# Serotta Colorado



## msl819 (Oct 21, 2005)

I need some help on info. I have an opportunity to pick up a Serotta Colorado CRL and was wondering if someone could give me the back story on them. I have seen some for sale, at least enough to know a ballpark price, but i do not know anything else. Can anyone tell me the frame material? The ride quality? (i know this is opinionated). Where this sat in there line up? To the best of my knowledge it is somewhere between a 97-99 model year. Thanks for your help.


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## bikemoore (Sep 8, 2005)

*from the Serotta bulletin board*

I found an old for sale ad on the Serotta forum (http://www.serotta.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4687):

_Here's what James from Serotta says about it:

"That serial number indicates that you have a Colorado CRL from 1994.
This was our best lugged steel bike at the time. It was our flagship
model in that year and was later renamed the CSi, which endures today as
our premium steel model._

I own a late-90s Atlanta which was a step below that and love the bike.


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## jeffreyg (Nov 23, 2005)

Here are some brochures from the 90's:

http://www.mtb-kataloge.de/html/serotta.html


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## DaveT (Feb 12, 2004)

msl819 said:


> I need some help on info. I have an opportunity to pick up a Serotta Colorado CRL and was wondering if someone could give me the back story on them. I have seen some for sale, at least enough to know a ballpark price, but i do not know anything else. Can anyone tell me the frame material? The ride quality? (i know this is opinionated). Where this sat in there line up? To the best of my knowledge it is somewhere between a 97-99 model year. Thanks for your help.


The CRL was the top of Serotta's line until it became the CSi in 1996. The tubing was made to Serotta specs by Columbus and used what Serotta called 'Colorado Concept'; the seat tube and down tube were swaged and grew larger as they approached the bottom bracket, as well as being butted. An excellent bike when it was new, it's still a very good ride today. Great handling, lively and if the frame you're looking at is in good condition, with a little care it will last many more years.


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## ELB (Jan 24, 2008)

I own a lugged steel serotta. serotta made some of the best lugged steel bikes ever made, very strong, compliant, etc. it is a bike worth owning.


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## theomdude (Apr 13, 2009)

*Serotta Barn Find*

I went with a friend to look at a used Lotus Elise for sale, and while they were test driving the car, I took some shots of a sadly neglected Serotta Colorado hanging by its rims from the ceiling. It appears to be full vintage Dura-Ace equipped.
It looks as though it had sat on its rims in a seaside environment for some time. The paint on the top tube is rust-blistered, and there appears to be a rust stalactite hanging from the pinch-bolt area behind the seat post.
I wonder if it could be saved, other than as a pattern bike (preserving as many tubes as possible).
I just finished having Joe Bell repair and restore my 22 year-old Holland (for a small fortune) and I really don't have the budget. It's probably too big for me anyway, but it's a shame to see such a great veteran bike rust away.


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## Peter P. (Dec 30, 2006)

I'm gonna speculate the rust was due to the proximity of the concrete.

I don't know a lot about physics or materials properties, but I lived in a house with a concrete block foundation. I think the concrete holds moisture and makes for a damp environment.

It's possible that rust was due to sweat and not the concrete, but the fact that it's on more than one tube may mean a pristine restoration would be expensive. I had a frame with extensive sweat caused rust on the underside of the top tube. I had Cyclart refinish the frame with a powdercoat. After, I took better care of the paint, but the rust started creeping through the powdercoat from the under side.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, you could try to purchase the Serotta on the cheap, but find a painter who's willing to give you an honest assessment whether the frame can be restored. I think Serottas are beautiful frames and they have a proven race pedigree.


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## Sebastionmerckx (Mar 6, 2008)

What size is it?


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## theomdude (Apr 13, 2009)

I've tried corresponding with the owner, and apparently he received the bike as a gift. That's all he said, and has not returned my further inquiry. The bike has been in close proximity to the ocean, so it could be salt air that caused it, although the garage is underground so your suggestion is plausable as well.


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## theomdude (Apr 13, 2009)

Re Cycleart, with Joe Bell and Brian Baylis they are the three top frame painters in the country (IMHO). Interesting that they are all within a small radius of San Diego.


