Serotta models in SLX tubing?

[Muttleyone]

Just wondering which models came in SLX tubing and how can you tell the difference between them?

Thanks
Mutt

[staggerwing]

For certain, a Nova Special X.

SLX has spiral ribbing on the inner diameter of the tubing. Kinda of like a rifling on a gun barrel, but standing proud of the surface, rather than cut into it. Of course, not easy to see into the main tubes, but if they used SLX, the steerer tube will also have the internal spirals.

As an engineer, I find the the idea these spirals adding significant strength to be questionable, at best.

[R2D2]

SLX worked well.
Prior to SLX, powerful sprinters would crack SL around the front derailleur area.
SL tube set usually had SLX for the main steerer tube.
SO to really check you have to look down the seat tube or remove the BB and feel the riffling in the bottom of the seat tube at the BB juncture.

[Pete Serotta]

The information above is correct from that era. Thanks


I have a NOVA X and it was a nice ride. ALso had a SL and worked nice also. I was never a power sprinter so could not tell.

[retrogrouchy]

SLX worked well.
Prior to SLX, powerful sprinters would crack SL around the front derailleur area.
SL tube set usually had SLX for the main steerer tube.
SO to really check you have to look down the seat tube or remove the BB and feel the riffling in the bottom of the seat tube at the BB juncture.

Just to clarify that, Columbus SL and SP tubesets had a rifled steerer for decades before SLX existed, so a rifled steerer just tells you that the steerer itself is high-end Columbus. SLX and SPX had some rifling in the seat tube and the downtube. My understanding was that it was done due to concerns about the front-derailleur braze-ons that were becoming very popular at the time (mid-1980s or so), as well as being a cool Marketing thing. Nothing to do with sprinters afaik.