2006 Serotta Ottrott ST Carbon vs. My 2001 Hors Categorie

[godfrey1112000]

I saw this on ebay, it certainly looks great low miles and would be a great second bike,

http://cgi.ebay.com/2006-Serotta-Ottrott-ST-Carbon-Titanium-54-cm-/140420603919?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item20b1b8600f

I have not compared the measurements but I currently ride a
2001 Hors Categorie 54, purchased in 2003 new
It is perfect for me and performs wonderfully
I have it set up the way I want it and will never sell it
average about 10k miles per year on it and never a problem

I have always been lurking for an Ottrott ST but never really got serious but this could be a good one, I have enough parts to put it together right

I would appreciate your thoughts on this second purchase or am I wasting my time and just enjoy my HC and forget the rest

[palincss]

At 10,000 mi per year I think that Hors Cat would be very happy to have a little help on the job!

[Dekonick]

At 10,000 mi per year I think that Hors Cat would be very happy to have a little help on the job!

Nah, the Hors Cat is the bomb! Be glad you own one!

[jbrainin]

If you buy the Ottrott, the HC will likely become your 2nd bike. (Not that that's entirely a bad thing.)

[pdmtong]

same ottrott was posted on the classifieds here within the past few months

if it fits you, great bike

[SoCalSteve]

same ottrott was posted on the classifieds here within the past few months

if it fits you, great bike

Wonder what the reserve is...I think she was asking big $$ for it here.

Edit that: in looking at her original ad on here, she was asking $2,300.00 which is a very fair price...

[jlwdm]

The red looks great. Nice bike if it fits.

Jeff

[rockdude]

If you buy the Ottrott, the HC will likely become your 2nd bike. (Not that that's entirely a bad thing.)

Wake-up, you are in a dream state.... ;)

[Dekonick]

If you buy the Ottrott, the HC will likely become your 2nd bike. (Not that that's entirely a bad thing.)

Interesting. Have you ever ridden a Hors Categorie? The reason it is no longer offered is the cost to produce the HC made it not profitable compared to gluing carbon rear stays... The HC may look odd, but the ride is sublime.

[flydhest]

Having owned an HC and ridden many miles on Ottrotts, I sort of agree that the HC might become the second bike . . . depending on the riding the OP does.

If the 10K miles are moderate to mellow, I'd think the HC could stay top dog. It is a great bike and for all but intense riding, it is nearly perfect. (I still own my Legend and CSi, for comparison.) I would think, however, that if the OP is a fairly intense rider and either rides with a team (as opposed to a club) or has race-like rides for many of those 10K miles, the Ottrott would supplant the HC.

I've been switching between my Legend and my Look 585 recently and even there, there's a difference in response in races where I favor the 585 for crits that have a lot of acceleration, sprints, or such. I prefer the Legend for road races. YMMV, of course, and if I only had one bike, any of them would be more bike than I deserve for racing or riding. The only point is that once you have bikes sitting side by side to choose from, you'll pick a favorite based on what sort of ride you're doing if you are an obsessive type (not that this forum has any of those :rolleyes: ) Based on my experience (a huge qualifier), the HC could get supplanted under certain circumstances.

The most important thing, from my point of view, is that the OP owes it to science, the pursuit of knowledge, and the others on the forum to buy the Ottrott and answer the question himself/herself.

[godfrey1112000]

Having owned an HC and ridden many miles on Ottrotts, I sort of agree that the HC might become the second bike . . . depending on the riding the OP does.

If the 10K miles are moderate to mellow, I'd think the HC could stay top dog. It is a great bike and for all but intense riding, it is nearly perfect. (I still own my Legend and CSi, for comparison.) I would think, however, that if the OP is a fairly intense rider and either rides with a team (as opposed to a club) or has race-like rides for many of those 10K miles, the Ottrott would supplant the HC.

I've been switching between my Legend and my Look 585 recently and even there, there's a difference in response in races where I favor the 585 for crits that have a lot of acceleration, sprints, or such. I prefer the Legend for road races. YMMV, of course, and if I only had one bike, any of them would be more bike than I deserve for racing or riding. The only point is that once you have bikes sitting side by side to choose from, you'll pick a favorite based on what sort of ride you're doing if you are an obsessive type (not that this forum has any of those :rolleyes: ) Based on my experience (a huge qualifier), the HC could get supplanted under certain circumstances.

The most important thing, from my point of view, is that the OP owes it to science, the pursuit of knowledge, and the others on the forum to buy the Ottrott and answer the question himself/herself.

great comments and insight

I am 55 y/o, and in very good shape thanks to P90x

My riding style is distance, I do a few club rides, but mostly 45-55+miles per day
Event style rides like:
Double Centuries
Centuries
HHH in Texas
Death Valley DC
Rain, Ride Across Indiana
El Tour in Tucson
Brevets in Kansas City Area, lots of climbing on these
for the first time this year the Triple By Pass in Colorado
Each year there is usually 10 days in the spring and fall of riding in Arizona

I Like challenging rides but not looking to kill myself

The HC has gotten me through all of these with improvement each year
I am very happy with this bike and through the forum I learned what a special bike I currently own

Three reasons for the possible purchase,
1. It is a very fine bike
2. It will probably end up in Arizona, so I can fly out and ride in Phoenix, Flag and Tucson, my Sister In Law lives there so they suggested the two bikes one in KC and one in Phoenix, to bad they won't pay for the one in Phoenix.
3. I have an inventory of high quality parts to build it out, only thing to purchase would be the Shifters, Brakes and Crank

Before I send the sell a PM I am going to compare the measurement to the HC and see if there is a major difference, both are 54cm and discuss it with my lbs

Thanks for your comments

[Birddog]

Ask her for the S#. It's difficult to be sure from pictures, but that frame appears to be more like a 55 or 56CM to me. It has been on this forum before too.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=74456
Note the head tube length in one of the later posts.

[hookookadoo]

Ask her for the S#. It's difficult to be sure from pictures, but that frame appears to be more like a 55 or 56CM to me. It has been on this forum before too.
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=74456
Note the head tube length in one of the later posts.


Very unique geo. 71 degree HT and 16+ HT on a 54... So a very upright ride like a Look Optimum maybe. I would cad it out on bike forest to see how it differs from a more traditional frame.