Miscellaneous
This week the BikeFit Pod presents the first segment of a 2-part conversation with legendary frame builder Ben Serotta. He willingly devoted hours to our interview and went beyond my list of quirky questions. Although we certainly discuss frame geometry and design, Ben is also one of the early godfathers of bike fitting with the invention of the Serotta Size Cycle in the mid-80s and in the early 90s, the formalization of one of the first bike fitting schools, the Serotta International Cycling Institute in 1998. His relentless pursuit to provide the best fitting bicycle, lead to his passion for fitting as he found them to be undeniably intertwined. He has designed bikes riders on major professional teams like 7-Eleven and Coors Light and for riders participating in national championships, world championships, Olympics and grand tours. Part 1 of the conversation with Ben focuses on the following great topics 1.) Ben's history in frame design 2.) Finding the fit--Serotta Size Cycle and SICI 3.) The challenge of bike fitting and bike fitters Learn More: https://blog.bikefit.com/podcast Episode website: http://bit.ly/BFPodEp12 Episode sponsors: https://blog.bikefit.com/saddles https://blog.bikefit.com/education https://blog.bikefit.com/insoles Ben Serotta bio from https://benserotta.com/ "After opening up a small retail and repair shop as an off-school activity in the late 1960’s I traveled to London, England where I apprenticed in building steel bicycle frames. First represented in the 1976 Olympics, Serotta bicycles bore witness to America’s rise as a modern cycling power. Contracted by US powerhouse teams 7- Eleven (1984-1988) and Coors Light (1991-1994), along with numerous smaller national and international programs, Serotta became the dominant US builder of high performance racing bicycles. By 1990 our bicycles had been raced to National, European and World Championship titles in road, time-trial, track, mountain and triathlon events. Ever driven to raise performance standards, I worked directly with hundreds of elite athletes while developing a unique approach to the human/machine interface, resulting in the company’s two-pronged approach to elevating cycling performance: personalized engineering and a paradigm change in bicycle fitting methodology. These revolutionary paths inspired the development of a proprietary range of shaped, “size-specific” bicycle frame tubing, dubbed the “Colorado Concept” and the first SizeCycle (an infinitely adjustable stationary bicycle). Like dual cornerstones, these advances became the foundation for the next 25 years of my company’s work. In 1998, Serotta launched a hands-on teaching program for bicycle fitting, which later became knows as SICI (Serotta International Cycling Institute). In turn, SICI graduates have gone on to become integral to the development of more than a dozen other bicycle-fitting organizations. To date, more than 1,500 fitting technicians, coaches and medical practitioners have come from around the world to attend SICI programs and seminars. In January 2018, I formally and publicly re-entered the bicycle business with the opening of the Serotta Design Studio. It’s not a 3-click to purchase company, nor will you find my new bicycles mixed in with a line-up in general retailers. With this new endeavor, I wanted to establish a direct relationship with each cyclist who places her/his trust in us to deliver an exceptionally wonderful product. It’s not that I have anything against retailers as a whole, not at all. It’s just that I’d rather not dilute the information flow, so that I really know we are delivering the best product for each client. Besides, it’s more fun and more informative getting the direct feedback."