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## jeffreyg (Nov 23, 2005)

I had this one restored by Serotta at the begining of 2008. Re-paint of the frame and fork plus frame alignment then was just around $450.00 and getting a frozen seatpost removed and having the rear dropouts replaced was just less than that.


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## jeffreyg (Nov 23, 2005)

2 More


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## theomdude (Apr 13, 2009)

Pretty bike! My Holland has a 3ttt stem, and I didn't know they still made classic components. I haven't been following groupo developments. What's that Crankset?
I think this guy (the one whose bike I found hanging in his underground garage) is looking at some major tube replacement. If one of those is the downtube, on the the Colorado it may be hard to duplicate. It's not only butted, but I understand It's tapered as well.
Joe Bell charges $250 each to replace damaged tubes.
My biggest concern would be what looks like a rust stalactite hanging from the pinch bolt behind the seat cluster. If the seat stays need replacement too, then the bike could end up with nothing left of the original but the lugs and bottom bracket shell.
Still, if he had the resources, it would still be worth it. Lugged steel frames are mostly custom made now. My insurance company had agreed to pay up to $7,500 for one of the rare exceptions - a new Colnago Master X Dura Ace - after I gave them the numbers for a custom frame.


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## jeffreyg (Nov 23, 2005)

theomdude said:


> Pretty bike! My Holland has a 3ttt stem, and I didn't know they still made classic components. I haven't been following groupo developments. What's that Crankset?
> I think this guy (the one whose bike I found hanging in his underground garage) is looking at some major tube replacement. If one of those is the downtube, on the the Colorado it may be hard to duplicate. It's not only butted, but I understand It's tapered as well.
> Joe Bell charges $250 each to replace damaged tubes.
> My biggest concern would be what looks like a rust stalactite hanging from the pinch bolt behind the seat cluster. If the seat stays need replacement too, then the bike could end up with nothing left of the original but the lugs and bottom bracket shell.
> Still, if he had the resources, it would still be worth it. Lugged steel frames are mostly custom made now. My insurance company had agreed to pay up to $7,500 for one of the rare exceptions - a new Colnago Master X Dura Ace - after I gave them the numbers for a custom frame.


The stem is a 3TTT Motus that was probably at least 10 years old when I got it, but still new in the box. Its nice because the front plate detaches like a modern A-Head stem. The crank is an FSA Pro Team Issue for Campy, it fits on the old 102mm ISO tapered "Record" style BB spindle, though I'm using a Phil Wood BB on that bike.

I would contact Serotta about the work. I found them very easy and reasonable to work with. I even got a little giddy when Kelly Bedford himself emailed me to approve the work order. Have you seen the custom fillet brazed bikes he is making under his own name now? Amazing


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## theomdude (Apr 13, 2009)

Hmmmm. Sounds as though that crank would fit my BB, which fits my old style Chorus.
Your experience with Kelly Bedford matches my experiences. I sent Bill Holland an email after 22 years and he answered immediately, saying he remembered my frame (it has enough custom features that it's probably easier to remember).
Ditto when I was investigating a new custom frame. Greg Townsend called me back himself.
I have a small business that depends on providing individualized personal service, so I understand their attitude. There are so few things these days that were not punched out by some faceless machine, if you can provide someone with something unique that was made by hand, it's a real treasure.


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## darwinosx (Oct 12, 2010)

I had one of the Serotta Colorado II's made for the Coors classic leg in Hawaii. It was hand painted with Hawaiian flowers and had C-Record components including Cobalto brakes. It was a little small for me so I sold it. What a beauty. I was in the Marines stationed in Hawaii at the time. Would have been late 80's


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## aptivaboy (Nov 21, 2009)

One thing to be aware of, Colorados (and, perhaps other Serotta models) came with various length top tubes. There was the regular length top tube, the extended length top tube, and then the extra long. The serial number may tell you which one it is. If there's an "XL" in there, than you have a longer top tube. This thread (Serotta Competition Bicycle Forums - 1991 Colorado II information.) will cover much of it. I asked for similar info when I scored an earlier Colorado. 

Hope this helps. 

Robert


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