What do I do with this Serotta Colorado frameset?

[tepextate]

Hey y'all,

My wife picked up this frameset for $105 at Boulder Sports Recyclery. We started riding in the past 10 years, so I'm afraid we don't really know what to do with a frame like this.

Any recommendations on what type of groupset we should put on this bike? And what type of bottom bracket are we looking for? Would it be sacrilegious to put flat bars on this frame for an about-town bike?

Figured Paceline would be the best place to get advice for a frameset like this.

It says Serotta Colorado, but that's all we know.




Thanks in advance!

[dave thompson]

Standard BSA bottom bracket. A flat bar bike would be quite nice as would a standard drop bar bike. If the rear spacing between the drop-outs is 130mm, or could be cold-set to that, any modern 9/10/11 speed components will work well. Is the fork threaded? If so there are 1 1/8" adapters that will allow you to use most any modern cockpit goodies.

If the serial number is stamped on the bottom bracket shell, that will tell you the actual Serotta model.

[AngryScientist]

I'm assuming that's a threaded fork, so one unfamiliar bit for you will be getting a threaded headset, quill stem and "undersized" handlebars to get the steering going.

With the horizontal read dropouts, it could be a singlespeed candidate easily.

It totally depends from there on what you might want to use it for as to the direction to go with it.

[weisan]

Originally Posted by tepextate

Hey y'all,

My wife picked up this frameset for $105 at Boulder Sports Recyclery. We started riding in the past 10 years, so I'm afraid we don't really know what to do with a frame like this.

Consider how old that thing is, it's bio-hazard!!!

The only right thing to do is have it sent to me for proper disposal, I will PM you my address.

I think a few pics will get your imaginations going as far as realizing its full potential but truly do whatever you want with it, most important thing is, get it back on the road and ride it into the sunset...

[Seramount]

post the serial number, have some nagging suspicision that it might not be a Serotta.

decal placement, paint scheme look odd...

[farmerjosh]

it may be a respray but it looks like a Colorado LT (lugged) to me.

[arroqueno]

Tepextate’s wife here. Here’s what I’m thinking, tell me if this is terrible:

All silver colored component and wheels, flat bars, quill stem (the person who said threaded fork was right) flat pedals and maybe single speed. I want to make it a fun little commuter.

Will having all silver components look dumb with the gold frame? Are there even alternatives to silver available from this time period (late 90s)?

Thanks friends! Stay safe out there everyone

[Flinch]

Hmmm, looks Serotta-ish to me. Not sure of model, but has same lugs and seatpost clamp as my CSI (NOT saying it's a CSI ). Obvious repaint though. I do like the color.

Are the chainstays "S" shaped - can't tell from pic.

Serial number! We demand/request/need/would-like/require a number - and are all antsy for it!

[robt57]

Flip flop SS wheel be a fun thing to do with it and ride.

Make sure you use a good steel knurled quick release or bolt on rear wheel.

I have a wheel that is an automatix SRAM hub I laced. Perfect for this kinda thing. It goes from 55 to 85 gear inches at about 100 RPM. Some good modern stoppers, and up up an away.

I have some Carbon Record gutless levers I was thinking about putting in the classifieds here, for extra sweetness.

[arroqueno]

Ok guys it really didn’t even occur to me to check for a serial number when I bought this. It astounds me that such a thing as a fake Serotta could even exist 😂.

With that said, I definitely did not find a serial number on the bottom bracket. Here’s what I have from further information gathering:

1. It’s clearly not original paint, I can see several spots where the original paint color (a brilliant blue) is coming through.
2. Seat stays are straight
3. The steerer tube has a name stamped on it- “Mike E”.
4. It’s got a little 25th anniversary edition placard painted on it. Granted, not original paint.

What do we think, folks? Two questions now:

1. Could this be a fake? How do I get to the bottom of this?
2. I still think it’s a cool bike to commute on (even if I have to repaint it if it’s a fake). Would it look cool with silver everything?

I’ll attach some photos later, documenting the above and showing the bottom bracket.

[robt57]

Maybe a NOVA SPECIAL X with a newer fork, seat lug cluster seems right. If it is it would be SLX I think. You could feel inside the BB into the DT and feel for the ribs SLX has.

So if older Serotta frame with newer COLO fork, does not mean fake.

Is there same blue under fork paint as frame?

[Black Dog]

It’s real. I have a Colorado of the same vintage and it’s more or less the same. It has definitely been poorly repainted and decals applied incorrectly.

[reuben]

Originally Posted by arroqueno

All silver colored component and wheels, flat bars, quill stem (the person who said threaded fork was right) flat pedals and maybe single speed. I want to make it a fun little commuter.

Will having all silver components look dumb with the gold frame? Are there even alternatives to silver available from this time period (late 90s)?

Go for it! Yours is the only opinion that counts.

[Louis]

If it fits her I think your wife got a good deal and that she'll enjoy riding it.

[paredown]

Originally Posted by arroqueno

Tepextate’s wife here. Here’s what I’m thinking, tell me if this is terrible:

All silver colored component and wheels, flat bars, quill stem (the person who said threaded fork was right) flat pedals and maybe single speed. I want to make it a fun little commuter.

Will having all silver components look dumb with the gold frame? Are there even alternatives to silver available from this time period (late 90s)?

Thanks friends! Stay safe out there everyone

This sounds about perfect to me.

Make sure you can find a shop with an old guy (or well trained young guy) -- if you are not doing the work yourself -- who can install the 1" headset correctly. (It's not rocket surgery, but there is a knack...)

Post up any questions -- this forum is full of old guys (me included) with a wealth of experience and a lot of opinions.

Pretty sure that would have 130mm spacing on the rear (double water bottle bosses and under stay cable guide mark it as mid-80s at latest); I think not an LT, since they had provision for rear rack/fender attachment. Looks Serotta to me--and as has been said, any standard modern wheel/group should be usable for a retro-modern cruiser.