My neighbor's Serotta broke yesterday
08-10-19, 07:42 PM
#1
What??? Only 2 wheels?
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My neighbor's Serotta broke yesterday
I have no pics to show. He was out riding his steel-frame Serotta when the drive-side dropout snapped where the adjustment screws goes through. Some of you have met him on C&V rides we have done. Fortunately he was not hurt but the bike didn't come out too well. The RD caught the spokes, snapped one, pulled another spoke out of the nipple, bent the RD cage. The cage can probably be bent back into shape. The wheel will take some fixin' but it's doable. I suggested he take the frame to Peter Mooney who is only about a mile and a half away.
In the meantime, he needs a bike. I lent him my Grandis. He is about my size. He did a test ride around the block(s) and said it felt just like his Super Course. (What? You gotta' be kidding, Larry. The Grandis is a twitchy hard-riding go kart! Well, maybe his Serotta was too so it feels normal.) He'll swap in his pedals, remove the front bag.
We spent some time after that drinkin' some really good beer. He provided the beer.
In the meantime, he needs a bike. I lent him my Grandis. He is about my size. He did a test ride around the block(s) and said it felt just like his Super Course. (What? You gotta' be kidding, Larry. The Grandis is a twitchy hard-riding go kart! Well, maybe his Serotta was too so it feels normal.) He'll swap in his pedals, remove the front bag.
We spent some time after that drinkin' some really good beer. He provided the beer.
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Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
08-10-19, 07:58 PM
#2
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Scary. You are a good friend.
That's an odd break - - any chance the derailleur got caught in the spokes before the DO cracked?
That's an odd break - - any chance the derailleur got caught in the spokes before the DO cracked?
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08-10-19, 08:54 PM
#3
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Jim,
Sorry to hear about that but glad he is alright and still riding...a break there is not that uncommon, probably the weakest point on the drop due to the stress and lack of material due to the hole drilled for the adjustment screw.
Best, Ben
Sorry to hear about that but glad he is alright and still riding...a break there is not that uncommon, probably the weakest point on the drop due to the stress and lack of material due to the hole drilled for the adjustment screw.
Best, Ben
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08-10-19, 08:59 PM
#4
What??? Only 2 wheels?
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It's possible the RD caught the wheel and that's what broke the DO. Doesn't really matter at this point. It's busted and needs fixin'.
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Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
08-10-19, 09:05 PM
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What year is your friend's Serotta? (Serotta and Peter Mooney go a long ways back.) If my Mooney broke its dropout, well, sad but I'd just have to get it or them replaced. (If it has go go, go soon, before the soon-to-be new paint.)
Ben
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08-10-19, 09:07 PM
#6
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Man, really sorry to hear that! Glad he was ok, though. Glad also for your friendship. Break a nice frame, break some other parts, know there will be some money involved in making it whole again, know that it's doable without too much trouble, and finish the start of that endeavor with some good beer. That's the best way to end the day after something like that happens, IMO.
08-11-19, 06:40 AM
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Wait, I thought it’s just CF frames that are just waiting to break and are unsafe to ride at any speed.
08-13-19, 09:54 PM
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I have no pics to show. He was out riding his steel-frame Serotta when the drive-side dropout snapped where the adjustment screws goes through. Some of you have met him on C&V rides we have done. Fortunately he was not hurt but the bike didn't come out too well. The RD caught the spokes, snapped one, pulled another spoke out of the nipple, bent the RD cage. The cage can probably be bent back into shape. The wheel will take some fixin' but it's doable. I suggested he take the frame to Peter Mooney who is only about a mile and a half away.
In the meantime, he needs a bike. I lent him my Grandis. He is about my size. He did a test ride around the block(s) and said it felt just like his Super Course. (What? You gotta' be kidding, Larry. The Grandis is a twitchy hard-riding go kart! Well, maybe his Serotta was too so it feels normal.) He'll swap in his pedals, remove the front bag.
We spent some time after that drinkin' some really good beer. He provided the beer.
In the meantime, he needs a bike. I lent him my Grandis. He is about my size. He did a test ride around the block(s) and said it felt just like his Super Course. (What? You gotta' be kidding, Larry. The Grandis is a twitchy hard-riding go kart! Well, maybe his Serotta was too so it feels normal.) He'll swap in his pedals, remove the front bag.
We spent some time after that drinkin' some really good beer. He provided the beer.
08-14-19, 01:24 AM
#11
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Funny, I keep thinking I'm going to break my Grandis, what with all the mishaps, crashes and abuse I've heaped on it. And how inappropriately flexy it is under my modest 200 weight 
I guess I need to get a Serotta, and really eff it up
I guess I need to get a Serotta, and really eff it up
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● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●
08-14-19, 04:19 AM
#13
What??? Only 2 wheels?
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Larry goes out riding on workday mornings before starting his workday. I saw him yesterday. He raved about how it felt. "Real sweet!" were his words. I guess his Serotta rode about the same.
