Strange(?) Serotta Nova Special

[mass_biker]

If anyone is holding one of these please let me know…
MB

[merckxman]

Daccordi used fastback seatstays on steel bikes.

Originally Posted by Fat Cat

Big bag o' thanks to all for the thoughts !

Yes the fastback stays are way problematic. I find that style only on Ti frames. Nothing steel has them. And if it is a re-spray someone went to a massive effort with the two-tone paint and for what just to put Nova Special stickers on it ? The '85 that I have also has butterfly cable guides.

I'm fine with the '80 date but the socketed dropouts and the stays still don't seem to compute.

The Truth Is Out There ......

Many thanks again

Edit : no number on down tube

[Fat Cat]

Fillet brazed, no lug.

Many builders used fastback seat stays with and without lugs. NBD. Quite common actually. Only not on the Nova Special.

[oliver1850]

I checked the bridges on all my Novas and Clubs. Four had the round bridge with the flat surface in the middle for the engraved S. One had the flat bridge shown in the 1985 catalog. One had a plain round bridge that lacked a flat place for engraving. Three frames have Cinelli BB shells, the other three have the shell with cast in cable guides that was used at the end of Nova production. It has a cast in identifying mark that's about 3 mm in diameter.

I measured the chainstay diameter on a 1990 Nova Special at 23.1 mm. That made me wonder if the reason for the choice of BB shell (and possibly the dropouts) on the OP's frame was to accommodate different chainstays than were normally used. I still need to measure the stay diameters of the early frames. I know that one of the Clubs is a 1983, and I have a Nova Series that may be older.

[Flinch]

This prompted me to measure my 1978-79 (?) Ser# BS564 chainstays. 21.2 mm at the most 'round' part, as they are ovalized. Measured 21.4mm x 20,2mm at the ovalized section. Model may be the Criterium, but not at all sure.

Brake bridge is straight round with flat, no engraving.

[Fat Cat]

Here is a 2024 Ciocc spec'd with Silva dropouts

[Hilltopperny]

I haven't ever seen a Serotta with those characteristics. My guess is it may not actually be one. Here is a photo of the 1984 Club Series that belonged to the original owner of my LBS before he passed.

Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk

[Fat Cat]

I don't believe that there is any question about it not being a Club Classic.

I can only reiterate that it is beyond my understanding why anyone would go to such expenditures of funds and effort to make a "fake" mid-line Serotta that has no particular value.

[merckxman]

Any clues from the C-69-E on bottom bracket?

Google found one reference to it for a guy trying to id a bike. He wrote, "The bottom bracket has a raised stamped number : C-69-E. Research shows me this refers only to the BB shell, which may be a cinelli. Regardless it is Italian threaded."

[Fat Cat]

Originally Posted by merckxman

Any clues from the C-69-E on bottom bracket?

Google found one reference to it for a guy trying to id a bike. He wrote, "The bottom bracket has a raised stamped number : C-69-E. Research shows me this refers only to the BB shell, which may be a cinelli. Regardless it is Italian threaded."

FWIW this one is the expected British. I have no idea when Cinelli began the full width logo on bottom brackets which this one obviously lacks.

[oliver1850]

Originally Posted by Fat Cat

FWIW this one is the expected British. I have no idea when Cinelli began the full width logo on bottom brackets which this one obviously lacks.

My Nova Series was built in 1983 and has the Cinelli shell with the cast in name. It also has the flat brake bridge shown in the 1985 catalog.

[Fat Cat]

Here are some thoughts from another forum

https://www.bikeforums.net/framebuil...-longshot.html

And FWIW I'm putting the bike together with Ultegra 3x9

[Hilltopwalters]

Originally Posted by oliver1850

I checked the bridges on all my Novas and Clubs. Four had the round bridge with the flat surface in the middle for the engraved S. One had the flat bridge shown in the 1985 catalog. One had a plain round bridge that lacked a flat place for engraving. Three frames have Cinelli BB shells, the other three have the shell with cast in cable guides that was used at the end of Nova production. It has a cast in identifying mark that's about 3 mm in diameter.

I measured the chainstay diameter on a 1990 Nova Special at 23.1 mm. That made me wonder if the reason for the choice of BB shell (and possibly the dropouts) on the OP's frame was to accommodate different chainstays than were normally used. I still need to measure the stay diameters of the early frames. I know that one of the Clubs is a 1983, and I have a Nova Series that may be older.

To your point - my Purple Nova has a Cinelli BB. Built in 1984.

[Flinch]

Originally Posted by merckxman

Any clues from the C-69-E on bottom bracket?

Google found one reference to it for a guy trying to id a bike. He wrote, "The bottom bracket has a raised stamped number : C-69-E. Research shows me this refers only to the BB shell, which may be a cinelli. Regardless it is Italian threaded."

Just found this quote: "Just acquired an unusual, and one presumes early, Davis Phinney Serotta. 60cm seat CTC, 58cm top tube CTC. Over-the-BB cable routing, red and black paint scheme. Serial is 80854, also has "C 69 E" on the edge of the bottom of the BB (raised, not stamped)."

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showt...numbers&page=4

...and another C69E shell on a Serotta: https://forums.thepaceline.net/showt...umbers&page=10

...yet another: https://forums.thepaceline.net/showt...umbers&page=36

[Fat Cat]

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showt...numbers&page=4

"Just acquired an unusual, and one presumes early, Davis Phinney Serotta. 60cm seat CTC, 58cm top tube CTC. Over-the-BB cable routing, red and black paint scheme. Serial is 80854, also has "C 69 E" on the edge of the bottom of the BB (raised, not stamped"

At the bottom of that page, post #60, the pix show a bike with socketed dropouts and bottom bracket identical to what I have. And the serial on mine is 80627 so I would have to presume relative contemporaries.

In https://forums.thepaceline.net/showt...umbers&page=10 , post #136 at the top of the page the pic shows the BB and though out of focus the fastback seat stays with the same brake bridge. Unfortunately no # or other pix.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showt...umbers&page=36 , post #536 refs the casting number but more importantly the pic shows the socketed rear dropouts and fastback seat stays.

So the Nova Special that I have is not a fluke or fake. Those pieces being used on a Davis Phinney model also lend some credibility to their being considered as quality components by Serotta.

What can I say ? ! ?
Flinch, you've done a miracle for me ! ! What a guy !