Serotta: Return of the Legend

[BumbleBeeDave]

It's baaaack!

https://mailchi.mp/serotta/yours-bef...1?e=3b50b7f23c

One of the prototypes was on my group ride yesterday. It's puuurty. It's also uber expensive.

BBD

[Mike V]

Serotta and Campagnolo are a match made in heaven.

[CNY rider]

I guess a complete bike with Ekar and a nice set of wheels for $14K isn’t completely crazy any more……

[cgolvin]

Originally Posted by CNY rider

I guess a complete bike with Ekar and a nice set of wheels for $14K isn’t completely crazy any more……

Not sure that Fulcrum alloy disc wheels count as all that "nice" these days.

[Elefantino]

Damn, and I just sold my Legend for just under $2k. With Campy. And Shamal Golds.

[AngryScientist]

My old school Legend remains one of the best riding bikes I have ever thrown a leg over. Wonderful bike.

The thing is that Serotta made so many excellent bikes over the years that at some point or another they became accessible to anyone. A cheapskate like me would never justify the price of a new Serotta, but by the time I became more interested in nice bikes, used ones were easy enough to find for [IMO] reasonable dollars to get into the S club.

Unfortunately these new ones will be made in such low volume, it's highly doubtful I will ever get to ride one.

Glad they are still around, bringing back the model and making people happy.

[Talrand]

$14k for SRAM Force AXS and alloy wheels sounds pretty good! /s

They must somehow recoup the cost of finding the only web designer who was in coma since the '90s.

[Mr. Pink]

Why no Shimano?

Don't matter. I could go to Europe for a year with that money. And maybe have change left over.

[Elefantino]

Originally Posted by Talrand

They must somehow recoup the cost of finding the only web designer who was in coma since the '90s.

POTD!

[BumbleBeeDave]

Originally Posted by Talrand

$14k for SRAM Force AXS and alloy wheels sounds pretty good! /s

They must somehow recoup the cost of finding the only web designer who was in coma since the '90s.

. . . is to the email viewed in browser. It's not their website.

Granted, their home website is not the latest and greatest in web design. But on their home page it says, "Howdy ! As our business evolves, we are designing a new website to reflect those changes. Some things may appear strange until the new website is launched. In the meantime......."

I'm always amazed at the amount of snark that comes oozing out of the woodwork whenever the Serotta name is mentioned here. I see that Talrand has been here on the forum for less than a year with 125 posts. Impressive. Serotta made this forum possible over 20 years ago. Have YOU run a successful bike building business for over 40 years? When you have, come on back and I'll be happy to listen to your snark.

BBD

[nmrt]

I have no skin in the game as I came of cycling age after Serotta's heydey. If Serotta want's to simply cash in their name from 20-30 years ago by appealing to the same clientele, fine. But I have yet to see a website/manufacturer selling a $15,000 bike that has a website that looks like the one Serotta currently has. And I may be wrong but Serotta got their current website up perhaps a year ago. And it is still "Under Construction".

The comparison isin't between the business prowess of a forumite (Talrand) and Serotta. The comparison is between Serotta and No22 and Moots et al.

Originally Posted by BumbleBeeDave

. . . is to the email viewed in browser. It's not their website.

Granted, their home website is not the latest and greatest in web design. But on their home page it says, "Howdy ! As our business evolves, we are designing a new website to reflect those changes. Some things may appear strange until the new website is launched. In the meantime......."

I'm always amazed at the amount of snark that comes oozing out of the woodwork whenever the Serotta name is mentioned here. I see that Talrand has been here on the forum for less than a year with 125 posts. Impressive. Serotta made this forum possible over 20 years ago. Have YOU run a successful bike building business for over 40 years? When you have, come on back and I'll be happy to listen to your snark.

BBD

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . because if you look around the website, it's pretty complete, thought it isn't modern as tomorrow. But they are not alone in that.

Living only a few miles from the past factory and present studio in Saratoga Springs, and owning two Legends, I'm acquainted with Ben and multiple former and current employees. This exact Legend was on the ride I did the other day and it is beautiful. Also expensive as I mentioned. With custom paint job and Campy wireless about $20k.

They are doing just fine in the new company iteration, definitely selling enough bikes to stay in business, so obviously not too expensive for enough people. Just because you personally have not seen them on the road doesn't mean nobody is buying them. The studio in Saratoga is decent sized but understated and customers often come to Saratoga to be fitted. Instead of making everything in-house, the various stages of construction are farmed out to individual craftspeople who obviously know their stuff. I'm sure Ben is not losing any sleep over the judgments of various anonymous critics on this forum of his website or his prices.

He has made mistakes in the past with his business. I won't argue that. But he has managed to run various editions of his company and stay in business for over fifty years now. How many custom bike builders can make that claim? Maybe E-Richie? Who else . . . That's OK, I'll wait . . .

So I'm just puzzled at the snarky reception the name seems to get every time it's mentioned here in a way I just don't see with other custom frame builders. I've been here since 2003, and for the nine years before we went independent as The Paceline it was the "Serotta Forum" with Ben paying the bills without complaint, and never making any kinds of demands about content or moderating, even while he paid for it to stay online. I know because I was a moderator for part of that time.

If you don't like the new bikes, don't buy one. If you see faults with them, explain intelligently why you feel that way. But have a little class and respect.

BBD

[Buzz Killington]

Originally Posted by BumbleBeeDave

. . .

Instead of making everything in-house, the various stages of construction are farmed out to individual craftspeople who obviously know their stuff


BBD

This is my issue. Serotta doesn’t make ANYTHING anymore. Tubing and butting overseas, tubing cutting/coping/mitering farmed out. Welding and brazing farmed out. Paint farmed out. So strictly a design studio, which admittedly has lots of experience. Wish him the best. Met him in the 80’s when I was a member of the Adirondack Spokes and living in Queensbury. Nice guy and great bikes. Even thought about getting a job there at one point.

[nmrt]

I'm curious now: Are you sure the butting is done overseas? As in China or Taiwan?
Also, are the titanium tubes US sourced?

Originally Posted by Buzz Killington

This is my issue. Serotta doesn’t make ANYTHING anymore. Tubing and butting overseas, tubing cutting/coping/mitering farmed out. Welding and brazing farmed out. Paint farmed out. So strictly a design studio, which admittedly has lots of experience. Wish him the best. Met him in the 80’s when I was a member of the Adirondack Spokes and living in Queensbury. Nice guy and great bikes. Even thought about getting a job there at one point.

[NHAero]

Originally Posted by Buzz Killington

This is my issue. Serotta doesn’t make ANYTHING anymore. Tubing and butting overseas, tubing cutting/coping/mitering farmed out. Welding and brazing farmed out. Paint farmed out. So strictly a design studio, which admittedly has lots of experience. Wish him the best. Met him in the 80’s when I was a member of the Adirondack Spokes and living in Queensbury. Nice guy and great bikes. Even thought about getting a job there at one point.

I just think of the experience I had with Brad Bingham, where I received the benefit of all of his experience and skill directly, no middle men or subcontractors, and at what would be a lower price point than this new Legend. So I don't see the value proposition here. And I did own a second hand Concours Ti at one point.

I'm not a dentist but my criteria for fit and handling drove me to a custom, so I was willing to pay quite a chunk of coin for the bike (the frame when the dust settled was a bit over $5K).