Welcome to my frequently asked questions page. With a lifetime of work in cycling, I receive numerous questions daily that I honestly don’t always have the time to answer. The most common questions will be addressed here and I’ll keep adding to this on a regular basis.

Thanks for your help and cooperation!

Questions will be organized first by:

A) amodomio bicycles

B) Legacy bicycles (Serotta Cycles / Serotta Competition Bicycles)

C) Other

A)  amodomio bicycles

Q:        What is the difference between fillet brazed, TIG welded and lug construction?

Fillet brazed and TIG welded joints are both tube-to-tube construction methods that use two different ‘filler’ materials.

On a steel frame, the brazed joint normally uses a bronze alloy filler material and is generally finished off so that when painted, the joint appears to be almost molded, blending from tube to joint to tube.

TIG welding uses a filler material that is essentially the same as the tube, so a steel bike uses steel welding rod and an aluminum bike uses an aluminum rod. The weld ‘fillets’ are generally smaller in size than a brazed fillet and are usually left in an ‘as welded’ condition prior to paint, so that the finished parts do not transition as smoothly.

A lugged joint uses a socket-type fitting at each tube junction. Steel bikes use steel lugs and the filler material is a bronze, nickel or silver alloy. Lugs were initially developed for production assembly in the 1900’s but have since become viewed as more of an adornment with production welding long ago having adopted TIG welding.

In the right hands, all three can deliver structures that are equally sound and durable. Similarly, in the wrong hands, any one of the methods can be unsafe. For the most part, appearance has little to do with structural integrity. There are artisans who might endlessly debate the virtues of each, but honestly, if done well and with the correct materials, from a pure performance standpoint, the differences are not measurable. I chose fillet brazing for the amodomio bikes that I am building in part because no lugs exist for these new tubes and I enjoy the purity of the process and the aesthetic. As for the TIG amodomio bikes…I spent very little time developing TIG welding technique, which is why I am leaving those welds to someone like Frank.

Q:        What kind of steel tubing is used?

The steel tubes are cold-drawn seamless tubes produced by Columbus of Italy.  Made from the company’s super-premium Niobium alloy and produced to my own proprietary specifications, these lightweight steel marvels represent a fully updated version of the ‘Colorado Concept’ tube designs that I first introduced almost three decades ago. The original Colorado frames introduced the use of variable shaped and tapered main tubes and the original S-bend chain stays which eventually became a standard to the industry. The tubes for each from are drawn from a section based on the size, weight and riding preferences of each cyclist.

Q:        How much will my amodomio weigh?

Ha! I’ve got to say, this is one of my least favorite questions to receive because it is difficult to answer correctly… and yet is probably one of the most frequently asked questions of anyone working in the bike business.

If you want a ballpark idea, look up 5 different bikes with similar components made from carbon fiber and then add about 750 grams to that average. High end steel weighs more than high end carbon fiber product. Please don’t pick the lowest weights you can find for comparison purposes. It never ceases to amaze me the number of companies that get sucked into the lightweight vortex and build stupid light product just to claim a weight target. Sorry, I could rant on….!

The amodomio frames are made to order, to each cyclist’s correct size and weight and whether or not rim or disc brakes are being specified. Therefore, no two frames, even in similar sizes, may weigh exactly the same. The disc brake bikes are 100-200 gr heavier on average because of the greater forces that are presented in the forks and frame.

B)   Legacy Bicycles

When my company was ‘purchased’ in 2012 I lost access to all records and I have no idea what happened to them since. So unfortunately I have no means to answer specific questions about any of the thousands of much-loved Serottas , including yours, that are out in the field (though I do enjoy hearing about them). I will do my best to answer general questions that may of interest to others. Thank you.