As you may have seen, I JUST posted a roundup of my fleet and was like ‘blah blah blah I’m done don’t need anymore bikes” as I prefer to not collect, just have a few bikes that I like and that cover intended uses. Then this fell into my lap. 1991 Serotta Colorado II from New York. Someone in Colorado found it for cheap and passed on the deal as it wasn’t his size. He offered to meet me halfway, so my toddler and I drove 4 hours to get it and some surprisingly good Mexican food in the doldrums of Wyoming.
It is, weirdly and without intention, my third handmade American bike from the mid 80’s-early 90’s. I knew it would ride well, but I am blown away by the ride quality. I swapped parts over from my decent steel fixed gear (an Allez from the era) and while that bike was great to ride, this one exhibits mastery in subtle ways that are possible to describe but I’d end up sounding like a wine snob. It just feels FAST. Stiff and comfortable at the same time, etc.
I love how the tubes are conical and get wider at the base, the curved stays, the seatstay cluster, the pantographs, and the eyeball scorching paint. All my other bikes are pretty sedate colors (excepting my splatter paint Nishiki Ariel, but it’s even pretty quiet by comparison) so a neon fixed gear conversion seems like a nice contrast.
I ride a fixed gear often, about every other day for 2 hours when my kids go to bed. It’s the perfect way to get a bike ride in because the cadence wills you to go pretty fast and you feel worn out by the end even after just a few miles. It’s my only clipless setup and it’s fun to feel like I’m going on a dedicated bike ride, not commuting or running errands. I plan monthly Alleycats (messenger scavenger hunts) here in Salt Lake and it lets me visualize the routes and test em out to make sure they’re fun.
Anyway, enjoy. If anyone wants the Shimano 600 stuff that came on this dude (2nd gen tricolor brakes, derailleurs, cranks) send me a message and I’ll cut you a deal.
by dungeness_n_dragons
2 Comments
Super cool rig!
Now, if something like this would “fall in my lap”…
that colorway is stunning.