Bikerider007

I am looking for an 80's Italian bike and having a tough time deciding what is best, and if the price is reasonable. I could use some C&V help. Below are some I have interest in. Any input is appreciated.

1) DeRosa- Classic 80s DeRosa

I spoke to owner, this one is on consignment at a shop, I was given the contact at the shop.

2) Colnago- Colnago Super Mexico Full Campagnolo Nuovo Record Components 57cm

I have spoke to this guy and I have a couple questions out to him.

3) Pinarello-https://tucson.craigslist.org/bik/5334470929.html

I have reached out, but no response as of yet, not sure it's still available.

Rocket-Sauce 

All very nice bikes, but pricey IMO. You could do much better price-wise if you are patient.

Check this thread for loads of examples of what folks are asking (I recommend skipping to the last page and work your way back): https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...e-part-ii.html

RobbieTunes

All 3 look good on paper, and the DeRosa is significantly overpriced.
The Colnago is moderately overpriced, and the Pinarello is a wee bit overpriced.

I'd get the Pinarello, sell off the Shimano parts, and go either with Dura Ace or Campagnolo.
The condition of the frame makes it a better value to build a bike upon.....

The DeRosa is way overpriced.

The Colnago is probably a very nice bike, but IMO, ugly.

cb400bill

We have moved this thread from C&V to C&V Appraisals.

Bikerider007

I would work on the Colnago look for sure but should it be in the 1k or $1100 range? Would that be a reasonable price? He is open to negotiation, we talked some. Problem for me is, tt has the most wear and tear of these bikes, but also seems to have nice wheels and high flange hubs.

The only thing the guy with the DeRosa said was that he was told by previous seller that it was hand made by Ugo DeRosa (how do you prove that?) and that it is on consignment and gave me the info. This bike appears and sounds pristine, I don't mind paying a little more for older perfection but I need to call them on it just to ask some stuff and see how much room they have on the price. I can't even tell the model, is this typical for DeRosa? Of course my wife saw the email and already likes this one

I really do like the look of the Pinarello and it seems classy, but you are correct, those parts don't seem to fit but it will be the cheapest so I have some room.

Thanks for the input thus far. BTW, I don't plan on riding much, it will be more of a special occasion bike. Gotta go but will check into tonight and hopefully have received some more input.

D1andonlyDman

I agree with this. BTW, I don't think that's an '80s De Rosa, I believe, after having just acquired a mid-'80s De Rosa, and spending a lot of time tracking down when it came from based upon features, that the De Rosa you posted is from the late 1970s - not that that's a problem. FYI, while I got a steal on my De Rosa at $650 outfitted with a mix of modern Campy 9-speed index parts, I think the one you posted would have a fair market value in the vicinity of $1000, probably worth about the same as the Colnago, or what the Pinarello would be worth were it outfitted with Campy Super Record.

repechage

Pass on the 'nago. When I see that Campagnolo decal on the top tube- bad things have happened 90% of the time.
I like the DeRosa, it may be overpriced a wee bit but not that much. A mid later 70's frame, before Ugo went semi big time. KAS team replica colors, I would really set up an appt. to review with $1,400 in my pocket. Too big for me otherwise I would be interested.

The Pinarello just won't open up for me, no comment.

gomango

Yes, that's a beauty.

I still have too many nice road bikes or I could see taking a pretty serious run at that one.

D1andonlyDman

In those days (pre 1980s), De Rosa didn't have models - they just made "road" and "track", and each one was semi-custom or fully custom. They really only expanded into making standardized models in the early 1980s. BTW, De Rosas from the 1970s are much rarer than later ones, and you might not get them to move that much on price. Mid to late 1980s De Rosas are much easier to find, and tend to sell for less - but if the seller thinks his bike is from the 1980s, I wouldn't tell him it was earlier - it makes it more valuable.

Bikerider007

Great info, thank all of you for the help. I'm getting close to a decision and will post up if I pull the trigger on one of these.

ramzilla

Don't forget about the humble unloved Bottecchia. Considered the Schwinn of Italy by many. Look for top of the line models like the Professional with Columbus SLX tubing & Campagnola components. They're very nice bikes.

Bikerider007

The DeRosa it is. I have made payment and can't wait to get my hands on it!

gomango

Congrats.

Please do a thread when you receive the bike and include many, many fotos.

satbuilder 

Coming in late to this conversation, but you made the right choice. That Colnago has been up on CL for a really long time. Number stamps on dropouts are meaningless, and it's a Super, not a Mexico.
Congrats!

Bikerider007

Thank you, I'll get something up this weekend.

Good to hear, when repechage mentioned the Campagolo decal it helped me decide. I was not real fond of that and the top tube paint looked very worn. I don't mind some patina on a nice bike but it was more than I cared for.

You guys really helped but my wife thinks she picked the bike. She decided based on the heart on fork.

satbuilder 

Best if you let her keep thinking that. You'll probably catch the disease like the rest of us and bee looking for another bike sooner than you think....

D1andonlyDman

I realize this post is likely a day too late to be much use to the OP, but I just physically checked out the following Tommasini in San Diego, and I'd say that it's certainly in the same overall class as the three bikes that Bikerider007 was looking at, except unlike those 3, this one is being offered at, IMHO, a much more reasonable price. It's also a couple of CM smaller than the bikes that he was looking at. I'd have bought this myself, except I already own a nearly identical Tommasini frame as one of my main bikes, and I just bought a very similar De Rosa as well.

Tommasini Prestige Columbus SLX tubes Campagnolo Athena Classic Eroica C-Record

gomango

I like Tommasinis just fine, but that one isn't in the same category as a 70s De Rosa.

Not a valid comparison.

D1andonlyDman

Not much C&V is in the same category as a '70s De Rosa, but that Tommasini is certainly a notably better value at it's asking price than the Colnago, or the not complete, partially Shimano 600-equipped Pinarello the OP was also looking at. I'd also point out that SLX is a slightly better tubeset than the SL or SP that any '70s De Rosa would have been made from, prior to having been subject to Ugo's artisanship.

gomango

I was directly talking about the De Rosa the op purchased.

As for the SLX being "better" than SL, I don't necessarily agree.

I've owned SL and SLX framed De Rosas.

I actually prefer the ride qualities of the SL framed bike. I still have a SLX frameset here and it is one of the stiffest framesets I have ever ridden.

It climbs like a mountain goat.

That has its place, but not so much on a distance ride for example.

The SL framed De Rosa I owned was a 1979 and I should have kept it.

The new owner wanted it just a little more than I did.

It's ride characteristics were in my sweet spot, for sure.

FWIW I am likely building (with Chrome Molly's expert help) a SLX framed Sintesi this winter with a mix of 8 speed Chorus and Record. It is a lovely frameset with excellent ride characteristics.

[IMG]DSCN1304 by gomango1849, on Flickr[/IMG]

D1andonlyDman

I would agree that SL has a slightly more comfortable, less stiff ride characteristic than SLX, all else being equal, but the fact is, most builders, including De Rosa and Tommasini, consider SLX to be somewhat better on balance, even if negligibly so. Tommasini basically moved fully over to SLX from SL by 1987, and De Rosa did in 1988 or 89.

And BTW, I prefer the ride characteristics of my SL-made De Rosa over my SLX Tommasini, but not by much, and I tend to ascribe most of the difference to the respective wheel sets on the two bikes, not the frame materials.