1994 Serotta Colorado ATi - and a Lot of DIY Anodizing

[MuchAlohaNui]

No press here, but I don´t need one for the Switchblade crown, it simultaneously clamps the fork legs and steerer, so with the bolts loosened the steerer just falls out. But it´s a project well down the line, the bike it is for is already built and I´ve 3 others waiting for attention before.

Bottlejack/jig/sockets seems like a solution I´d try, I´m a fan of improvising. Smaller presses are nothing else than botteljacks in a frame, right?

That's very cool and a worthwhile feature. Sadly (I'll get over it), I will need to make a press for this Ultimate Machine crown.

 

[benjabbi]

It's funny because the marketing is all pointed towards the aluminium saving weight and I suppose if the steel one was threadless and 40mm longer it would be slightly heavier but only about 35g so not a huge amount.
I don't have calipers to hand unfortunately but it should be approximately 1/16" or 1.6mm wall thickness.

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Small update: I personally blame @ibbz for his (one of many, and very nice) Bianchi build threads for introducing me to the brand FRM and how light weight a lot of their parts are. Also @Dr Dremel for introducing me to Tune which also make very light components. The conundrum is a much slower build time and buying yet more parts in exchange for having very light parts some of which step outside the year 1995 to a few items that are a bit newer.

I suppose I will start a more specific WTB thread and link that to the first post. I have been going down a light weight rabbit hole these last few days.

 

[ibbz]

Small update: I personally blame @ibbz for his (one of many, and very nice) Bianchi build threads for introducing me to the brand FRM and how light weight a lot of their parts are. Also @Dr Dremel for introducing me to Tune which also make very light components. The conundrum is a much slower build time and buying yet more parts in exchange for having very light parts some of which step outside the year 1995 to a few items that are a bit newer.

I suppose I will start a more specific WTB thread and link that to the first post. I have been going down a light weight rabbit hole these last few days.

Can’t believe I missed this
Coming along beautifully I must say
Those forks are something to behold!

glad you like the FRM stuff - I think as a back up fork this ZWay and CU2 combo is a very lightweight and match for that exquisite frame

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Is this one of your boxes you got from FRM in your other thread?

For crank sets the XTR m900 is a pig on this frame - 730 grams there about. The alternatives would be the CU2, Race Face Next LP or Tune Bigfoot. All of those are around 550 grams or less. I'll keep the SL fork on their after I get in titanium hardware and swapped in.

 

[ibbz]

Is this one of your boxes you got from FRM in your other thread?

For crank sets the XTR m900 is a pig on this frame - 730 grams there about. The alternatives would be the CU2, Race Face Next LP or Tune Bigfoot. All of those are around 550 grams or less. I'll keep the SL fork on their after I get in titanium hardware and swapped in.

Your SL fork is very precious !!

I used to have this set and sold them (re bought the cranks)
But there’s a RB member selling the forks for around €100 - considering they weight 1340g and hand built CNC’d with damping adjustable with oil bath with 70mm travel they’re quite nice even to hoard
The CU2 cranks pictured you can pick up quite cheap - very light compared to M900.

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Skewers preview. Was digging around my parts bin and found these. They failed the magnet test. The 4mm bolts are titanium, the springs are steel and the anodized caps are presumably aluminum. Not sure if I will use these, but they are a good option. Not sure if you can see it in the photo, but after the threads and before the allen head, the shaft of the bolt reduces from 4.28 mm to 3.64 mm. These are half as light as a set of Control Tech Ti and about 10 grams heavier than Tune Skylines (17 grams for F&R). I wouldn't mind Skylines and that was what I was likely going to settle on before I went digging, but those are 200 Euro skewers.

These skewers can be worked on with a 4 mm allen, but the Skylines require a wrench (I'm guessing 12 mm by their photo) to remove/install a wheel. So from a practical standpoint the 4 mm allen is better because that is already in every cycling multi-tool.

I think these in the photo are a good compromise for weight and well, they were given to me a long time ago so the price is good too. I have no idea what brand these are.

 

[ibbz]

Skewers preview. Was digging around my parts bin and found these. They failed the magnet test. The 4mm bolts are titanium, the springs are steel and the anodized caps are presumably aluminum. Not sure if I will use these, but they are a good option. Not sure if you can see it in the photo, but after the threads and before the allen head, the shaft of the bolt reduces from 4.28 mm to 3.64 mm. These are half as light as a set of Control Tech Ti and about 10 grams heavier than Tune Skylines (17 grams for F&R). I wouldn't mind Skylines and that was what I was likely going to settle on before I went digging, but those are 200 Euro skewers.

I think these in the photo are a good compromise for weight and well, they were given to me a long time ago so the price is good too. I have no idea what brand these are.

View attachment 697386View attachment 697387View attachment 697388

They’re nice - really
Like the green and very very light!

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

They’re nice - really
Like the green and very very light!

For such a simple mechanical item the machining is pretty spot on. There is zero issues with the gnurling, so I wonder if the green ends are Ti too, which makes the anodization seem a bit darker and less lustrous/luminous. The green is a bit more vibrant in sunlight but nowhere near the shade of lime-like green that today's anodized parts look like - aluminum Tune parts for example. If I can find a used pair of Skylines for a reasonable price, maybe still I will consider that, but by all means these in my possession will totally suffice!

 

[MuchAlohaNui]

Brake levers preview. Kooka Racha's would have been cool, but a 10 gram reduction for an extra 400 Euros is too rich for me. Now, only if I can find a set of Gravity Research Rim Crusher's or MRC D-Cell's...