Serotta Aluminum ??

[Steelhead]

While discussing bikes the other day, a friend commented that Serotta made some nice aluminum bikes at one time. I didn't say anything to the contracry, but didn't think they ever had an alum. line?? :)

[Pete Serotta]

They had an aluminum model many years ago...... long time in the past.

[EDS]

Were some of the tri/tt bikes in years past aluminum?

[Pete Serotta]

Were some of the tri/tt bikes in years past aluminum?

I do not think so and Steve is off this week for me to find out.

[David Kirk]

There was a shot lived Colorado AL and it was made to Serotta's specs by Kinesis. It had Colorado flared tubing and S bend chainstays.

I never rode one but I hear they were pretty cool. Serotta stopped the deal as they couldn't control quality or production and it didn't fit into the whole "made in NY" thing.

dave

P.S. As I recall there were only road bikes......... no TT or Tri.

[keevon]

Well I'll be... there's one on eBay right this instant:
http://cgi.ebay.com/57cm-Serotta-Colorado-Concept-III-Frameset,-Carbon-Fork_W0QQitemZ250310273043QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ200 81017?IMSfp=TL081017105006r34776

Pictures are attached for posterity.

[torquer]

I was looking at one a few years ago:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=5114

[Bill Bove]

I loved them. Owned two. Only took it off the road last year when I broke the derailer hanger and replaced the whole frame with a Storck Vision Light.
There are pictures in the gallery.

[Marcusaurelius]

Yes they briefly made them but aluminum is aluminum. I still think carbon fiber is a bit of a compromise in a bicycle frame, I much prefer good steel or titanium frame.

[tv_vt]

there's something funny about that ebay bike. I never saw the AL frames in that color/decal combo. The big boy blue color only came with yellow decals, IIRC. The only other color I saw was red, and that also had yellow decals. Also never came with carbon fork. But this could be a last generation version that I missed. Mine came with an aluminum Kinesis fork. Was a nice bike, but very stiff.

Thom

[tv_vt]

Could that be a ti frame? The chainstays on the AL were curved, or swaged- I think that is the term. The chainstays in the photos look straight.

[Chief]

Could that be a ti frame? The chainstays on the AL were curved, or swaged- I think that is the term. The chainstays in the photos look straight.

I believe it is Al--note the toothpaste welds.

[Elefantino]

Yeah. Those welds are, um, distinctive.

[alancw3]

based purely on the pics i can see why serotta cancelled the aluminum bikes. serotta quality is far superior to those pics. those bikes were way inferior (ugly welds) to klein's quality for an aluminum frame. klein probably exemplified the quality of aluminum bikes. cannondale does a good job with aluminum also but the fit and finish is not what klein was imho!

[regularguy412]

Just a couple of things regarding this thread:

FWIW, my steel TG, circa 1995, is Big Boy Blue and came with white decals.

The AL Serotta pictured, interestingly, has an F1 fork. It also looks like it has mid- to late- 1990s DA on it. My steel TG came with an AL fork,, or at least it's a metal fork that won't hold a magnet.

Mike in AR:beer:

[Jeff N.]

I owned one for a short while, toothpaste welds and all. Blue with yellow lettering. Stiff as a board. Sold it on E-Bay. Barely broke even. Jeff N.

[BumbleBeeDave]

I loved them. Owned two. Only took it off the road last year when I broke the derailer hanger and replaced the whole frame with a Storck Vision Light.
There are pictures in the gallery.

. . . is your Storck pink like the AL's were?

BBD

[Tony Edwards]

I remember those bikes. I always thought they were kind of a regrettable choice by Serotta, so find it interesting to hear that some here really liked them. I guess at the end of the day they had Serotta geometry and were designed by Serotta folks, even if the actual construction wasn't up to old-world-artisan standards.

[Dekonick]

there's something funny about that ebay bike. I never saw the AL frames in that color/decal combo. The big boy blue color only came with yellow decals, IIRC. The only other color I saw was red, and that also had yellow decals. Also never came with carbon fork. But this could be a last generation version that I missed. Mine came with an aluminum Kinesis fork. Was a nice bike, but very stiff.

Thom

My Serotta Al is red, with yellow decals. :)

I hold on to it as a piece of history, but willing to part with it for what I paid - $300. :D

[rwsaunders]

I've seen a couple of competition red ones in my hood. They look like Legends until you see the AL painted on the tt.

[CarlosContreros]

I owned one for a short while, toothpaste welds and all. Blue with yellow lettering. Stiff as a board. Sold it on E-Bay. Barely broke even. Jeff N.


I don't know how many bikes you've sold?
But when dealing with "used" bicycles it's a w-i-n when you
can sell and break-even!

As far as the welds...I thought they looked quite trick...
very industrial.

As far as the ride..it's obviously.... totally subjective..I thought for
aluminum it was stiff and not so harsh as maybe some Cannondale
and other aluminum models over the years.


The frames were produced by Kinesis...which is run by Bens brother-
in-law "something Nover".(forget his first name).

I know Serotta was looking at price points by offering that frame.

My problem with the frameset was it was only offered in the old Serotta
squared "geo"..the 62x62 was just tooo big horizontally for me as I'm
mostly legs and not much upper torso.

[Bill Bove]

. . . is your Storck pink like the AL's were?

BBD
BadAss Black but with pink tape, Hudz and Speedplays. I'm waiting for a carbon Storck Fenomalist so I may repaint the Vision Light when it gets here.