Road Cycling - de rosa vs specialized

hello! i'm thinking to buy a frame de rosa merak or specialized e5(both high gamma) but before to buy,i want to know that think us about this frames

de rosa,is beatiful,few weight and he's made in italy(sinonimus of great bikes)

specialized,great factory ok bikes of usa,whit great famma in the mountains bikes but in road bikes....cipollini have specialized!
light weight and fiability??

help me to choose,thanks!

Ride and decide

I agree with Tim. I hope you do know that the Specialized bike that you can buy is not the bike Chpollini rides. The team bikes are custom built, and the real world bike come from the factory. I have a Specialized carbon Epic that I love. I was able to try the DeRosa King, and it had a great ride but it was out of my price range at the time.
Dave

Ostas, in my mind both bikes are really good, I think it would come down to personaly preference....I personally have the specz. e5 and really really love it, I realize that the bikes cipo and team and specialy made and fit for them, and thus are different from the one I have, but the basic design is the same, and the weight I think is comprombable, at least for the frame and the fork...So I'm very pleased with my E5..

if that helps..

Benjamin

Both are amazing frames, but with subtle differences. They have very subtle geometries, but the De Rosa has a steeper seat tube. If you go for the De Rosa, get the traditional frame; the compact frame only comes in three sizes. I've only actually ridden the E5, though, and I can tell you it's a specatacualr frame. Very stiff at the BB, sprightly climbing, fantastic quick handling and comfortable (with the right wheels) for the long haul.

Originally posted by caadman
....and thus are different from the one I have, but the basic design is the same, ..

if that helps..

Benjamin

so are they different or are they the same? ;)

The team bikes use custom conventional geometry and this yrs bikes are using carbon rear stays. Some riders are using the sloping geometry but also custom.

Your bike is using sloping geometry with AL rear stays so I would say they are quite different.
Yes certain angles may be the same but the I imagine the feel of the 2 bikes would be very different.

je je,i know that is not the same of cipollini's bike,i want to say the same marca.

maybe i see that de rosa(as said peloton)is a frame more tradicional and the specialized is more new(in the forms)and i want a frame more radical that my vitus actually! and maybe,the specialized e5 is more radical,because....other models in other marcas someone specially?

specialized e5 i think that will be my proximus frame...1saludo from spain

Oh see Tim I did not know that Specz. had gone to carbon stays,yeah that is different, you're right mine was last years, and they were using aluminum in stead of carbon, man I bet the carbon would be really nice on it though!!:)..

Ostas I'd say good choice, are you going to get it in the zebra colors though?? I think they still make it in the 2 colors, zebra or red I think, personally I'm a huge fan of cipo and cool and different and bold colors on bikes, so I'd lean twards the zebra stripes, hope you will also, it sounds like you are??

Benjamin

Most frames in that price range will be top performers.
As Caadman says the E5 is also an excellent bike but then again so is the De Rosa and the Scott and the Cannondale and the Bianchi's all excellent bikes

Good point Tim, yeah once you get up to that price range as you say, you're getting either close or at the top of the bike frame industry that we know of, now..So you'll be getting a great frame, I'll just put this in kind of a jest or semi jokinly yet at the same time seriouse also, I would personally if you get either great frames, that you put a nice CAMPY chorus or record gruppo on it, and some nice mavic wheels...Especially if it's a nice italian frame, I always like seeing good Campy on those bikes, cause it just seems to fit..But then again I'm very biased twards them, so that's just opiniated:)..

Benjamin

i think that i will buy the specialized e5 zebra color.i have saw the pinarello bikes and mmr,but there's other great bike,KUIPS,which is used for the world champion of triathlon ivan raña,but the specialized have something that i like me!

do you knew something of kuips bikes?

not at all.
for me theres the fantasy and then there what I would actually buy. I love seeing a Colnago or Pinarello fully decked out in Italian jewelry, Nothing like it.
Thats why at that price range I will always go for an Italian frame. However I'm a really tight b*****D so I demand value and long life so materials choice is ultimately more important.

But I'll always stop someone on one of those really pimpy Italian jobs and drool......

oh ho, so TimB does like Pimpy bikes :lol:

Ostas,

As an American I would go for the De Rosa, I believe that
there is something special about the Italian bikes.
Mojo?
I would also look at Pinarello, they are also some
fantastic bikes and not extremely common (like Colnago).
I'm guessing you want something different than what
everyone rides in Spain? Are there alot of Olmo's in Spain?

Pegoretti is a VERY good Italian frame, alot of the pro's have
used them and own them as personal bikes, worth looking
into.

All of the Italian and other European Bikes are expensive
here in the U.S. due to the import fees, so I envy you in
that regard. Do you pay import for the Specialized?
if so a European bike may give you more for your money.

Marty

oh ho, so TimB does like Pimpy bikes

I confess I confess I do like pimpy bikes. I can't take it any more
:cry:
I love pimpy bikes.........................:cry: and i Own one :cry:

If you decide to go with the specialized, you can get a S-works frame and fork new/unused for CHEAP on ebay. There are plenty of auctions selling them for under $700.00

De rosa.

it seems rare!i go to buy an import bike of usa and the european bikes that should be more cheaps don't buy....but it have an explication! for me that i live in spain is more cheap buy an usa bike that an european bike(italy).the price of italian bikes is desorbited also in spain.

to find a good frame in ebay spain is very dificult and the good frames have a price very idem that a new frame.

if i had money,i buoght whitout dubt a king carbono of de rosa but the money is the money!

once the process of repentance begins, it is irreversable.....

what else, Tim?

chrome?

