Ti Fat question

kokies

Member
yes. This auction is being watch over at retro bike and has alot of interest....

Whats up with the huge serial number on the auction bike?
 

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AB

Active member
Serial numbers for 1993 Ti bikes are high - guess they just wanted to get a lot frames out for exposure - hard to think that they were all pre-orders.

Scott any input on this for us?
 

kokies

Member
So the serial # on mine is 008t3m. Was it the 8th build in 93 or the 8th built (with a serial#) over all?
 

AB

Active member
8th built in 1993 - from what I understand. There were a few 1992 frames as well.
 

Defiant

Member
so what can you tell me about this one then?

IMG_6408.jpg


IMG_6404.jpg


just bought it,..
 

kokies

Member
it is an early one. Gonna guess 92'. My early 93 has the same canti stop on the wish bone which is an older style. Maybe an early prototype since the serial is out of order.

Does the downtube and chainstayes have the sleeves? I cannot tell from the photo.
 

bonsaii

New member
Seratoga made..

I think this frame is newer that 92, according to the format of the serial number. I'm not sure when the format was changed, but my guess is after the sell-out to Serotta, and moving to Seratoga, which will be sometime after 1995.

Sommerville-format ex.: 001T3M (number one Titanium 1993 size M)

Seratoga-format ex.: TFM0006 (Ti FAT size M number 6) In the Seratoga number the year is not reflected.

Another detail is that the Sommerville made Titanium's had the sleeve construction on the lower backstays and the downtube.

So Defiant: this frame is an early Seratgota-made Titanium.. My guess is 1995.

Beautiful frame!! Cherio! =)
 

jbrannsten

Moderator
Staff member
bonsaii said:
Another detail is that the Sommerville made Titanium's had the sleeve construction on the lower backstays and the downtube.

Somerville frames were made without the sleeve construction also.... My Ti is a '93 and it is without the sleeves.
 

bonsaii

New member
Okay, really?

I was'nt aware of that. What is the SN on your Titanium? So early to; 93' without sleeves..

-bons
 

jbrannsten

Moderator
Staff member
What is the SN on your Titanium?
-bons

Ha ha, come on....you know my Ti doesn't have a s/n as it was stolen in '94 and retrieved in '96. The morons that stole it removed the s/n...Don't have the receipt anymore so I cant retrieve the s/n but I'm 99% sure mine is a '93 Somerville made frame. Could be a late one as I have seen '93 models with the sleeve also.

Anyways, I just wanted to point out that not all Somerville produced frames were with the sleeve construction. If you look at this post from Scott Bengtson you will see that he was involved in the making of both sleeved and machined frames and he left FCC after the shut down of Somerville in Oct '94. Hence, FCC produced both frames at the Somerville factory.

My early 93 has the same canti stop on the wish bone which is an older style. Maybe an early prototype since the serial is out of order.

I have seen the canti stop on the wishbone as late as on '95 models, it is also pictured in the '95 catalog from FCC. So that doesn't necessary mean it is an older style.
 

Defiant

Member
yes it is seratoga build ;)

thanks for the comments guys.

from what i understand the frame i have might have been build during the whole Fat/Serotta transition.
Build at Fat, finished(serial put on) at Serotta
if i compare it with the Serotta TiMax i have form the same period the Serial number setup looks the same (TM46002)
I guess it is:
T = Titanium
F = Fat (as an add to the Serotta Serial; The Serotta "S" in the serial could be misstaken for the Small size ?)
M = Size M
006 = Number

SerottaTiMaxSerial.jpg


might even be build by the same people ;)

(Serotta is waiting for the repaint at the moment)

Serotta.jpg
 

Jeeves

New member
I have a 94 fat that looks just like that - external butts only (no sleeves), but canti stop post on the wishbone. It has a made in NY sticker, but I'm not sure where it was made. will post the Serial number tonight.

-Raj
 

bonsaii

New member
from what i understand the frame i have might have been build during the whole Fat/Serotta transition.
Build at Fat, finished(serial put on) at Serotta

This did actually cross my mind earlier, so my supports on that theory. The sn on your frame looks hand-punched, while (most of) the Seratoga made frames has a more "machine-printed" feel to it. Both my Seratoga frames has it, anyways..

Repeat; beautiful frame! ;)
 
Hiya Folks,
as a base line, my small medium was the first out of the door at the factory swap.
six month wait, got mine on the 15/3/95.

fatintheconservatory014.jpg
 
.......and 1180 frames later :)

not sure if thats just ti frames, or that includes the other models :confused:

reckon this might be close to the end of the run.......late '99

anyone know?

 

MikeyNYC

Member
.......and 1180 frames later :)

not sure if thats just ti frames, or that includes the other models :confused:

reckon this might be close to the end of the run.......late '99

anyone know?


ti-fat-man:
Mine was one of the last ones out the door, after Fat City shut the VT doors. I bought it directly from Wendyll as a frame that she still had and said was made in the last run at Serotta to use up the remaining materials to recoup some costs (materials alone for these frames were quite pricey), so yours looks like it's part of the same batch as my frame which is #: TF ML 1176 but yours is actually probably one of the last ones if not THE last Ti Fat Chance made, as mine was probably made before yours but sold after yours was, as I bought mine in 2001, but didn't actually get it delivered until early 2002. When did you buy yours?
 

bonsaii

New member
Amazing !!

Howdy!

This is so cool! The first and last NY-made Titanium's in one thread!

I guess the arguments earlier in the thread, with respect to year of manufacture and serial numbers, are proven by your knowledge and good pictures.

I think this is very interesting, even though I don't own a Titanium. :cool:
 

Jeeves

New member
Hmm. My bike has NY stickers, but has the number: TF1013. I got it in '94 or '95.
No sleeves on the down tube. Is this one of the "transition" frames - made in MA, shipped out of NY?

Thanks,
-Raj
 
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