KonAaron Snake 

Well - I changed the stem (notice it has the C logo?), cleaned it a bit, added the bottles, changed pedals (sorry, SPDs) and put on new tires.

I was wondering - and I'm NOT complaining - did the C logo on the stem fall off during transit, or was it missing? Please don't worry about it! I had an extra stem laying around.

Ecrevisse

Must have fallen off.

KonAaron Snake 

I figured. NOT A BIG DEAL!

Ecrevisse

I sent you and email about the pedals.

bikingshearer 

Gorgeous Primato (and yes, that's redundant).

Why the lust for De Rosas? Beautiful looking design. Great performing design. Drop-dead gorgeous looks. Impecible pedigree. What else could you ask for?

My two main rides currently are a 1986 De Rosa Professional (SLX, probably with an SPX downtube as I am a Big Boy) and a 1982-ish Ron Cooper. I don't know what the Cooper is built with. Both are set up almost exactly the same in terms of position and components (including tires) and both are termendous rides.

The De Rosa is quintessentially Italian. It is sexy, calls attention to itself, and feels like it is urging me to give just a little bit more. Instant response without sacrificing straight-line stability. At the same time, it is not at all a harsh ride. It wants to run, and it makes you want to run with it.

The Cooper is quintessentially British. Understated elegance. Does not call attention to itself. Does anything and everything you ask of it, and right now. It rides the way the best British butler butles - takes care of your every want and whim, often before you have formed the thought, and does it quietly, efficiently and without a hint of wasted effort. It wants to serve, giving the rider the confidence of knowing it can and will handle anything you want to do, from taking it easy to out-of-the-saddle bashing to set a personal best up Alpe d'Huez.

They are both very responsive, not at all twitchy on descents, good climbers (as opposed to the rider, who makes bigbossman look like a polka-dot jersey contender) and good distance rides. If it is going to be a 50+ mile ride on beat-up pavement, I will usually pick the Cooper (although if the Cooper is not available for some reason, I will not hesitate to go on the De Rosa). For anything else, it's a game-time decision.

I have a 1978 Eisentraut A coming back from getting painted soon. I can hardly wait to compare it to these two keepers.

Another note - I ride big frames - 62cm to 65 cm. Not all builders make good-riding large frames. De Rosa does.

-holiday76

Hey Rivendell does too!


That's the same size frame I ride, and it's great to get some feedback from someone else riding that size De Rosa As there don't seem to be a lot of them.

Thanks for the feedback.

oh crap, I'm not supposed to be posting in this thread...

fender1

Pot stirrer....just can't leave well enough alone can you?

bikingshearer 

I don't doubt it, since Grant Petersen is big on using tubing approrpiate for the intended rider's size and weight. I do not own a Riv bike, and I have not drunk the proverbial Kool-Aid, but I have purchased a fair amount of stuff from Rivendell over the years (I love their Nitto Noodle bars, for example) and like that GP stirs the pot instead of just blindly accepting every new gizmo as the best simply because it is new. It is not a bad thing to have someone encouraging riders to think about what works for them instead of simply accepting the latest marketing hype.

As to the whole Riv "cult" thing, there are a bunch of other "cults" out there. At the risk of starting a whole new level of flaming, the name "Confente" leaps to mind. Take a look at the C&V thread titles. You'll see that there are folks who are nutso about Paramounts, PX-10s, UO-8s, Raleighs, Carltons, Rudges, and scads of others. Some I get, some I don't. In any event, the De Rosa "cult" is pretty tame compared to some.

And that Primato is still crazy-sexy-gorgeous. Betcha it rides pretty damn well, too.

KonAaron Snake 

The problem I'm having is that I'm not sure how much I'm feeling is the tires and how much is the frame. I literally feel like I'm floating. I'm seriously considering changing the Marnati over right now - the difference is, WOW.

-holiday76

Which tires? I need some new ones for my Bianchi and I'm not sure what to get.

KonAaron Snake 

Holiday - these are the Continental GP 4000 tubulars. From what I hear, there are tubulars that ride even better. If you're looking for a clincher, I heartily reccomend what GMG and OFG rec'd to me - the Veloflex Masters.

