I want a MEIVICI AE!

[Spicoli]

Can Serotta have some kind raffle for one? Wife, 4 kids, 3 dogs, makes the odds of me getting an AE pretty much either slim or none :crap: Who can afford these things that can ride/race enough to appreciate them? Its not a knock on price at all, thats the price of no shortcut and true craftsmanship IMO. I am huge Serotta supporter CDA, TG, Cross.

I just want, I want, I want an AE with the exact geo. of my CDA...........there i said it, my juvenile rant is over :cool:

Anyone want a slightly used kidney for one? ;)

That looks BADA$$ in the road configuration!

[csm]

yeah the guys that can afford one certainly can't ride.
I still don't know why Ferrari hasn't given me a 288 gto to autocross.

[Kirk007]

no knock on the bike; it looks very nice, and probably rides better than it looks, but, at 12-22K I can't help but calculate how many other top shelf bikes I could have for that amount of money - with some judicious component shopping that low end price is about what I have in two Kirks and a Peg.

For me it is just too over the top expensive, and that kills all desire to have one. That money, even the 12 K version could get me a great road bike, a Cervelo aero time trial bike and a cross bike. I could never ride it and think that I'd done anything other than overspent. It would never be for me, even if I had Warren Buffett like money.

I don't think this is the price of excellence, although I'm sure that Serotta is investing plenty in their R&D (it just seems like a lot of others are as well without taking the price of their bikes to this level - Cervelo, Time come to mind). Rather I think it is the market price of exclusivity. If Serotta can get folks to lay down the coin for 'em, good for them! But I do join you in wondering how many folks who can afford them actually have the time etc. to train enough to realize the bike's potential. I know there has certainly been an inverse relationship in my life between time and money.

[fiamme red]

I can't afford a Meivici, but I'll settle for a tuna fish sandwich. :banana:

[paczki]

I can't afford a Meivici, but I'll settle for a tuna fish sandwich. :banana:

Mmmm... tuna fish :banana:

[Ti Designs]

Would you still lust after one if it cost half of what you ride, and said Specialied on it?

[Spicoli]

Would you still lust after one if it cost half of what you ride, and said Specialied on it?
Nope.....but I would still want one if it cost half the price and said Serotta on it! :D

[Pete Serotta]

When I was up at SEROTTA on Monday, I saw the new HSG carbon and it looked WONDERFUL...I might even have to get one later in the year. (depends on budget and stock market). On second thought I might not be able to get it until SPOKES buys me one :cool:

[fierte_poser]

For me it is just too over the top expensive, and that kills all desire to have one.

I think Serotta has a business plan and 'affordable' is not a part of it. Its not just the Meivici AE, its across the board. Maybe its always been that way, but I didn't feel Serottas were too expensive when I bought my steel Fierte in Feb 2006 for $1100 (frame only). Now I do feel that Serotta has priced me out of the market.

[jberk]

pushing the top end to the point where it is completely unobtainable can cause people to look elsewhere and I get the sense that Serotta is starting to price themselves out of the market in general

[Floyd Dakil]

Is Serotta going to still offer the plain vanilla Meivici SE? If so, I wonder if the AE will cannibalize sales of the SE, since the SE will presumably no longer offer the best ride on the planet.

[Pete Serotta]

Two different frames and yes it is still offered. The AE is for some and the SE for others..... Different rides...AE = Time Trial


Is Serotta going to still offer the plain vanilla Meivici SE? If so, I wonder if the AE will cannibalize sales of the SE, since the SE will presumably no longer offer the best ride on the planet.

[fiamme red]

What do "AE" and "SE" stand for?

[csm]

AE: absolutely expensive
SE: sorta expensive

[Brian Smith]

as far as the AE ride goes....I can say that in my opinion...it's not what it looks like.
Imagine if someone told you that every part of the bike could be whatever you would want it to be, not only what you can find available from larger tube contractors, lug contractors, but just whatever you want it to be.
Imagine then that you thought - I want these kind of tube profiles that are not totally unique but look the part of a time trial bike, and yes of course a tri bike too.
Then you thought...if this thing is to transmit every meager newton I can produce at the pedal into driving force, the chainstay has to be more rigid than anything heretofore seen in this weight class and cross-sectional profile...

Let me backtrack a bit...
I personally think that Serotta could have done a totally derivative carbon aeroish frame with a level of R&D investment lower than that of the existing Meivici, and sold it for more than some Meivicis.
They didn't.
As well, In typical Serotta style, the marketing effort has not been to present a bunch of pie charts and bar graphs displaying confusing or fraudulent technical performance data about materials nor tubings. That either agrees with your taste or doesn't. That is a seperate matter from whether the product has "the goods" or doesn't.

Regarding the ride, the prototypes I've worked with and ridden so far impressed me in 2 ways: the fork offers an impressive amount of predictability under hard braking efforts. You are not caught out whatsoever by braking at "threshold" while your eyes are crossed from exertion. That's nice. The rear end of the bike, despite the very short stays and the rock-like nature of the chainstays (Dave Kirk would not only approve...) is not overly harsh-riding. I think one of Ben's comments once was something along the lines of one of the prototypes having "no business riding as well as it does" given the nature of the model, the prototype status, and everything else.

I'm by no means as experienced as some others on this forum, nor as some others who have ridden the prototypes and samples, but I've been around and am not numb to frame differences whatsoever. The AE is probably better than many people expect. I'd have to credit the design team for getting it this good this quickly. Mike Lopez did not just fall off the turnip truck.

