Early Serotta history & production info ca. 1970s/early 1980s?

[mikemowbz]

Posting here following my recent acquisition of what I believe to be a ca. 1980 Serotta Club Special - as I find myself actively searching for info on early Serotta production circa 1970s and early 1980s.

Given that Paceline is famously the old 'Serotta Forum', I figured this might be just the place to chase this up...

Are folks aware of any good online resources or past threads that delve into this topic? Links or references would be much appreciated.

I found a circa early 1980s (1982?) Serotta catalog at Classic Rendezvous, which is a useful resource - and I've also dredged up a few interesting threads here, including images of old ads, discussion of paint colour codes, etc. There must be more substantial info in past discussions here, but I haven't honed in on it yet.

Anyone care to comment on early production volume, key dates in the early timeline of the company, features that might act as useful benchmarks when dating early Serotta frames from this period?

Would be stoked to hear from anyone who might have information, or could point me in the right direction!

I have posted my recent acquisition in the 'Custom Bikes' image gallery on the Forum here, inviting info and opinions on this specific example:

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=241905

[Ken Robb]

Have you searched our archives for comments on that model and for the old Serotta catalogs?

[David Kirk]

What is the serial number of your bike?

dave

[mikemowbz]

Originally Posted by Ken Robb

Have you searched our archives for comments on that model and for the old Serotta catalogs?

I've done some searching for past threads on this forum - still sorting through threads for info, finding lots of bits and pieces as I sift through the high volume of stuff that comes up in my searches. Keen to hear if anyone is aware of one or two threads (or resources elsewhere) that might have a useful synopsis or a particular wealth of relevant info.

Also looked at the 'Catalogs' sub-forum here, and there doesn't seem to be much covering the period prior to 1985. The '82(?) catalogue posted on Classic Rendezvous, the undated brochure in the 'Catalogs' sub-Forum here, and some images of other old ads are the only 'official' materials I've been able to locate online that predate the (super useful/interesting) 1985 catalog I found here - but I've just started looking and am probably missing stuff.

Trying to fill in some blanks and understand the trajectory.

Originally Posted by David Kirk

What is the serial number of your bike?

dave

I was not able to locate a serial number on initial inspection, Dave.

I will be picking up the bike from work tomorrow to inspect more closely and take some detailed pictures; I'll be checking more carefully to identify a serial number and will post what I find.

[David Kirk]

Originally Posted by mikemowbz

I've done some searching for past threads on this forum - still sorting through threads for info, finding lots of bits and pieces as I sift through the high volume of stuff that comes up in my searches. Keen to hear if anyone is aware of one or two threads (or resources elsewhere) that might have a useful synopsis or a particular wealth of relevant info.

Also looked at the 'Catalogs' sub-forum here, and there doesn't seem to be much covering the period prior to 1985. The '82(?) catalogue posted on Classic Rendezvous, the undated brochure in the 'Catalogs' sub-Forum here, and some images of other old ads are the only 'official' materials I've been able to locate online that predate the (super useful/interesting) 1985 catalog I found here - but I've just started looking and am probably missing stuff.

Trying to fill in some blanks and understand the trajectory.



I was not able to locate a serial number on initial inspection, Dave.

I will be picking up the bike from work tomorrow to inspect more closely and take some detailed pictures; I'll be checking more carefully to identify a serial number and will post what I find.

It should be on the bottom of the BB shell and on the fork steerer.

dave

[mikemowbz]

Originally Posted by David Kirk

It should be on the bottom of the BB shell and on the fork steerer.

dave

No serial on bottom of BB shell from what I can see.

There is a number stamped on the inside face of the DS dropout.

Looks like XX203. First two figures are obscured. Second obscured figure could be a zero, eight, or nine - or a letter ('S'?)

There is a (much longer) serial stamped along the fork steerer:

BS 81280 BT 64203

Does this indicate a Ben Serotta built frame (BS = initials preceding serial)?

[dave thompson]

Originally Posted by mikemowbz

No serial on bottom of BB shell from what I can see.

There is a number stamped on the inside face of the DS dropout.

Looks like XX203. First two figures are obscured. Second obscured figure could be a zero, eight, or nine - or a letter ('S'?)

There is a (much longer) serial stamped along the fork steerer:

BS 81280 BT 64203

Does this indicate a Ben Serotta built frame (BS = initials preceding serial)?

Yes

[mikemowbz]

Originally Posted by dave thompson

Yes

Very cool.

DSC01234 by Mike Mowbz, on Flickr