Categories: Accessories and GearIl ProgettoThe Rules

Il Gruppo Progetto: Serotta Colorado AL

The Velominatus’ machine is their own manifestation of personal taste and demonstration of adherence to The Rules. We each, in our own way, meticulously maintain our bicycles and adorn them with the essential, yet minimal, accoutrement. Yes, we must Obey the Rules pertaining to bar tape, tyre selection, saddle choice, stem height, color matching and so on. But within those parameters there lies flexibility and choice.

Furthermore, this site is a refuge we turn to for brotherhood, community, and belonging. However, cyberspace is a vacuum in that we apply and practice our craft apart from one another, spread to all corners of the globe. With this in mind, I offer an experiment, Il Gruppo Progetto, inspired by Brett’s Il Progetto: Bosomworth. The intent, dare I say charge, of Il Gruppo Progetto, is for our community of Velominati to come together in designing my new build project, a Serotta Colorado AL.

I picked up the Serotta frame and fork recently to further my adherence, em, obsession over Rule #12. Although not a top shelf Serotta (think of it as Maker’s Mark as opposed to The Glenlivet), it is a platform worthy of respect, care, and craftsmanship. As fall arrived I found my foul weather steed in need of replacement and the Serotta was the perfect combination of material, style, and economics. My mind was flooded with ideas of how I might build her up. Then I thought of all of you, your experience, ideas, and of course, passion.

So as fellow Velominati, I humbly ask of your counsel for this build. The basic platform is as follows:

Serotta Colorado AL frame and Kinesis aluminum fork
Shimano Ultegra 6600 and 6500 mixed group set (6500 cranks – octolink) 10 sp
Shimano SPD SL pedals
Bontrager XXX Lite wheelset

As you can see from the list above this worthy steed is in need of much more. Bars, stem, bar tape, saddle, seat post, possibly a fork, tires, chain, headset, and cables. Please keep in mind the following:

I do have budget constraints.
This bike should be capable of riding many miles on gravel as well as tarmac.
My plan is for this bike to be utilitarian in nature. Performance, knock-about, foul weather, durability, weight, aesthetics, tradition, period (mid 90’s to 2004 or so)

So there you have it. My proposition is for us to come together in a modicum of further connection than what cyberspace allows. My hope is that the finished build will be a tangible symbol of our collective wisdom and a reminder to me of what we, the Velominati represent, as I ride this bike.

Thanks in advance for playing.

Marko

Marko lives and rides in the upper midwest of the States, Minnesota specifically. "Cycling territory" and "the midwest" don't usually end up in the same sentence unless the conversation turns to the roots of LeMond, Hampsten, Heiden and Ochowitz. While the pavé and bergs of Flanders are his preferred places to ride, you can usually find him harvesting gravel along forest and farm roads. He owes a lot to Cycling and his greatest contribution to cycling may forever be coining the term Rainbow Turd.

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frank says:

Oct 13 2010 at 10:19 am

@roadslave

I'm loving Rusty Tool Shed's use of both capitals and adjectives with 'GLORIOUS STEEL'

There are a handful of items in the queue to go into the Lexi; this one has been added.
frank says:

Oct 13 2010 at 10:29 am

@Nate

I have to think the green version is an acceptable deviation from Rule 8 as they are iconic symbols of Rules 5 and 9.

Oooooh, I would definitely agree.

On to my suggestions:

Rain bikes require a few key items: sealed headset, sealed BB, sealed hubs on the wheels.

Given the dirt-road factor, I would point you to 25mm tires, I think, although you can try 28. They might be too much on the tarmac, though. 25 should be a good balance. I prefer Conti GP4000's for all conditions, bomb-proof. I think they make a 25, but I'm not sure.

As for the stem, the Cinelli XA stems were the bomb, plus you could add the little strip of colored rubber to make a nice, subtle connection to the frame.

I would go with Fi'zi'k microtext bar wrap; probably lean towards silver, with a silver saddle, too - like on my Bianchi. It's a slick look, and the stuff does not wear at all; never gets dirty.

If you decide to bail on the Ride-On cables, consider scoring some yellow standard housing; you can make the decals pop nicely using that old 7-Eleven cablin' trick.
Colin says:

Oct 13 2010 at 10:37 am

You gotta swap the fork, I think... I wouldn't ride a alloy fork given the superior ride of a steel or carbon fork which are far springier and damp, the weight savings necessity of the time they were produced isn't longer relevant.

DA7410 w/ 9 speed? Lovely, cheap kit it is. Personal Rule is black cables unless current ano grey color is on whatever kit is current, whereas grey will be allowed if it is more ubiquitous/available.
Marko says:

Oct 13 2010 at 11:16 am

@Colin
Hadn't thought of a steel fork, not a bad suggestion. Carbon of course came to mind but I may build it up with the current fork to save cash and switch later. I'll prolly rattle a few fillings loose in the process.

@frank
based on suggestions thus far I'm thinking anodized is most certainly out. Even the yellow Pantani ITM. Bringing out the "chrome" will pop.

@Ron
these are the pedals I'm using for this bike

shoes will be a retired pair (on a comeback tour, think Cipo not LA) of Frank's DMT ultimax.

@Nate
That's tits. Now I have at least two sweet tyre choices. I love that suggestion, those greenies are buttery.
frank says:

Oct 13 2010 at 11:42 am

@Colin, @Marko
The corralary to the "sealed sealed sealed" principle of rain bikes it the "corrosion corrosion corrosion" effect. As good as the ride is, steel anything is a bad idea for a rain bike. Ti, Carbon or Alu are where it's at.
Brett says:

Oct 13 2010 at 11:44 am

Jesus, what am I hearing here? Green tyres, yellow cables, silver tape and saddle? It's a fucking RAIN BIKE isn't it? Not a frickin Xmas tree. BLACK. All around. No further questions, Your Honour.

And GP4000s are a race tyre; one that is not "bombproof", unless the bombs you refer to are thorns, then even those will cut the casing just by being in the vicinity of the tyre. They suck. Get UltraSports or DuraSkins in 25s if you go the Conti route, or Schwalbe Duranos if you really want bombproof.

Wheels: while I know you have them 'lying around', I'm with Cyclops on nixxing the Bontragers (not least because Lance sucks). A rain bike needs box section rims, 32h 3x. Shit, every bike needs that! (My retro fetish is getting well out of hand...)

Frank, your Bianchi makes me Hard As Steel, whereas your Cervelo makes me physically ill. You know what to do.
Marko says:

Oct 13 2010 at 11:58 am

@Brett
Believe me, the box is on my brain. In due time my brotha. And I will not due yellow cables and I will not due silver bar tape. i'm leaning toward black still

I think I found my stem?
Brett says:

Oct 13 2010 at 12:01 pm

@Marko

Nice, on both counts.
frank says:

Oct 13 2010 at 12:08 pm

@all
Observation, while a wrap of 3M tape around the seatpost to indicate saddle height is perfectly acceptable on a carbon post, it is very unsightly on an alloy post. One is expected to cut a small sliver of tape to serve this purpose, but to minimize the reduction of it's Alloy Glory.
Marko says:

Oct 13 2010 at 12:24 pm

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm