Northern California - My new De Rosa is prettier than bigbossman's

As some of you may know, I snatched a 1986 (probably) De Rosa Professional off of eBay some months back. It came with a great Campy 6-speed, double crank drivetrian which, for this Clydesdale, simply will not get it done. After some some delays due to acquiring needed parts (I decided to make this beaut a Campy 10-speed Record/Chorus machine :thumb:), taking off the old parts, touching up, building up and, of course, some delays due to sloth, here it is.

I ran these photos on C&V, and the ego-gratification string there is about played out, so I thought I'd repost the photos here. This will also give bigbossman another chance to give me guff for learning the hard way about Italian-threaded bottom brackets and what the drive-side cup does if you don't arc-weld it in place. I'm sure he'll be happy to illuminate the point and have another yuck at my expense. (It's okay - anything to build up his fragile ego.)

Not many miles yet, and no major climbs or descents, but so far the ride is at least as good as the appearance. The bike's appearance, that is, not mine. The bike rides much, much better than I look. :(

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5088105791_77f26e679b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20193578@N04/5088105791/)
IMG_0631 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20193578@N04/5088105791/) by bikingshearer (http://www.flickr.com/people/20193578@N04/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/5088105971_ec1a25909d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20193578@N04/5088105971/)
IMG_0632 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20193578@N04/5088105971/) by bikingshearer (http://www.flickr.com/people/20193578@N04/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5088106493_147eed03f7.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20193578@N04/5088106493/)
IMG_0636 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20193578@N04/5088106493/) by bikingshearer (http://www.flickr.com/people/20193578@N04/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/5088108723_5d0780027a.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20193578@N04/5088108723/)
IMG_0648 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20193578@N04/5088108723/) by bikingshearer (http://www.flickr.com/people/20193578@N04/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/5088106935_945943acbe.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20193578@N04/5088106935/)
IMG_0639 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20193578@N04/5088106935/) by bikingshearer (http://www.flickr.com/people/20193578@N04/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5088106383_cfa8323168.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20193578@N04/5088106383/)
IMG_0635 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20193578@N04/5088106383/) by bikingshearer (http://www.flickr.com/people/20193578@N04/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/5088108337_976ce1db1a.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20193578@N04/5088108337/)
IMG_0646 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20193578@N04/5088108337/) by bikingshearer (http://www.flickr.com/people/20193578@N04/), on Flickr

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5088705774_fbe6c4ea11.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20193578@N04/5088705774/)
IMG_0644 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20193578@N04/5088705774/) by bikingshearer (http://www.flickr.com/people/20193578@N04/), on Flickr

It is gonna be pretty close... I think you and bbm should arm wrestle to decide the winner.

I have to say...my money is on bbm here.

C&V death match ?

:)

That DeRosa is a truly beautiful bicycle.

Thems fightin' words!

That is pretty. Though I think your head tube is longer than the seat tube on my bike.
Anyway, once you get that army surplus bag removed your ride will be just about perfect.:roflmao:

Very pretty. Ugo always like the blue ones better though.

It is gonna be pretty close... I think you and bbm should arm wrestle to decide the winner.

I have to say...my money is on bbm here.

I've got 5 inches (in height - get your minds out of the gutter :eek:) and 50 pounds on him. I'm not worried. :D



That is pretty. Though I think your head tube is longer than the seat tube on my bike.
Anyway, once you get that army surplus bag removed your ride will be just about perfect.:roflmao:

And when I pull my combo TIG-welder/carbon fiber layup machine out of that bag and fix your broken, spontaneously combusted frame on the side of the road, you'll be singing a different tune, Buster Brown. :p

And don't exagerrate the length of the head tube. Your seat tube is at least 0.5 cm longer.



Very pretty. Ugo always like the blue ones better though.

I love Italian blue, too - the Ron Cooper is likely going to get repainted some such shade some day. But the red on this one is, well, it just says Italian pure-bred wonderfulness.

Heh - these folks haven't seen either one of mine yet, and you're still losing.

What kind of stem you using? Looks medium lengthish something that I need right now. I have a long ass nitto technomic and I need to find one that isn't so long, but not too short either. Nice bike BTW.

Pretty bike. Did you have to cold-set the rear triangle to go from 6sp to 10sp? That's one nice thing about steel.

"Baby, somebody better call God, cuz he's missing an angel"

This bike is that pretty.

Heh - these folks haven't seen either one of mine yet, and you're still losing.

Now girls, play nice. You both have pretty ribbons in your hair... um, I mean bikes.

Now girls, play nice....

He started it...... :p

What kind of stem you using? Looks medium lengthish something that I need right now. I have a long ass nitto technomic and I need to find one that isn't so long, but not too short either. Nice bike BTW.

It's the next Nitto model up from the Technomic (called the "Pearl," I think), 100mm extension. Rivendell has 'em in extensions from roughly 90mm to 120 or 130mm, which ought to cover you. You can also find 'em on eBay. It's riser is not quite as long as the Technomic, but it's still pretty darn long. Mine is at maximum height.



Pretty bike. Did you have to cold-set the rear triangle to go from 6sp to 10sp? That's one nice thing about steel.

I had Steve Howard at Livermore Cyclery spread the rear triangle and check/fix all alignments - no way I'd try spreading the rear myself. Steve said it was already in pretty good alignment "for an Italian bike." :eek:



"Baby, somebody better call God, cuz he's missing an angel"

This bike is that pretty.

Thanks. I'm not giving it back, either. ;)



Now girls, play nice.

Play nice? You're kidding, right?



He started it...... :p

Did not! :notamused:

It's the next Nitto model up from the Technomic (called the "Pearl," I think), 100mm extension. Deluxe, perhaps? The Pearl has a 70mm quill and is NJS-certified, so your pennies had better be awful pretty.

Ben's Cycle lists the Deluxe (http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=188_263_1332_716) as a "long quill version of the Pearl" at 105mm.

Seems Rivy is pretty much only carrying the Technomic these days.


I had Steve Howard at Livermore Cyclery spread the rear triangle and check/fix all alignments Int'restin'. Any idea if he'll straighten forks or drill out holes for recessed brakes?

26years old steel... yepp for me thats more attractive than carbon teenagers :p

The bike looks like something you can be proud to keep in your family room-really nice. However, I prefer the tapered Record seatpost that was made in the late '80s-my favorite seatpost appearance wise.

Deluxe, perhaps? The Pearl has a 70mm quill and is NJS-certified, so your pennies had better be awful pretty.

Ben's Cycle lists the Deluxe (http://www.benscycle.net/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=188_263_1332_716) as a "long quill version of the Pearl" at 105mm.

Seems Rivy is pretty much only carrying the Technomic these days.

Yup, that's the one. Glad to see I wasn't too far off. :o



Int'restin'. Any idea if he'll straighten forks or drill out holes for recessed brakes?

I've never asked, but if it is steel, he probably can. Just be sure to go to the Livermore store, not the Dublin store. Call first and ask for him. He'll tell you over the phone if it is a waste of time to go by.

If Steve isn't around or can't do it, try Chuck Tyler at Dublin Cyclery. Also very conversant with steel stuff. I'd trust his word and work, too.

Both Steve and Chuck are great guys, and both are worthy of your business.


26years old steel... yepp for me thats more attractive than carbon teenagers :p

Great minds think alike. :thumb:



The bike looks like something you can be proud to keep in your family room-really nice. However, I prefer the tapered Record seatpost that was made in the late '80s-my favorite seatpost appearance wise.

I used what I had available - an SR that bigbossman let me have. If you had seen it when he handed it over, you'd know why he let me have it - it was gunked and grimed up almost beyond recognition. It still has some serious scratches, but a little elbow grease and polishing compound in front of the TV did wonders in making it presentable. I added the red to the fluting. Nice touch, don't'cha think?

Personally, I am much more of a fan of the old-school two-bolt Campy NR seatposts, the ones with the bolts on top. A royal pain to set up, but they really do "micro-adjust" and, once set up, they never slip. I also love the way they look, probably an artifact of my lusting after them in my ill-spent youth (they were the only thing that wasn't a variation of the pillar-and-clamp at the time). I may put one on the De Rosa, if I can find one in 27.0. 27.2, I got. 26.8, I got. 27.0, I ain't got. :(

I've never been a fan of the look of the Campy or Shimano aero posts - a matter of taste (or lack thereof), I guess, but they just don't float my boat.

[...] Both Steve and Chuck are great guys, and both are worthy of your business.Ah, great, thanks.