De Rosa Experts
 

Any of the De Rosa experts have any idea of the significance of the Black Heart on this De Rosa up for auction? Citoyen du Monde do you have any idea?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...E:B:EF:US:1123

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_yN4-Z85dhz0/Sc...EROSA13-vi.jpg

James Bond version, with hidden weapon systems?

That's a very interesting and, IMO, desirable frame (if it fits you). One thing to keep in mind about De Rosas is that they were a smaller producer well into the 1970's, and many of their frames were still custom when Colnago was making cookie-cutter bikes. Details tend to vary quite a bit even from bike to bike, much less year to year. The frame has the desirable pressed lugs and appears to have the soughth-after heart cutouts - at least in the seatlug. While it has braze-ons for the cable guides and shifters, it retains the longer Campagnolo dropouts. Assuming it's original, I would guess it's from about 1975 or so. De Rosas from that period are definitely not dime-a-dozen. I'm wondering if the black decals weren't created specifically to go on the white frames, since the more usual yellow would not show well. It creates a rather stark but unified color scheme. Perhaps it was a team bike of some kind.

Thank goodness it doesn't fit me, and I'm done! Just trying to expand my info base.

Wow, that bike looks beat to sh$t and for over $700?

Yeah, at least two people "get it": the seller and the current high bidder.

I really like it, and it fits me, but not for $700.

I may be wrong, but my hunch is it's not done yet.

What is that currently in yen? ;)

just south of 100K yen.
But I don't see this as a japanese collector frame, its not french.

But I could see a certain New England collector jumping on this one.

could the braze-ons be add ons an older frame?

Marty

The other night I saw a late '70's Colnago Super frame go for over $1600. I would expect this to go for at least that, due to the rarity.

Luckily it doesn't fit me and right now I have enough projects.

Japanese collectors love De Rosas and Cinellis.

ok, so maybe thats why I can't find a 1969 De Rosa in 55cm frame. . .(haha).

Hmmm, 52 is the bottom of my size range -- but this old girl needs an expensive new wardrobe to be taken out on the town! Gonna be wayyyyyy over $700 by the time we're done!

BTW, caterham, I'm not sure she's been hit.

Matching wrinkles in the top and downtube tube paint is hit enough for me.

-Kurt

I thought maybe that was just part of what made that particular paint and decal scheme so, you know, custom.

wow, i would never have noticed that. are those definitely "wrinkles" though? they looks like scratches to my untrained eye.

That cracked paint helps explain the probable replacement fork, the DeRosas from this era all head painted forks, chrome crown, but painted below.

The Blackheart would be best for a Kiwi.

On this one, just smile and wave in amazement.

Shame, really. Darn neat bike otherwise.

I always ask the cat man, he has an amazing eye towards detail.

For a De Rosa from that era, with those braze-ons, I think the chrome fork is plausible.

You're still as funny as you were in '07.

-Kurt

First time poster, friend of old fat guy, who looks 20 years younger than he is and is certainly not fat. THe curmudgeon part however, fits him to a tee. I emailed the seller and he is, in broken english, insisting that the frame is not damaged, just the paint. I pointed to the same pix that Caterham is referencing; I hope the bidder knows what he is getting. Caveat emptor.

b21

Driving home from work, it suddenly occurred to me that the headtube decal on that frame is wrong. And it is.

All of the decals are subtly different than any decals I see at Classic Rendezvous or Mark Bulgiers
site. Older version? he has a mid to late 70's catalog which already shows the fatter font and the
ribbon below the heart on the head-tube.
Does anyone have pictures of late 60's early 70's De Rosa frames?

marty

edit: this is killing me, from what I can tell, 1972 De Rosa did Not have the heart cutout on
the fork crown, One 73 model I've seen did, and another did not. None of the early 70's frames
show cable guides. I see mixed BB cutouts, some hearts some 6 ovals. None show the Rose in Heart
logo on a diamond, all have the ribbon with De Rosa in it.

Picchio Special,

That's what intrigued me at first glance with this bike. The decals certainly seem to be authentic, but very different. A tribute bike or built as a memorial bike to/for someone?

It's really a shame about the frontal impact, because I think the frame would clean up nicely.