serotta frame ID?

[pavel]

Can anyone help me figure out what my frame is?

I bought the frame and fork off Ebay and built her up with campy centaur.

The frame was repainted at some point and obscured most of the serial numbers.

For what it's worth, the seller identified it as being a 1991 model but had no additional information. It is tig welded / brazed, and has a unicrown fork.

I've replaced the fork and would also like to find out what is a fair price to charge for the fork - it is in perfect condition mechanically but has paint scrapes and scratches.


http://velospace.org/files/serotta_red_politburo.jpg

[dave thompson]

Based on what I can see of the seat cluster, it looks very much like the Serotta TG model which is shown in their '92, '93, '94 and '95 catalogs: http://forums.thepaceline.net/forumdisplay.php?f=18

[pavel]

thanks!

[oliver1850]

My advice is to keep the original fork. If you look at it closely, you will probably find the serial number on the steerer tube. If it's a low number, you can probably figure that your frame is a 1992, as that was the first year for the TG. About the only way to date a later one that's been repainted is to find someone else who knows what year his is and compare serial numbers.

I doubt the unicrown fork will bring much money on its own. Someone down the road might prefer the original to an aftermarket fork, even if the replacement is a better fork.

[jeo99]

Based on what I can see of the seat cluster, it looks very much like the Serotta TG model which is shown in their '92, '93, '94 and '95 catalogs: http://forums.thepaceline.net/forumdisplay.php?f=18

Dave is correct as usual. One of the earlier TG's with the lugged seat cluster. The later TG was tigged at the seat cluster as well.

:beer:

[pavel]

My advice is to keep the original fork. If you look at it closely, you will probably find the serial number on the steerer tube. If it's a low number, you can probably figure that your frame is a 1992, as that was the first year for the TG. About the only way to date a later one that's been repainted is to find someone else who knows what year his is and compare serial numbers.

I doubt the unicrown fork will bring much money on its own. Someone down the road might prefer the original to an aftermarket fork, even if the replacement is a better fork.


This is sort of my inclination - i dont feel that the fork will fetch much.

I love the bike, but man oh man, was that fork hideous. I replaced it with a guerciotti semi-sloping crown fork which happened to be a very close red. Anyway I dont think that matters much because my plan is to strip the paint and powdercoat it clear before the rainy season this year.

[Brian Smith]

This is sort of my inclination - i dont feel that the fork will fetch much.

I love the bike, but man oh man, was that fork hideous. I replaced it with a guerciotti semi-sloping crown fork which happened to be a very close red. Anyway I dont think that matters much because my plan is to strip the paint and powdercoat it clear before the rainy season this year.

The fork will fetch less than your seatpost would.
This forum is littered with folks trying to find suitable replacement forks for frames that have had their original forks jettisoned in the attempt to put an economical "upgrade" into the bike. I'd say live with the fork weight in order to either feel how the bike was originally meant to work, or shop for a replacement frameset instead of only a fork. You can probably not easily find a fork of the original dimensions but lighter, including the Guerciotti fork. Better off flipping the frameset and accepting the $300-$700 hit for a frameset that works visually better for you than attempt to underwrite a fork replacement with a resale of the old fork. When I was a mechanic/salesman, such a problem was a goldmine - sell customer a replacement frameset/derailleur/headset, sell old frameset to bargain shopper, sell parts to bargain shopper, everyone is happy. Perhaps you have a mechanic/sales advisor...

[pavel]

the guerciotti fork is about the same weight, maybe a little heavier, even, but it was also nearly free; I also happen to work in a shop part time.

The frameset was such a steal that I have no plans of getting rid of it anywhere in the near future, and since I use it as my commuter I am perfectly happy having mismatched hardware and/or components on it. I have other bikes, including a 2007 CdA that I obsess over like a... well, like a bike dork, and this frame is a great bike for just having a reliable, every day rider.