serotta vs spectrum

craigm said:

I am looking at a serotta legend st frame vs a spectrum ti frame both would be made to measure--any thought?

You won't be disappointed by either. Ben Serotta and Tom Kellogg know a thing or two about bikes.

I have both st and ti bikes. If I had to choose one I'd go with the steel bike because I like nice paint jobs for uniqueness...and Serotta has some spectacular colors to choose from. Ti is boring unless you paint part of the bike (I did). Everyone has a Ti or Carbon bike...but steel has class! The new steel alloys are fantastic. A steel bike with a carbon fork gives a fantastic ride. Good luck and good riding!!!

craigm, I researched both Serotta and Spectrum and ultimately chose the Tom Kellogg-designed Spectrum after extended discussions with both firms. I had extensive experience with steel and love it as a frame material. The reason I opted for Spectrum was because the purchasing power of Merlin (whose custom shop does the build) is absolutely enormous. They can obtain materials that rivals the aerospace industry. Tom Kellogg specified some monster dimensions and this very unique frameset complete with Reynolds UL fork has been an absolute dream.

Serotta seems to have wandered astray of their roots and didn't seem to adhere to the customization and overall sales process quite the same as the two gentlemen (Jeff Duser) at Spectrum Cycles.

Both companies are based in the eastern United States and you could board a flight to visit with them both over the course of a few days. They both manufacture OUTSTANDING bicycles. My feeling is that Spectrum literally "goes to eleven" while Serotta is still wonderful even at a "ten" on the scale.