Maximum Irony Achieved
 

Those who have ridden with me will appreciate just how ironic my latest bike purchase is. I'm OK with that. I took it out for a first test ride today and had to walk it up the hill to my house because the gearing wasn't low enough for me. It happens.

Shout out to [MENTION=396646]Spaghetti Legs[/MENTION]; who pointed me at the CL ad for this bike.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4820/...6ff26a15_b.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4854/...5f4105fe_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4905/...8220c8a6_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4818/...8a61be67_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4836/...f75342bd_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4812/...e139771d_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4853/...dd7ef77d_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4822/...983ac78d_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4845/...6d197aee_c.jpg

I tried feebly to resist, but [MENTION=381793]gugie[/MENTION] told me I needed it.

Heh. Funny story, that. ;) Cool bike. :)

wow flashback to "put me in the zoo"
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ffbbc69653.jpg

Sweet bike! It`s got the measles? :)

I would note that Rick Smith of Yehuda Moon fame anticipated the precise problem I have with this bike.

https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod...1441317598.jpg
I will not be buying the jersey.

That suits me much better. :thumb:

Serotta Colorado
 

Andy, Great bike. I have a Colorado 2 and it is one of my favorite bikes. It happens to climb very well and I have it in Kent at the moment.

Gugie is right. Enjoy it!

I don't have any photos of mine to share at the moment.

Is Irony suppose to be funny? Cause that's pretty funny. However nice Bike.

Nice bike!
Interesting bottom bracket shell; socketed for chain stays but fillet brazed at seat tube and down tube. Is this common on Serottas?
Brent

It's actually even more unusual than that. The seat tube and down tube are tapered. They're both 28.6 at the top but around 36 mm at the bottom bracket. I believe this is standard for Serottas of this period (~1987). If I understand correctly, this is the "Colorado Concept" tubing that is (I think) unique to Serottas.

As usual, resistance is futile, great score, very cool.

KOI, King Of Irony

Here's whatcha need,

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4174064c1d.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2ca5c851ea.jpg

It got me around Crater Lake with no walking. ;)

I was wondering how ridiculous it would be to put a triple on this bike. The polka dots might spontaneously jump off.

Yeah, I need to unwind this some, even I don't need it normally, ever. :rolleyes:

Andy polka dot Serotta is a first generation Serotta Colorado with the fillet brazed BB seat and down tube. The Colorado 2 has a lugged BB.

Is the polka-dot theme and/or top tube name original? If so, is there a story behind these frames? It looks to be of super-high-quality and somewhat radical for the time. Awesome score - too bad about the gearing ;)

DD

Nice bike, and thanks for the heads-up on the comic!

Good thing it's a slow day today :-D

I think it's original. I've found evidence of at least one other, described in this Paceline thread: https://thepaceline.net/forums/showthread.php?t=117821

The dots appear to be decals, but they're under a sort of sparkly clear coat that covers the entire bike and also the stem. The other thing I should have pictured is the rear stays. It has "S-bend" chainstays. Supposedly this makes it stiffer. I think that also may be part of the "Colorado Concept."

I actually thought about you while I was out riding it today. I didn't push it much because the brakes are barely functional (almost hit a couple walking their dogs because of that), but the first time I went up a hill I definitely noticed the response. I don't know if that was the Colorado Concept doing its job or the new bike euphoria doing its job. Either way, it reminded me of the way you described your Casati (and my brief parking lot experience with it). You'll have to come down and try this sometime and see what you think. The 24T cog on the freewheel might not be to your liking, but I'm sure I can find a corn cob to put on there for you. ;)

As for the gearing, if I put a 14-28T freewheel on it, it will match what's on my Gios. I've got a plan to keep riding on that until I can handle at least moderate hills. I want to test the theory that I'm weak because I never push a big gear. I suspect that I'll find that I'm weak because I'm too old to build new muscle, but you never know until you try.

I'd say Serotta was trying to make an Italian connection with that paint job, like Pepperoni. Probably why Spaghetti Legs liked it. But hey, it's cool, everything's weird in Portland.

Nice score! I suggest adding a triplizer chainring, a 28-tooth inner ring, a 14-34 freewheel, and a Soma long-cage rear derailleur sideplates. And put a piece of black tape over that "King of the Mountains" sticker.