might be a bit higher, and perhaps that somewhere along the top tube there's a crossover point and, maybe, in front of that point a greater stand over such that it could, maybe, be an issue. But what are the chances? The OP seems like a reasonably tall person. Supposing that things are not desperately close on the initial Legend, such that it's almost to the point of being hard to mount, is it really likely that a couple of cm in the front part of the top tube is going to be a problem?

I don't know if the bike fits great or would handle the way the OP wants, but the contact points alone look pretty much in the ballpark, no?

[hansolo758]

way more eloquently than I. You're right, the chances than SO wouldn't work for him are low.

Can we agree that when one forks over good money to buy a bike that one ought to know the measurements of that bike as precisely as possible? I also don't claim for a second that my measurements are precise: they're simply estimates. I agree also that bike fit is more than just numbers. The numbers are just to place you in the ballpark before the intangibles take over.

[LesMiner]

If the estimate of the ST of 61cm on the Friete is right, the saddle might be level with or below the handlebar to make it fit. It could yield a more upright position. The saddle might also be lower than intended by the geometry in order to get the frame to fit. At 63 maybe the more upright position is good thing?

[C5 Snowboarder]

I currently ride a 2003 Legend Ti Custom (all ti except the F1 fork) with all Campy Record components (175 crank), Serotta Ti stem 105mm, and Mavic Kysrium ES w/GP 4000's. The geometry is: ST-58 CtoC, Top Tube 56cm center to center no slope, Seat Tube angle 74, and Chain Stays 42cm.

I am considering purchasing a 2006 58cm carbon/ti Fierte demo with stock geometry. The geo as listed by Srerotta is ST length 52, St angle 73, TT 56.5, TT slope 9, Head tube angle 73, HT length 19, Chain stay 42.

My Legend fits well. However I am not familiar with the difference a slope tube will make in fit or handling.

My main concerns are will it fit? And the difference in the ride compared to my Legend. I will be appreciative of any input.

I am a fit, active 63 y.o. male and have been into athletics all my life. I currently ride 4 days a week for 30-40 miles 18-20mph, and complete about 3 centuries a year. I ride both flat, rolling terrain and 3-4 times a year ride in the mountains.

I will be buying this bike through a dealer in another state.

FrankD.


Just curious here Frank but why if you have a Legend do you want a Fierte Ti/carbon -- ? unless of course it is just to have another bike -- which we all understand is a good thing.

[Frank Draper]

Snowboarder,

Yes, it's just to have another bike, something with a different ride and possibly handling than my Legend.

I rode many, many bikes the summer before I bought the Legend to determine what qualities I like. Other than the custom build and superior Serotta quality I like the Ti because it was close to a steel ride (some snap), yet smoothed out the bumps and chatter while transferring power to the rear wheel without flex. Some of the bikes I rode were top of the line carbon fiber bikes (for that time) and I realized that they felt hollow, no road feel and too much flex for me. Although depending on the geometry some of them felt light and maybe more responsive than my Legend. I like a bike that you can feel surge forward without any wasted movement when you hammer, is responsive yet stable in the mountains and reasonably comfortable

I have not ridden any of the newer bikes (past 4-5 years) so I really don't know how the ride has changed. And, I haven't ridden any with a slope tube, compact gearing, etc. So, I probably need to visit my lbs and try some of the newer models. We have a great selection of shops and bikes to choose from.

While the ride of my Legend is wonderful, I guess I'm looking for a similiar but different ride .


Hey, I just read that you live in Bellevue, WA. My wife and I have family who live in Issaquah and Sedro Woolley and visit every summer. Love the Pacific Northwest.
FrankD.

[C5 Snowboarder]

Snowboarder,

Yes, it's just to have another bike, something with a different ride and possibly handling than my Legend.

I rode many, many bikes the summer before I bought the Legend to determine what qualities I like. Other than the custom build and superior Serotta quality I like the Ti because it was close to a steel ride (some snap), yet smoothed out the bumps and chatter while transferring power to the rear wheel without flex. Some of the bikes I rode were top of the line carbon fiber bikes (for that time) and I realized that they felt hollow, no road feel and too much flex for me. Although depending on the geometry some of them felt light and maybe more responsive than my Legend. I like a bike that you can feel surge forward without any wasted movement when you hammer, is responsive yet stable in the mountains and reasonably comfortable

I have not ridden any of the newer bikes (past 4-5 years) so I really don't know how the ride has changed. And, I haven't ridden any with a slope tube, compact gearing, etc. So, I probably need to visit my lbs and try some of the newer models. We have a great selection of shops and bikes to choose from.

While the ride of my Legend is wonderful, I guess I'm looking for a similiar but different ride .


Hey, I just read that you live in Bellevue, WA. My wife and I have family who live in Issaquah and Sedro Woolley and visit every summer. Love the Pacific Northwest.
FrankD.
I also ride a Legend so good choice on your bike. Do you ride a bike when you visit here? See my post later today on my recent ride at Mt St Helens.