• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

Serotta followed me home today

Bill Talbot

Vintage Gear Curator
Industry Insider
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Posts
3,166
Location
New England
So I've had this on my 'try to find' list for quite a while now.

Finally one came up (and near me too) that is just what I wanted.
1989 Serotta Nova Special X in a lovely emerald green. A few things need doing but pretty happy with the purchase.
You can see the color in the pic below.

2.jpg


I'll get her in the shop and have it ready to ride soon.
Stay tuned.
 

Philpug

Notorious P.U.G.
Admin
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 1, 2015
Posts
42,624
Location
Reno, eNVy
SLX had/has such an amazing feel.
 

graham418

Skiing the powder
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Mar 25, 2016
Posts
3,460
Location
Toronto
Sweet. Serotta has some important history in American cycling
 

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
Skier
Team Gathermeister
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
12,620
Location
Maine
So I've had this on my 'try to find' list for quite a while now.

Finally one came up (and near me too) that is just what I wanted.
1989 Serotta Nova Special X in a lovely emerald green. A few things need doing but pretty happy with the purchase.
You can see the color in the pic below.

View attachment 166559

I'll get her in the shop and have it ready to ride soon.
Stay tuned.
Ooooh.
 
Thread Starter
TS
Bill Talbot

Bill Talbot

Vintage Gear Curator
Industry Insider
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Posts
3,166
Location
New England
no Colorado?
The Nova Special X has the Colorado style rear triangle with the bowed chainstays and the lovely seatstay cluster.
The tire clearance is as tight as my '85 PDG Paramount (in neonorchid paint!). 23's are all you can fit in there!

IMG_3669.JPG


@wooglin , yes those are Galli Aerodynamic KL calipers.
 

Dave Marshak

All Time World Champion
Skier
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Posts
1,454
no Colorado?
IIRC Colorado was when Serotta jumped the shark. That’s when he ditched Columbus and used his own tube labels. That must have saved $$$ in license fees. Even the top Italian builders brands couldn’t pull that off.
I live in Saratoga and the best bike I ever had I was brazed by Ben Serotta himself in the back of his father’s hardware store. All the local racers had them because they rode well and were cheap. Somehow Serotta went from local builder with bad paint to fancy frames for rich guys and a couple of bankruptcies along the way.

dm
 

Living Proof

We All Have The Truth
Skier
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Posts
943
Location
Avalon - On The Way to Cape May
There are damn few bikes I see when riding that make me jealous...for sure, Serotta is one. Before I bought my BMC, which I love, I test rode a Serotta Colorado from a local who buys, renews and sells classic frames. I still have internal arguments with the crazy guy who lives between my ears that I should have bought it. In hindsight, a move to the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and salt air corrosion maybe, just maybe, justified the carbon frame. I keep telling myself that I don't need a quiver of bikes.
 

Delicious

Glass Cranks
Skier
Joined
Feb 27, 2020
Posts
285
Location
WA
IIRC Colorado was when Serotta jumped the shark. That’s when he ditched Columbus and used his own tube labels. That must have saved $$$ in license fees. Even the top Italian builders brands couldn’t pull that off.
I live in Saratoga and the best bike I ever had I was brazed by Ben Serotta himself in the back of his father’s hardware store. All the local racers had them because they rode well and were cheap. Somehow Serotta went from local builder with bad paint to fancy frames for rich guys and a couple of bankruptcies along the way.

dm
Very similar to the Harley Davidson path in that regard.
 

neonorchid

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Nov 21, 2015
Posts
6,686
Location
Mid-Atlantic
The Nova Special X has the Colorado style rear triangle with the bowed chainstays and the lovely seatstay cluster.
The tire clearance is as tight as my '85 PDG Paramount (in neonorchid paint!). 23's are all you can fit in there!

View attachment 166598

@wooglin , yes those are Galli Aerodynamic KL calipers.
I liked my Neonorchid paint Paramount ride better than my Serotta Club Classic, not that you could compare the two, Paramount tight criterium geometry, Club Classic relaxed road. Paramount was a must-wear padded palm cycling glove, with the Club Classic bare hands worked.
 

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
Skier
Team Gathermeister
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
12,620
Location
Maine
I liked my Neonorchid paint Paramount ride better than my Serotta Club Classic, not that you could compare the two, Paramount tight criterium geometry, Club Classic relaxed road. Paramount was a must-wear padded palm cycling glove, with the Club Classic bare hands worked.
:useless:
 

DocGKR

Stuck at work...
Skier
Joined
Apr 1, 2019
Posts
1,689
Location
Palo Alto, California
I raced bicycles back in the day--primarily road, time trial, crit. The third time I got hit by a car, on 10/04/85, my beautiful Pinarello SLX road bike was destroyed and I ended up with 2 knee surgeries and a herniated L4/L5. Unfortunately, the disc injury turned out to be more of an issue than the knee, as I ended up with sciatica during long rides and when down on the drops. As a result, my road riding and time trialing pretty much ended, leaving me primarily able to do criteriums.

Several years later, after my Residency and during Fellowship, I was hit again and my SPX crit bike ruined. At that point my bike racing career was over and the 90's would just be recreational rides and commuting.

Fortunately, a good friend of mine was working at Ric Hjertberg's Wheelsmith in Palo Alto and he hooked me up with a custom built Serotta Colorado CR designed to work around my injuries.

I still have the bike, although I can't really ride it anymore, as several more accidents over the years have lead my Neurosurgeon to forbid me from every road riding again....

Serotta.jpg
 
Thread Starter
TS
Bill Talbot

Bill Talbot

Vintage Gear Curator
Industry Insider
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Posts
3,166
Location
New England
I've tried to do that with a bunch of people who ride motorcycles but apparently my opinion holds less weight than a neurosurgeon... :ogbiggrin:

Well, without motorcycles, how would we have organ donors?

I've been riding motos on the street for 45+ years now. Lots of mile too.
While I agree that certain personality types are likely not suited for the activity, how and where you ride does indeed effect your (potential life long) mileage.

Sadly I'm seeing a lot of cycling deaths in recent years too. In both cases mindless drone 'drivers' are racking up the tally.
 

Sponsor

Staff online

Top