Help me fix up my girl's new Serotta

[itsflantastic]

So she ended up with a mid 90s, pink/black Serotta Colorado LT. Fit's like a glove. She is psyched.

The components, however, are hurtin'

8 speed shimano 600.
Shimano RSX sti's
H20 quill stem (ugly as sin!)
Wheels are 600 hubs and Mavic Open CD rims, so those are decent.

Despite some of the parts being decent, they've been beaten up pretty badly. She's going away next week and I want to fix up the bike for her upon her return.

What do you think I should do first??? I've talked to a few forumites via PM about some groupo's, but I'd like the opinions of everyone here.
(if anyone has a sweet 90mm quill stem (nitto, cinelli etc) let me know!)

Anyway, here is a low quality picture from my low quality camera so you can get to thinkin' on it :beer:

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . and have her ride it for a month or so and see what she would like to do. I think it would be fun to decide together and then do the build together. In the meantime, congrats!

BBD

[stevep]

throw a towel over the stem flan.
that thing is like a punch in the eye.
ouch.

you could get sued for excessive ugliness

nice bike though

[AgilisMerlin]

- did you score that from this forum.....?.....great upgrade


saddle if she is not comfortable. stem if not correct length and agree with posts above.... :D

[davids]

Go with a modern Shimano group - 105 or Ultegra. And a Nitto silver stem to match the silver seatpost.

Maybe white tape and saddle. Maybe stick with black. What do you think she'd like? And maybe save the tape/saddle decision until she can try out a couple of saddles (unless you know what works for her.)

It's a very cool bike, atmo.

[giordana93]

contact points first: possibly the saddle; stem to fit, if needed; new bar tape; nice new tires, wide enough for comfort.
you don't mention her level of experience and whether this is an upgrade for an already committed rider or not (and sorry if it's been mentioned somewhere else); I think that makes a difference. if she's learning to use sti controls, keep it simple, and make sure she's comfortable on the thing first; there's no way she needs more than 8 speed, so I would only consider changing that out if she needed a lower low, that sort of thing. if she's just getting used to clipping in, wait, cause she'll surely dump it once or twice and scrape up that nice new derailleur you bought. spring for some matching tires and bar tape, a computer, pump, seat bag, new shoes or pedals, shorts, matching gloves...

[Frankwurst]

How much do you want to spend? I've got parts and pieces (see the hoarding thread) and what are you looking to replace. Personally I'm with BBD on this but I know how daughters are. Mine has a crowbar to my hard heart. :beer:

[itsflantastic]

Her old bike had a 54.8 top tube,
this bike is a 52cm, and it fits her soooo much better. Regardless, it weighs in around 22 lbs, and her old bike was 19. Her old bike shifted better too (9spd Shimano 105 triple).

The frame was totally an upgrade, but everything else was a downgrade, thus the reason for me wanting to fix it up a bit.
She has experience riding, so I'm not too worried about her messing up with the clipless pedals as you mentioned, but I am a bit worried about the gearing. She's used to a triple, and I think that the gears on this bike might be too steep for hilly Maine. What do you think, another triple or a compact?

I could just move all of the 9spd 105 over from her old bike (the allez in the classified section). But who is going to buy a steel, specialized allez elite frameset? I think I'll have a better chance of selling it as a whole bike...

A lotta ins and outs, what ifs and what have you's.

[itsflantastic]

My bad, misleading language...

My girl's = my girlfriend's
heh, we are both in grad school.

[giordana93]

an old steel frame is a perfect candidate for a fixie; it might even be easier to sell it as a bare frame, and you would have some backup wheels for the price of a new cassette

[Frankwurst]

My bad, misleading language...

My girl's = my girlfriend's
heh, we are both in grad school.

They both have crowbars. :beer:

[itsflantastic]

hahah

truer words...

[capybaras]

Can you move over the parts from the old bike and sell the old frame?

[itsflantastic]

Yes, that is an option.
It's being debated.

She's the kind of girl that thinks like this:

Well this is my NEW bike, and those are my OLD components :)

Change is good. We'll see what happens.

[capybaras]

In that case, make the leap!

[itsflantastic]

I can find pink bar tape that matches the letters in "serotta" but no tape that matches the fuschia that is the fork or underbelly of the bike.
White/Black/Pink seem to be the only options, for although the letters are outlined in blue, that seems to be a no go with her.

your thoughts. Hopefully I'll get a saddle that matches too...
Dan

[Elefantino]

Paint everything pink: Frame, fork, stem. Then get a pink Arione. And pink Speedplays. Swap out a pink CK headset. And get pink Salsa Flip-offs.

