Road cycling u.k. decal diss

[Matthew]

Your thoughts on the Serotta decals? I personally feel they are the best around as far as looks go. Loved them since I first saw them 20 plus years ago. Hopefully there are no plans to change them in the future. My only change would be to limit the amount they place on the frame and maybe the "S" only on the seat tube. Any others out there better?

[BURCH]

I was able to pick if I wanted decals and which kind on places like the fork, chainstay....etc. I tried to limit the extra decals or just go with an "S" instead of "Serotta" because I agree that the bike can get overloaded if you go with all decal options. That is just my opinion.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . this was criticism levelled in a bike review in this magazine? Can you provide a link or copy and paste the text?

Serotta's are custom by default--and that applies to the decals, too. They will make one with NO decals of any kind if you specify that.

BBDave

[davids]

. . . this was criticism levelled in a bike review in this magazine? Can you provide a link or copy and paste the text?

Serotta's are custom by default--and that applies to the decals, too. They will make one with NO decals of any kind if you specify that.

BBDave
Here it is: Road Cycling UK Ottrot review (http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/news/article/mps/UAN/541/v/1/sp/). The reviewer doesn't like the decals. I thought his comment was on target, but I don't dislike the logo. I'd make do with the decal on the downtube (and maybe the chainstay) only, though. The fewer stickers, the better, IMHO.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . the part you're talking about?

<<It's not all good. Bicycles are an aesthetic statement. I have always disliked Serotta's angular italic mess of a logo, it's such a let down for such a well designed bike it hasn't changed much over the years and the dated 80's look seems to have little to do with such a 'revolutionary' modern bicycle. Many Serottas are a bit plain too, but a visit to Cyclefit and a look at Warrick Spence's Team Issue Flame paint job is enough to satisfy those after a little more 'Bling'. I also didn't like the gear adjuster position and perhaps the brake cable stops could be a little more 'pleasing' to the eye.

But the big news for bike buyers is that Serotta's can be tweaked and personalised so if you want a change here and there then that's OK. Ben makes sure you get a completely unique bike - so just like Greg Lemond you can be the only one to know you're riding a Serotta.>>

". . . angular italic mess of a logo . . . ?"

He's entitled to his opinion, but I feel a reviewer should, at the very least, attempt to be fair--and this review does not do that because it fails to point out that part of the "custom" treatment is that if you don't like the "mess of a logo" you don't have to have it!

BBDave

[BURCH]

I definately like the logo even if it is "from the 80's". To me, it is the serotta signature and I wouldn't change it. Anyhow, it is all an opinion thing. I have never liked Calnago because of the excess "bling" that you usually see that the reviewer seems to want more of.

[slowgoing]

I really like them.

[Ozz]

Maybe the reviewer would also like Coca-Cola to change their logo cuz it looks too dated.... :rolleyes:

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . he's certainly entitled to his opinion, but he should have mentioned that if customers also don't like the decals, they don't have to have them.

BBDave

[flydhest]

uh, Dave, he does say that in your quotation.

But the big news for bike buyers is that Serotta's can be tweaked and personalised so if you want a change here and there then that's OK. Ben makes sure you get a completely unique bike - so just like Greg Lemond you can be the only one to know you're riding a Serotta.>>

That last phrase clearly suggests that labels can be left off, no?

[Sandy]

I was at a group ride a few weeks ago and a cyclist saw my bike at the end of the ride. There are no Serotta decals, but there are a few S decals. The cyclist told me that he just got a Specialized bike also. I told him that the S stood for Serotta.

I personally like very little on the bike. If I had to do it over again, I would not even have the Ottrott decals on the top tube.

S for Serotta
S for Sandy

[92degrees]

I was at a group ride a few weeks ago and a cyclist saw my bike at the end of the ride. There are no Serotta decals, but there are a few S decals. The cyclist told me that he just got a Specialized bike also. I told him that the S stood for Serotta.

I personally like very little on the bike. If I had to do it over again, I would not even have the Ottrott decals on the top tube.

S for Serotta
S for Sandy

Sandy, a cousin of mine used to deal exotic cars. He was driving a Ferrari 412i at the time -- which is a pretty unusual looking car I admit, but anyway...he pulls up to 7/11 and some guys start walking around the car checking it out from all angles. When they get to the hood one exclaims "see, I told you it was a Fiat!" :no:

[BumbleBeeDave]

I guess we read a bit differently . . . that last phrase does not suggest that to me because it doesn’t address the decal issue directly. Now if he had written something like . . .

<<I have always disliked Serotta's angular italic mess of a logo, it's such a let down for such a well designed bike it hasn't changed much over the years and the dated 80's look seems to have little to do with such a 'revolutionary' modern bicycle. But the big news for bike buyers is that Serotta's can be tweaked and personalised so if you want to skip the decals then that's OK.>>

It’s all in the editing--or lack of it.

BBDave

[Sandy]

Little did they know that they could have bought a whole dealership of Fiats for the cost of that Ferrari. :)

Saab Sandy

[djg]

although I prefer fewer decals than the default array. So I have fewer--not exactly a minimalist approach, but an "S" on the headtube and on the seat tube, and "serotta" on either side of the downtube. To each his or her own.

I'm not sure why any reviewer would make a big deal about this either way--it's the sort of thing over which opinions differ quite a bit and about which bike reviewers don't typically have (or claim) any expertise. But fair enough for him to mention that he's not fond of the graphics, and also fair to provide the qualification that things don't have to be the way he saw them.

[vaxn8r]

I think the Serotta graphics are some of the best.

I also love "Steelman". How cool is that to only design steel bikes and your name is Steelman. Davidson's are subdued yet strong. Merxk, solid. IF look cool. The old Schwinn Paramount graphics were so cool!

There are a bunch that just are, well, OK. I'd put Calfee's in here, Spectrum, Merlin, too many others to name.

Some I really don't like: Cannondale, Litespeed (and I own one of each) Trek, Giant, blah blah blah....


Some I really can't stand and would never buy their bike because of it. I'd fit Moots in this category. But, to each his own....

[William]

But, to each his own....

That is the key statement in this thread...or any thread that deals with aesthetics.

Personally, I like the Serotta font/art. But I generally prefer low key/stealth mode for graphics on a bike. Colors on the other hand I could get pretty wild with at times. For me it just depends on the design of the steed and the mood I'm in. :cool:

William

[Tom]

That was worth a chuckle. I'll have to remember that one...

Tangent time! Last night I saw an aqua sea green '63 Cadillac in perfect shape, fins and all. Now there's a car. When I make my million bucks, I'm getting me one of those and Karen a '63-'65 red Mustang.

BTW - don't tell anybody but I'm gonna be rich! I'm starting a new cable channel. "The Book Channel". Production costs are tiny. Profits'll be through the roof. How it'll work is somebody holds a book up in front of the camera and every so often turns the page. See the beauty of it? You can read books right on your own TV! No more muss and fuss of actual books! Oh, man, I can see the checks rolling in now...

[William]

BTW - don't tell anybody but I'm gonna be rich! I'm starting a new cable channel. "The Book Channel". Production costs are tiny. Profits'll be through the roof. How it'll work is somebody holds a book up in front of the camera and every so often turns the page. See the beauty of it? You can read books right on your own TV! No more muss and fuss of actual books! Oh, man, I can see the checks rolling in now...

I want in. How much!!??


William ;) :)