Mustache bars? :)

'ride and decide' my arse! buy the pimpy one! ;)

I don't really hate aluminium.
I really hate carbon fibre bikes though.

TimB I'm getting th biggest laugh right now from all this going on about pimpy bikes and your confession, it's sooo funny!!:D ....So I guess you if you were where I lived here in michigan back a couple of years ago and you saw me on my Bianchi bike at the time, you probably would have stoped me also, cause this is what it had on it...I bought the 2000 bianchi boron steel road bike, I think at the time it was the high end steel bike they made in the reparto corse dept. the second highest bike they made at the time, in the Mercatone Uno colors/celest, I put Mavic open pro wheels on it, along with full campy chorus gruppo on it also, everything on it was chorus, even the seat post, along with TTT handelbars and an ITM stem also, totally italian, and in my mind very cool..I loved that bike because of the color, but after one and a half years of riding it, I found it just didn't fit and I had to sell the frame and wheels and that stuff, and I took the components and that and put them on my Speciz. E5 that I got, so I'm still running the gruppo, just on a different bike..

Thanks for the laugh here though, I love that!!

Benjamin

Boron steel Bianchi heh?!!! I know the bike well.
Oooooo Nice! A Friend of mine had one of those with Ultegra (the phillestine!!)
Rode really nicely, Much better than my old Reparto Course SL. Wanted to buy it off him but the twit sold it off to some bloe who was planning on using it for training. I mean Training, really!! It's a thuroughbred Italian race machine. It wants to hump Cannondales and Pinarello's.
Still have'nt forgiven him for that.

OH MY GOSH TimB ultegra!!:( yeah the Phillistine!! totally:crash:

Oh well there are different strokes for different strokes, makes the world go round, but I know what you're saying..

Training eh?? yeah I can see both points of view, that steel bike was a bit heavy for racing, although I used mine for racing at the time, so that's where I can see your point also..

Funny thing Tim is, now I have 3 cannondales, and really would like to get that Pinarrello Dogma with all record and that, but I know that won't be bought for a long time, if ever..But we'll see..


Benjamin

DeRosa Merak- and I think the sizing stated is wrong. There is a compact Merak and standard geometry Merak, so plenty of sizes.

The Merak kicks butt over the E5, no question. The paintjob is on par with the best and puts Specialized to shame. It rides like a legendary DeRosa should. It has years proven on the World Cup circuit (under Vini Caldiroli and Alessio among others). It isn't something you see everyday.

The real question is this: Do you want a Ferrari or Acura NSX? Both are high performance machines but only the Ferrari MEANS anything to anyone.

yeah but in the real world the Acura is more useable. :-)


the Dark Lords of Pimp will not win, I must fight the evil.....
restore goodness to the land of Cyclevia.....

ask yourself this... what does the WORLD CHAMPION ride?

good comparation! acura or ferrari

that difficult choice!

Originally posted by sunsetnkc
ask yourself this... what does the WORLD CHAMPION ride?

Whatever he has custom built for himself. The sponsor pays for the nice zebra paint and decals.
Unless Specialized is paying you a boatload of money to ride their bikes, between the two, the DeRosa is simply a better frame by any measure.

Ride, looks, welds, paint, chi-chi factor, high speed handling, geometry... I can't think of one area the Specialized is better. Unless you think spending alot on a frame and seeing every other person ride it as a good thing. Besides, it's a Specialized. It's McBike. Something cooler will come next year and everyone will be riding your E5 except it will be called the Allez and sell for $1800. If that's better, then go for the Specialized.

racer makes a good point on the sustainable duration of pimp value of your bike.
For the same moeny teh De Rosa will not leave you thinking you've been screwed because I can tell younow, this yrs E5 IS DEFINATELY next yrs Allez.
2004 S-Workd will have a carbon rear end and updated Tube set.
Also Specialized only use the proporietry Columbus tubeset for the main triangle the rear stays are a lower grade tubeset.
The 2003 S-works had an A1 tubeset at the back.

With the De rosa you get what it says on the sticker.

ride the both. Then decide. Or buy them both and be the envy of everyone :)

Good post Racerx. You have some very good points. You're not indecisive, are you.

Based on my limited knowledge of the two, I would also think the wow factor of the DeRosa would be enough to side on the DeRosa if riding each is not an option or if it is, then I'm with TimB. Ride and decide (as well as look).

je je,if buy both,tomorrow i eat shoes!

If they are both about the same price, I will go for the Derosa if it fits you. Nothing like Italian exotics to stir up your passion for riding & admiration for their artistry.

The E5 is an American-built frame (a rare thing in SPecialized's line); the De Rosa is an Italian-built frame. The choice is between a frame welded by a guy named Dwight, who listens to Waylon Jennings, and a frame welded by a guy named Giovanni, who listens to Italian grand opera.

Originally posted by ostas
je je,if buy both,tomorrow i eat shoes!

shoes don't taste so bad if you have them with tomatoe sauce.


Errr sorrry Katchup in your part of the world:D

Hmm katchup with a hint of cheese on rubber sole. Sounds yummy to me :D
he says looking at his brand new S-works and De Rosa Merak