After that, components won't matter.

[Frankwurst]

Yes, that is an option.
It's being debated.

She's the kind of girl that thinks like this:

Well this is my NEW bike, and those are my OLD components :)

Change is good. We'll see what happens.

Grad student or not you need to educate her to the real world of cycling. New frames are cool, old frames are also cool and old components are cool. Because they all work. :beer:

[Brian Smith]

ugh.
three syl-la-bles:

Technomic.

Seriously, the stem would aesthetically ruin any component choice.

[itsflantastic]

Looks like the debate is solved.
I have a 10spd ultegra group with Mavic Equipe wheels that I had a sale pending on since before this new bike happened. The buyer just backed out, so now they go on her bike!!

Sweet. Because that means that her old components, which I happen to like, are going to go on an old 80s gios frame that I have in the house.


NICE!!!!

So, no what color bar tape?! :D

[itsflantastic]

I already got a Nitto en route :)

[Elefantino]

So, no what color bar tape?! :D
Pink. Goes with anything.

[Frankwurst]

All's well that ends well. :beer:

[Brian Smith]

I already got a Nitto en route :)

youdaman.

[Fixed]

So she ended up with a mid 90s, pink/black Serotta Colorado LT. Fit's like a glove. She is psyched.

The components, however, are hurtin'

8 speed shimano 600.
Shimano RSX sti's
H20 quill stem (ugly as sin!)
Wheels are 600 hubs and Mavic Open CD rims, so those are decent.

Despite some of the parts being decent, they've been beaten up pretty badly. She's going away next week and I want to fix up the bike for her upon her return.

What do you think I should do first??? I've talked to a few forumites via PM about some groupo's, but I'd like the opinions of everyone here.
(if anyone has a sweet 90mm quill stem (nitto, cinelli etc) let me know!)

Anyway, here is a low quality picture from my low quality camera so you can get to thinkin' on it :beer:
bro do you love her then give her the best you can .if you like her fix and clean it imho
cheers

[itsflantastic]

I'll post some pics when done :cool:
probably tomorrow... i've been busy :beer:

[rphetteplace]

pink stelvios :beer:

[rwsaunders]

Looks like the debate is solved.
I have a 10spd ultegra group with Mavic Equipe wheels that I had a sale pending on since before this new bike happened. The buyer just backed out, so now they go on her bike!!

Sweet. Because that means that her old components, which I happen to like, are going to go on an old 80s gios frame that I have in the house.


NICE!!!!

So, no what color bar tape?! :D

Dan...doesn't Deda make a pink tape that might go with your (her) frame?

[Elefantino]

Dan...doesn't Deda make a pink tape that might go with your (her) frame?
Yup.

http://www.chicagolandbicycle.com/images/de_nastro_pink.jpg

[davids]

Looks like the debate is solved.
I have a 10spd ultegra group with Mavic Equipe wheels that I had a sale pending on since before this new bike happened. The buyer just backed out, so now they go on her bike!!

Sweet. Because that means that her old components, which I happen to like, are going to go on an old 80s gios frame that I have in the house.


NICE!!!!

So, no what color bar tape?! :DExcellent (especially with the Nitto)!

Black, white or pink bartape. Whatever matches her personality best: Black is the conservative choice, deepens the pink. White plays off the outline of the decals and is a nice sharp compliment. Pink is pink.

[deechee]

why not sell the old bike and get some new 105 10speed parts? I was going to use my old 9speed parts on a beater but ended up selling the whole bike and got 10speed to build up a new bike for my gf. I got her specific parts like a shorter crank, smaller bars and she finds the 10speed hoods more comfortable than the 9speed ones. You could get the R700 short reach levers too etc.

[dannyg1]

I vote to trade on the Ultegra 10spd double stuff you were selling for a modern Ultegra triple (Left shifter, crank, Front derailleur). And watch those crank lengths! A 175 might hurt the knees of a person fitted to a 52.

Danny

[itsflantastic]

I am trying to find her a compact crankset length-170

No 175's for her!


I'll post pics when it's done!

[malcolm]

I've got a nice sugino triple with low miles like new and I'll let it go cheap if you want it. 172.5 though.

[97CSI]

I am trying to find her a compact crankset length-170. No 175's for her! I'll post pics when it's done!Just bought a Veloce compact 170 from Western Bike Works with the UT cups for a decent price. CT FD to go with it from Ochsner for an even better price.

[capybaras]

We're all different, blah, blah, blah, but you might consider a 165 crank. I got one recently and I think I love it. :banana:

[sc53]

Hey Dan I PM'd you finally with the stem measurements. I have 3 quills I discovered.