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Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
08-14-19, 08:13 AM
#14
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High end racing bicycles are all about saving grams and in the process, paring down the safety margin. If some of these bikes didn't break once in a while, they were over built. We are not talking about a Schwinn of years ago with a lifetime warranty. It is a hand built racing bike made to be marginally better, lighter and faster than production bikes. Whether it is carbon fiber or steel, the builder are still trying to stretch the limits.
I know that is a weird way to think about it but it is true.
I'm I am glad you friend is Ok after the incident. I had a Serotta. I know if this happened to me, hearing that it is made to be light and all would still be tough because my beloved Serotta is damaged and unrideable. It can be fixed though.
I know that is a weird way to think about it but it is true.
I'm I am glad you friend is Ok after the incident. I had a Serotta. I know if this happened to me, hearing that it is made to be light and all would still be tough because my beloved Serotta is damaged and unrideable. It can be fixed though.
08-14-19, 12:08 PM
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I have no pics to show. He was out riding his steel-frame Serotta when the drive-side dropout snapped where the adjustment screws goes through. Some of you have met him on C&V rides we have done. Fortunately he was not hurt but the bike didn't come out too well. The RD caught the spokes, snapped one, pulled another spoke out of the nipple, bent the RD cage. The cage can probably be bent back into shape. The wheel will take some fixin' but it's doable. I suggested he take the frame to Peter Mooney who is only about a mile and a half away.
In the meantime, he needs a bike. I lent him my Grandis. He is about my size. He did a test ride around the block(s) and said it felt just like his Super Course. (What? You gotta' be kidding, Larry. The Grandis is a twitchy hard-riding go kart! Well, maybe his Serotta was too so it feels normal.) He'll swap in his pedals, remove the front bag.
We spent some time after that drinkin' some really good beer. He provided the beer.
In the meantime, he needs a bike. I lent him my Grandis. He is about my size. He did a test ride around the block(s) and said it felt just like his Super Course. (What? You gotta' be kidding, Larry. The Grandis is a twitchy hard-riding go kart! Well, maybe his Serotta was too so it feels normal.) He'll swap in his pedals, remove the front bag.
We spent some time after that drinkin' some really good beer. He provided the beer.
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(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
08-14-19, 04:06 PM
#17
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PM me if you live in or near the Portland OR/Vancouver, WA area; I have replaced @80-120 dropouts over the last bunch of years and have a good stock of them as well as the skill to do the job. If you want to have the job done by a former Serotta builder, I hear Dave Kirk (Montana, I think) does some repairs.
08-14-19, 04:28 PM
#18
Senior Member
High end racing bicycles are all about saving grams and in the process, paring down the safety margin. If some of these bikes didn't break once in a while, they were over built. We are not talking about a Schwinn of years ago with a lifetime warranty. It is a hand built racing bike made to be marginally better, lighter and faster than production bikes. Whether it is carbon fiber or steel, the builder are still trying to stretch the limits.
I know that is a weird way to think about it but it is true.
I'm I am glad you friend is Ok after the incident. I had a Serotta. I know if this happened to me, hearing that it is made to be light and all would still be tough because my beloved Serotta is damaged and unrideable. It can be fixed though.
I know that is a weird way to think about it but it is true.
I'm I am glad you friend is Ok after the incident. I had a Serotta. I know if this happened to me, hearing that it is made to be light and all would still be tough because my beloved Serotta is damaged and unrideable. It can be fixed though.
SP
Nwpt, OR
08-14-19, 06:45 PM
#19
What??? Only 2 wheels?
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PM me if you live in or near the Portland OR/Vancouver, WA area; I have replaced @80-120 dropouts over the last bunch of years and have a good stock of them as well as the skill to do the job. If you want to have the job done by a former Serotta builder, I hear Dave Kirk (Montana, I think) does some repairs.
__________________
Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
09-03-19, 08:41 PM
#20
What??? Only 2 wheels?
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Larry got his bike back from Peter Mooney. New dropout. He is happy.
And he gave me back my Grandis.
And he gave me back my Grandis.
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Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
Real cyclists use toe clips.
With great bikes comes great responsibility.
jimmuller
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09-04-19, 06:10 AM
#22
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Pretty quick turn around on a repair like that. Peter Mooney is among the best.
Now, important ! Brian Baylis, who had seen a few steel bikes, said the #1 cause of frames failing at the dropout was mis-alignment and / or rear dropouts that are spread apart to accommodate w ider axles without re-alignment.
Since he has a newly repaired bike, he should adjust / cold set the DO width to match his rear wheel and then align the DO faces. Easy to do.
Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA USA
Now, important ! Brian Baylis, who had seen a few steel bikes, said the #1 cause of frames failing at the dropout was mis-alignment and / or rear dropouts that are spread apart to accommodate w ider axles without re-alignment.
Since he has a newly repaired bike, he should adjust / cold set the DO width to match his rear wheel and then align the DO faces. Easy to do.
Mark Petry
Bainbridge Island, WA USA
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