Funky Serotta

[David Kirk]

In the latest issue of Velonews there is an article on Alexi Grewal and doping and the such. The interesting thing to me is on page 96. There is a photo of one of the wacked out bikes I built for him. Softride, ultra short chainstays (36.2cm as I recall) and a curved seat tube. I remember one of the hardest things about those bikes being the fabrication of a front changer braze-on that worked with the curved seat tube that would allow the FD to hang in the proper spot. Those bikes where a huge amount of work but he was so "thankful" that I was all worth it.

Funky stuff. I wonder what happened to those bikes?

dave

[PaulE]

I saw that picture in VeloNews too. That bike, or another one very similar to it, with the soft-ride beam, was for sale on Ebay last year.

[Big Daddy]

In the latest issue of Velonews there is an article on Alexi Grewal and doping and the such. The interesting thing to me is on page 96. There is a photo of one of the wacked out bikes I built for him. Softride, ultra short chainstays (36.2cm as I recall) and a curved seat tube. I remember one of the hardest things about those bikes being the fabrication of a front changer braze-on that worked with the curved seat tube that would allow the FD to hang in the proper spot. Those bikes where a huge amount of work but he was so "thankful" that I was all worth it.

Funky stuff. I wonder what happened to those bikes?

dave


oh man, i totally remember those! that bike fit him, if you know what i mean!

[David Kirk]

I saw that picture in VeloNews too. That bike, or another one very similar to it, with the soft-ride beam, was for sale on Ebay last year.

There were a few 'normal' softrides built for Alex Steida and they had pretty main stream numbers. The Grewal bikes were a whole other story. They had effective seat angles of something like 78* or so.

You can tell a Steida bike from a Grewal bike from a distance by the curved seat tube.

Dave

[jmewkill]

grewal and grateful are in two different dictionaries

but you knew that

[Brian Smith]

Dave -
A close friend of mine had an ex-Steida beam-equipped steel frame for 650c wheels. He acquired it while working at Softride. Could that have been a Serotta-built frame? It was colored red when he had it...

[shinomaster]

I just saw that in Velonews. Cool story.

[David Kirk]

Dave -
A close friend of mine had an ex-Steida beam-equipped steel frame for 650c wheels. He acquired it while working at Softride. Could that have been a Serotta-built frame? It was colored red when he had it...

hard to say....I think that there were some 650 bikes that I made and some that came from softride. They all got painted the Coors way.

dave

[vjp]

a link to a photo of Steida with his Evian Softride at Gastown in 91 I believe.

http://www.tourdegastown.com/rd_photos_1990_1998.htm

and also a 19 year old LA who won with Subaru Montgomery

[manet]

a link to a photo of Steida with his Evian Softride at Gastown in 91 I believe.

http://www.tourdegastown.com/rd_photos_1990_1998.htm

and also a 19 year old LA who won with Subaru Montgomery

nice. thanks.

you too dave.

[DarkStar]

a link to a photo of Steida with his Evian Softride at Gastown in 91 I believe.

http://www.tourdegastown.com/rd_photos_1990_1998.htm

and also a 19 year old LA who won with Subaru Montgomery

Great pictures, brings back some good memories! :beer:

[sw3759]

i read that article last week and noticed that bike and immediately thought of Dave and the difficulties he mentioned on the forum while building bikes for Alexi.interesting article in a sad sorta way.

Scott

[Too Tall]

There were a few 'normal' softrides built for Alex Steida and they had pretty main stream numbers. The Grewal bikes were a whole other story. They had effective seat angles of something like 78* or so.

You can tell a Steida bike from a Grewal bike from a distance by the curved seat tube.

Dave
Dave., appreciate that. He had a bad crash that damaged his hip flexors yes? I believe Pat Clark and D. Kent created the AX-1 model with the funky curved seat tube to create a more forward position that still had his weight well distributed...I've got a copy of that bike + a cew cm's built with SLX and it's a sprintin' mofo great bike. Weird fr. der. cable pass thru the chainstay however...real PITA to keep clean.

[chuckred]

Softride =

Funky stuff.
dave
A friend of mine who had more $s than cents (pun intended) had a softride mtn bike at about that time. Talk about scarry! I tried it for about five minutes before it scared me to death.... That beam became a catapult the second the front wheel dropped. Maybe a better idea on the back of a tandem?

[Vancouverdave]

If a Softride-beam bike is straight, with good brazing and the beam fits correctly it was probably built by Serotta. Softride had no concept of quality control in overseeing the manufacture of its frames--Dave Kirk and Ben should get all credit for any steel Softride that was built right!

[David Kirk]

If a Softride-beam bike is straight, with good brazing and the beam fits correctly it was probably built by Serotta. Softride had no concept of quality control in overseeing the manufacture of its frames--Dave Kirk and Ben should get all credit for any steel Softride that was built right!

I'm not sure I want that "credit' :)

dave

[Too Tall]

I'm not sure I want that "credit' :)

dave
Funny.
Add T.K. to that mix. I think Beungood has it now.

[znfdl]

Yes beungood has the softride that TK and Jeff built for me, for my 1997 transcontinental ride.

Jeff did some amazing lugwork on that bike.

[gdw]

Claims it's one of Alexi's:
http://denver.craigslist.org/bik/659542921.html

[vaxn8r]

grewal and grateful are in two different dictionaries

but you knew that
I used to see Alexi's kid. Alexi was always very kind and softspoken. I don't know about his bike racing ego.

[David Kirk]

Claims it's one of Alexi's:
http://denver.craigslist.org/bik/659542921.html

That looks like the real deal. Serotta should buy that thing for the museum.

dave

[jmewkill]

I used to see Alexi's kid. Alexi was always very kind and softspoken. I don't know about his bike racing ego.

I watched the LA road race - and without knowing any of the contenders apart from the Australians I ended up rooting for Bauer. When he lost I was a little bummed. Every time I read an interview or hear Grewal talk (competitorradio.com had a great interview) my opinion of him drops. Friends who've met him confirm my doubts.

[maddog17]

who were the 3 guys from coors light in pic 48? i cant remember their names

[stevep]

I watched the LA road race - and without knowing any of the contenders apart from the Australians I ended up rooting for Bauer. When he lost I was a little bummed. Every time I read an interview or hear Grewal talk (competitorradio.com had a great interview) my opinion of him drops. Friends who've met him confirm my doubts.

how many times do you suppose that bauer has relived that sprint?
coming into the finish he had to be 50-1 to win easily.

i guess that why they have the race ...