I've ridden tubulars before and never thought the difference with clinchers was that great. Maybe I rode crappy tubulars, because this is night and day.

-holiday76

I actually felt the same way in my limited experience with tubulars.

Are the Masters different from the paves? I thought that was the tire you mentioned before seemed like it flatted easily?

KonAaron Snake 

I had the records, which were crazy thin. I haven't flatted the masters yet and I have about 300-400 miles on them. The records would have had 8 flats in that time span. The Masters were the same as the paves according to others. The records also didn't really feel that wonderful, but I had 20c, which was a large part of it.

photogravity

As much as I love the stunning red on that De Rosa, the colouring of the cats is even nicer. Oh, and what are your longer-term plans to put an internal gear hub on the bike?

KonAaron Snake 

I would like to build up an internally geared bike again, but I'd want the Rohloff for the QR wheels, and it's insanely expensive. I also spoke with some folks, and apprently the frame has to be specifically set up for the Rohloff to be QR. I was thinking about building a Surly Pugsley with a Rohloff, but I'm back to external gears for that build.

Some day, when I hit the lottery or a major promotion, I'm going to build a sports touring/rando style, ti frame custom Spectrum with a Rohloff and couplers. Tubus ti racks, Paul touring cantis, Schmidt generator hub. I WILL NOT USE 650B WHEELs.

fender1

650A then?

KonAaron Snake 

640x.

fender1

650/651...whatever it takes to get the job done....

bigbossman 

I was told by Someone Who Knows that if I was going to give tubulars a try, it would be a waste of time to try them out on cheap tires. The advice was to buy good one's, or stick to clinchers. I bought good ones. I've yet to ride a cheap tubular, and based on the ride I'm experiencing I doubt I ever will - unless I cut a tire and have to run for the barn on my spare.

BTW - took my De Rosa out for a spin yesterday, mostly downhill from the condo. In the first twelve miles I had three roll-outs over 45mph. The descents were so smooth on that bike with the tubulars that I thought there was something wrong with a tire.

Ended up with ~45 miles, 1500 or so ft of climbing, and a cumulative drop in elevation of about 4500'. The last descent was a 10+ mile run down to Round Valley, on a smoothly paved gently ess'ing road that overlooked the eastern scarp of the Sierra.
Nevada.... with not one car in sight. Friggin' awesome.

ColonelJLloyd 

Ahahaha!

KonAaron Snake 

That dude seems to know his stuff, eh? It's nice to know you understand what I'm talking about with the tubulars being a revalation. I rode the Marnati to work this morning and I was thinking I have to change it. DAMN.

He also seems to be right about the Girardi - it's not bugging me like the white regal did.

JunkYardBike

You think tubulars are nice, you should try 42mm 650B Hetres. Like floating on clouds, and they are NOT slow. Plus, you won't get your wheel stuck in a storm drain grate.

KonAaron Snake 

I don't think any of my bikes would take a 42c tire. The koga might wo fenders, the poprad probably not. It does sound interesting.

bigbossman 

You'd have to join a different cult for 42c tires, and we'd have to kick you out of ours.

Choose.... but choose wisely.

JunkYardBike

Ya think maybe the handling of a De Rosa shines in mountainous regions like Arizona, California and Nevada, on those long smooth descents, but might make absolutely no difference on long flats or the erratic hills of the northeast? There are very few descents in this area where I can hit 40+, and where there are, they don't go on for miles. Usually, it's a steep climb up one side of a ridge, then a descent on switchbacks and crappy, potholed pavement. For the riding near me, 650B 42mm tires make a world of difference. I won't ride anything smaller than 28c, but prefer no smaller than 32c. Can a De Rosa fit that size tire?

Different tool for different region and riding style?

The one problem many have with some Rivendell disciples, and which I have as well, is that they will not merely extol the perceived virtues of their equipment and riding preferences, but will cut down others who don't share the same cycling 'lifestyle'. Unfortunately, there are a couple De Rosa fans on this board who use the same tactic by ridiculing and cutting down riders of bikes they perceive as inferior. I understand that is also goes the other way, but it all seems kind of silly to me.

Ride yer friggin' bike.