How old is my De Rosa?
 

Hello fellow forum members. Recently I acquired a bike build around De Rosa frameset build with Columbus SL. The bike was build with mix of Campagnolo Record parts from different generations (ex. 10 speed crankset and wheelset but Nuovo Record FD and 8 speed 1st gen ergos). What came to my attention is that the frame was repainted at some time. The job was done by Betsy East Haddam, Connecticut - theres a sticker at the back of the seat tube. The previous owner was a 73 years old ex-racer who owned the bike for 25 years.

Since I got the frame I've been trying to date it as accurately as possible. Ive read Hilary Stones "De Rosa timeline" and it gave me some idea about its age, but I've decided to ask and see if you knowledgable folks can help me to narrow it down even farther.

Here's what I've got so far:
1) Front dropouts are Campagnolo. I don't know about rear, possibly paint got into stamp. However rear dropout is drilled for porta catena. This should put this frame at 1977 or older.
2) Lugs are pressed, short pointed, no engravings. Cast lugs were introduced in 1979/80.
3) Fork crown is flat with engraved and filled heart. Fork tangs are V shaped and filled, those started to appear around 1976.
4) Gear cables are routed above the BB. There are only two slots and two hearts (one in the DT tang and one in the ST tang - behind BB). That's kind of unusual, all information I found was mentioning either 4 or 6 slots in the BB.
5) There are 2 water bottle fittings. I thought late 70s frames usually had only 1, ST fitting started appearing later in the 80s.

So I think it's a 77-79 frame. However fittings for 2 bottle cages don't really go with it. What do you guys think about it? For how long was Campagnolo experimenting with porta catena and for how long were frames drilled for it? Does anyone know anything of the shop that did the repaint?

Here are some photos you might find helpful:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img923/4928/f6U4bw.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img923/835/qojey8.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img923/1613/NNhykQ.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img923/1918/INhlnb.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img923/6404/SdQGOb.jpg

All the best
Paweł

I don't know the DeRosa bikes, but over the BB and chainstay cable guides, brazed brake housing guides and horizontal drops seem to indicate a 1975 to 1980 time frame. The brake guides suggest the later end of that range, the BB guides, earlier though many Italian builders kept those guides after the under the BB guides and rear derailleur cable runs became popular. The lugs - no idea. I would have expected long point Prugnats (sp) to be consistent with the rest, but then,l I don't know DeRosa.

I wouldn't be shocked it this frame was as late as '82.

Ben

I would say you are right on which fits the portacatena. The bottle bosses were most likely added when it was painted as this fits 77'-79'. And the decals may not be original, for a few years,until about 79' they had the "D" in the heart on the head tube. Then a few years without but in the same position. After that they were 45-90degrees out so the second bottle would not cover them. The transition to castlugs was late 79' or 80' and the seat post clamp swooped up on those. There is also some info out there that states 80' had the star on the inside of the fork. Your fork appears to be the earlier than 80' due to that and the heart only, not stamped "De Rosa". 77' had some examples using clamp on brake cable guides and decal differences in some instances. The heart on the back of the BB was typical late 70's. Bottom bracket will probablyhave two slots if pre-80, 79-80' may have like 4 or 6 squares. Can't recall exactly. Might tell you if it's closer to 80' or 78'.

Jiminy Cricket! I think Funk and Wagnalls of De Rosa just stepped into the room..... :lol:

Hi Bikerider007, thank you for your input.

There are two slots on the BB. The more I think of it the more I believe that the frame is from 1977 (porta catena fittings, 2 slots, fork crown), but was repainted at some point and at that time someone added extra water bottle fittings and also used decals that were more typical for the 80s De Rosas.

Have anyone here seen frames younger then 1977 that had fittings for porta catena?

I realize i will never know exactly from what year the frame is and why or when it was repainted. However it's fun to try to pursue more and more knowladge about De Rosa bikes.

Not unless there really is time travel.
[MENTION=417491]Bikerider007[/MENTION] is dead on.

The painter way back was quite honest, using the Columbus respray graphic.

According to this page - Classic De Rosa - the engraving and two slots in the BB would indicate 1979-80.

LOL! I got on a cellphone roll! :D I did a lot of research and contacted De Rosa to find out about mine. I have a 78' and 80' (maybe 81') but lean to 80' as it has the star and other pieces overlap the year.

The 78' I have was verified as 78', it has the two slots, albeit he did say late 78'. I forgot about those slots years, so much changed in 80', but it seemed 77'-79' was the beginning.


Safe bet on this one, possible 78' but most likely be 79' as it has multiple things that don't make it an 80's and little to support 77'. Also, since repechage mentioned the respray decal, if that is the original decal style, that puts it more toward 79'.

Thank you Bikerider007, Choke and everyone else for help. I'm pretty convinced on this being 78-79 and that's that.

All the best!