You can say Robbie’s name.

In the '80s, Serottas were more likely to have high quality paint than their Italian brethren. Some would say that American framebuilders in this era were more exacting than the Europeans - which is not surprising considering the US craft beer industry and similar European pursuits Americans really get into. So the overall quality and American geometry would be reason to go Serotta over Italian.

I also LOVE the fastback seat cluster they use, but Basso and others had similar.

I've had mine for 24 years and it's still a regular rider. Purists, avert your eyes from the non-quill stem.

I have an Early-80s Serotta Nova Special. It rides nicely, one of my favorite bikes for distance riding here in SEPA. The build quality is on-par with the best frames from Europe or Japan, possibly better.

The bikes are a bargain for sure.

I have fond memories of Ben visiting Walnut Hill Park during early spring training series crits in the 80s. He was an idol as well as Richard Sachs whose team was always there. I used to be friends with the owner of the financial investment group who fired Ben from his own company unfortunately. Key phrase "used to be".

I could not pass up on a Serotta if I found one I could afford.

I have an '85 Nova Special. Beautiful build quality. SL tubes, lotsa Ti stuff, DA7700, 17.8lbs, great ride. Can't even imagine selling it.

Purchased my Legend Ti from Dave Kirk shortly after he started his own shop and I've been having all kinds of fun with it since. Fantastic bikes, IMHO.

Never had a problem with how to say the name. Of course that back when I could walk into The Bike Shop and Ben would be behind the counter if he wasn’t upstairs building. He was also USCF district rep for Northern NY, so he would be at races.

Shameless first world people showing off their wealth! Well, OK, here's mine
Legend ST (Yep, I've swapped out the front tire, and adjusted the bars/seat - get over it...


'96 CSI, not sure, but may be my favorite bike. OK, I'm sure now.


2002 Concours, now sold

... and the weird looking crank.

That is a good point. Serotta's were painted with Imron, which at the time was expensive, looked great and was durable. The build quality was excellent as well. The shame about Ben being a frame builder of only racing bikes is that racing bikes are tools. These bikes were more than just good geometry and excellent execution.

For me a Serotta, Cuevas, Richard Sachs or Chris Chance (I know there are others, this is my northeast sphere of knowledge) would be more desirable than an Italian racing bike. But that is what keeps this hobby interesting. The Italians have trophies, heritage and mystique.

I think it comes down to if you want to impress you friends get an Italian bike, if you are wanting a good race bike, get a Serotta. If you want a little more aesthetic appeal then get a Cuevas. If you want an investment get a Richard Sachs.

I bought a Serotta Club Special frame only for $355 in 1980 when working a co-op job in college. It was expensive for me, but a good value considering what was available and I knew someone that had a Serotta and was fitted by Ben prior to my purchase.

Serotta did do some touring frames, the pnwgopher has one, it is the ‘Rapid Tour’.

I have a Club Special track bike, this one is not my size. I use that one to hold the floor down, this was a parts purchase. No pictures of that one for now.

I’ll have my Colorado out for pictures soon.

Plus, the low spoke count wheelset.

Birds of a feather flock together…





Subtle differences with the seatlug, the fork crown to.



Horizontal vs. vertical, the white has a Colorado shaped toptube that is pressed to the same thickness as the smaller diameter, the blue is an OS strait, and different bb shells as well.

Ben's mom (Caroline Serotta) was my elementary school Art Teacher and the best one anyone ever had! She was a jeweler (taught Jewellery at Skidmore college) and she was the one who put a torch in Ben's hand. I remember Ben, behind the counter at The Bike Shop, or at the Farmer's Hardware/J.H. Mabbet & Co that his parents owned, just above The Bike Shop, on Broadway. I am currently eating my toast off a plate that was bought from the back of the Farmer's Hardware in 1979? Would love to get my hands on a Serotta from the early era, one that has "Saratoga" on the bike.

Here's that rapid tour - it's exceptional and was ahead of its time. Fits 33s, and my lower back appreciates the head tube extension. Only way I'll ever sell it is if I find the same frame in titanium.

Since there are so many other folks sharing photos of their beautiful Serottas here, I'll throw mine into the mix: a 1994 Colorado Ti that was just finished being built up. I absolutely love this bike.

Poor picture of my recent Campagnolo build of a '91 NHX with a later F1 fork. The NHX was the first model with the S curved chain stays, but lacked the (perhaps overly) stiff Colorado tubing. All SLX.

Saw your comment about the nhX being all SLX. According to the 1991 Serotta catalogue, the rear triangle was Colorado Concept tubing, although I am not sure if that includes the seat tube, probably just the chain and seat stays. I have the teal colored one.

This one has certainly peaked a lot of interest from various locations throughout North America. California, New Jersey, Florida, indy, Portland O, Vancouver BC. A couple of these guys were really frosted when I told them no shipping and cash only, lol.
This currently scheduled to go to a new home, in Montana.

Nah, they're not wanted at all. Send yours to me and I will responsibly 'dispose' of it ! I've only got:

Fierte (steel)
Fierte ST (Ti/carbon stays)
CSI
Legend ST (Ti/carbon stays)
'79 Criterium (steel)
'02 Concours Ti (sadly sold as it was too small)

Thank you for pointing that out! I had assumed the S-curve chainstays were modified SLX tubes, because the frame has a simple SLX sticker on it and I had thought this was the last bike before the introduction of Colorado tubing. But I guess the complete Colorado tubeset goes back to at least 1990, so the NHX is truly a hybrid rather than a missing link.

I'll have to take a look at those double tapered seatstays later.

Edit: Apparently, the NHX was the first Serotta to have the S bend chainstays rather than the earlier single curve stays. Also a source of my confusion.

For someone light, the NHX is really the best of all worlds.

I was surprised to see BF doesn't have a Serotta owners thread, but appears this has become it.

I'm collecting a green Colorado 3 tomorrow, it needs a bit of work to get it how I'd like it but will report back tomorrow with pics.

I've added one since the last time this thread was resurrected.
I've posted the pic before but I'm shameless

lol

Maybe not C or V (?), our “his & her’s” Ottrotts (as if “Serotta” wasn’t enough to pronounce correctly)