Do you want to hear a negative point? Here's mine: Many riders will design a bike with this frame around narrow stance aero extension handlebars less than 35cm wide. For the riders who instead choose this frame for a bike designed around drop bars, it's possible that the front end of the frame will feel that it's closer to the flexible end of the spectrum of acceptability than the firm side. That's not my favorite flavor, since drop bars are, as are very rigid front ends. I also like using longer front ends than a fitter might prescribe absent of my input, so a more rigid than normal front end requires that much more effort on the design specification side. I think that with non-mass start event approved handlebars, even the particular localized flexibility that I sensed would not be a noticeable detraction even for those with similar tastes. I haven't ridden one so equipped.

Spicoli could also get one sometime with his contact points and wheels to the exact match of his CDA. Expensive? Relatively speaking, sure...absolutely. Unique and exclusive. Every bit as much, that too.

[duke]

How many of the Cervelos will still be around in five years? Seems like the life expectancy of that carbon junk is numbered in months before it starts self destructing. Have not seen or heard of Serotta's doing that. As in most things in life, you get what you paid for. And no, I can't afford one of Serotta's carbon bikes either.
duke

[Jack Brunk]

Just because their expensive doesn't make them great. You have to earn your stripes. Their still young on the bell curve.

[Lifelover]

Just because their expensive doesn't make them great. You have to earn your stripes. Their still young on the bell curve.

That's one of the great thing about a Serotta. Each model will be around long enough to earn those stripes. Unlike many of the big brand bikes that get a total face lift every 5+ years.

[Jack Brunk]

That's one of the great thing about a Serotta. Each model will be around long enough to earn those stripes. Unlike many of the big brand bikes that get a total face lift every 5+ years.
True but there's a long line of carbon frames that's been around a lot longer than the MEivici and still going very strong. Again, just because it's has the Serotta name doesn't mean that it's the best of class. I've had a few and there's quite a few frames that are far better and have been around for a long time. Doesn't mean they can't get there but they have some some wotk ahead of them. I hope they achieve their goal. I really like the aero look of the new frame and in road geo I would hope it could kick some ass. I'd like to test drive one to see.

[mgm777]

I'm not sure this 44 year old, 200 miles-a-week, married + 2 kids, roadie could detect nor appreciate a $10,500 (on the low end) ride improvement over my $1500 Chorus outfitted Legend (purchased as previously enjoyed from this forum). :rolleyes:

[Spicoli]

as far as the AE ride goes....I can say that in my opinion...it's not what it looks like.
Imagine if someone told you that every part of the bike could be whatever you would want it to be, not only what you can find available from larger tube contractors, lug contractors, but just whatever you want it to be.
Imagine then that you thought - I want these kind of tube profiles that are not totally unique but look the part of a time trial bike, and yes of course a tri bike too.
Then you thought...if this thing is to transmit every meager newton I can produce at the pedal into driving force, the chainstay has to be more rigid than anything heretofore seen in this weight class and cross-sectional profile...

Let me backtrack a bit...
I personally think that Serotta could have done a totally derivative carbon aeroish frame with a level of R&D investment lower than that of the existing Meivici, and sold it for more than some Meivicis.
They didn't.
As well, In typical Serotta style, the marketing effort has not been to present a bunch of pie charts and bar graphs displaying confusing or fraudulent technical performance data about materials nor tubings. That either agrees with your taste or doesn't. That is a seperate matter from whether the product has "the goods" or doesn't.

Regarding the ride, the prototypes I've worked with and ridden so far impressed me in 2 ways: the fork offers an impressive amount of predictability under hard braking efforts. You are not caught out whatsoever by braking at "threshold" while your eyes are crossed from exertion. That's nice. The rear end of the bike, despite the very short stays and the rock-like nature of the chainstays (Dave Kirk would not only approve...) is not overly harsh-riding. I think one of Ben's comments once was something along the lines of one of the prototypes having "no business riding as well as it does" given the nature of the model, the prototype status, and everything else.

I'm by no means as experienced as some others on this forum, nor as some others who have ridden the prototypes and samples, but I've been around and am not numb to frame differences whatsoever. The AE is probably better than many people expect. I'd have to credit the design team for getting it this good this quickly. Mike Lopez did not just fall off the turnip truck.

Do you want to hear a negative point? Here's mine: Many riders will design a bike with this frame around narrow stance aero extension handlebars less than 35cm wide. For the riders who instead choose this frame for a bike designed around drop bars, it's possible that the front end of the frame will feel that it's closer to the flexible end of the spectrum of acceptability than the firm side. That's not my favorite flavor, since drop bars are, as are very rigid front ends. I also like using longer front ends than a fitter might prescribe absent of my input, so a more rigid than normal front end requires that much more effort on the design specification side. I think that with non-mass start event approved handlebars, even the particular localized flexibility that I sensed would not be a noticeable detraction even for those with similar tastes. I haven't ridden one so equipped.

Spicoli could also get one sometime with his contact points and wheels to the exact match of his CDA. Expensive? Relatively speaking, sure...absolutely. Unique and exclusive. Every bit as much, that too.
serial #54-00912, just make it to this spec. sheet and let me know when its done, my cousin lives about two miles from the factory so we can make a day of it :D ;) when I pick it up!