1996 Serotta Atlanta - "Presidential" Bike

As many of you know, this is the Atlanta that I purchased from Lou Deeter.  Lou used this bike only on Federal Holidays but I decided to use it to honor our Presidents...you can consider it honoring the Office if you don't happen to like the man I'm riding for on any particular birthday!  On each Presidential birthday I ride the bike and post a little history lesson about the man being remembered, can't get the "teacher" out of me, I guess.  At any rate, while in Fredericksburg, Texas this past week I thought about going over to the LBJ Ranch and doing a few shots.  The weather just never cooperated but on the day I was riding through the little Texas town of Comfort I had an even better idea...why not "Honor the Union" with the first shots of the bike by taking a few pictures of a little known American monument!  The "True to the Union" memorial is located not far off of I-10 but is probably one of the least known monuments around....please read the Texas Historical marker information I've posted below, it's a very touching story that has been lost in time......too bad, such dedication to country and cause is very rare today. I will continue with the remaining photographs of the Atlanta in the near future.

Serotta Atlanta - Fall 2010

Ok, here's the bike as it is built right now and probably as it will stay until I decide to sell it.  Couldn't stand the old bars so I switched them out for something a little more classic-bend style, also took off the ugly blue bar tape and replaced it with the new Specialized Classic tape, love it!  Took off the F1 carbon fork and replaced it with the original steel fork and like THAT look much better, too.  I had a buddy that wanted the other Serotta Ti stem I had so making the switch was a matter of doing a friend a favor and making myself pull the trigger on switching the forks....so now TWO of us are happy!  

I kept all of the drive train components the same as Lou's original build...this is the only modern-style Campy-equipped bike that I have and I'm very pleased with it, not better than Dura-Ace, just different. 

I had to change the wheels from the other build and hated to do so but one of the blue Open Pro's was warped quite badly and I had no choice.  Not wanting to invest in something totally new I decided to use these Mavic's that I got from another forum member...DT Swiss hubs laced by Joe Young, nice wheel set! And I also changed the tires to these Michelin's and like them MUCH better than the old ones.

I know, I know....funky saddle! BUT it's a Regal like I ride on nearly everything that's "everyday" for me and since I usually only do 25-30 miles on this bike my butt can put up with the stitching!  It's the flag and the colors that are the "tie-in" on this one since I'm honoring the office of POTUS!....BUT, it's for sale if anyone is interested because I'm probably going to part this entire bike out sooner or later!!!

Oh oh! Another forum no-no, a BELL!  Sorry, I had to do it...I decided to use this bike for my annual Mackinac Island Circular Century ride and if you've ridden around the island then you KNOW why I did it!  Damn tourist all over the place, riding 3-4 abreast and totally unaware of who's around them...the bell did the trick!

I now, strange! But NOT when you know the whole story....Serotta made a batch of these (I've been told 16 and I've been told 12, not sure exactly) for a bicycle shop in Atlanta called The Bicycle Link.  The were made to honor the 1996 Olympics being held in Atlanta that year...this was one of the ways they were different from any other red-white-blue Atlanta's....the other way was...

...each of the 12-16 were etched with a number...I've got #1

Aero Campy seat posts are coooooooool!

This paint has so many sparkle-thingie's in it that you almost have to squint to look at it in the sun!

Neat little Reynolds sticker to cover up a little scratch mark on the non-drive side, nothing bad, just covers up about the only flaw on the bike.