Well, it sold for $2126. I believe the buyer is a member of the CR list. I know who it is, but don't know him personally.

I'm not a member there, too many rules, but I would be interested to see what the experts have to say.

On a related note, anyone know the reasoning behind killing bikelist.org?

Bumping this...

I know the new owner and he's commissioned me to do some drillium/cleanup work on the bike. Bad scratches on one of the panto brake levers, milled gear levers are bent and will require replacement, and he wants a De Rosa themed FD similar to the one I just sold on Ebay.

Does anyone have any (serious) questions I might be able to get answers to? I'm currently in the process of putting together the specifics and bottom line before he even ships me the parts.

I do know he's planning to have Ed Litton do a full-resto, as he did with the Pog project we worked on together.

DD

Don't know where I was when this thread was launched and in orbit, but I went after that bike pretty hard myself. Pretty rare, and well worth putting the effort into restoring, IMO.

obviously you were watching the auction and not bothering with all the blather here (and rightfully so).
If I had the scratch I would have been in for that one too.

Marty

All I can say is he did well with that bike. If I was a collector, I would have been in the hunt myself. Is he planing on riding it more than a couple times a year, or just holding it in his collection?

I have some De Rosa pantographed parts in similar condition (scratches, faded, flaking paint, bent levers). I plan to do some minimal clean-up, would love to see some before and after pictures...

If it had been my size, I would've taken a good run at it myself. Had I been successful, Ed Litton would have still got the work order.

Sure - PM me your email and if he ever gets ahold of me and starts this project (he can be rather flaky at times) I'll have some stuff to show you.

For those of you stating that was a good deal: really? I am forever hearing that "it's only original once" and all that, for one. For another, that thing looked REALLY bad. The pitting is surely going to require some filling - and would any of you use Bondo to fill in the pits on an early 70s De Rosa? He's going to easily put another grand into this bike, at least a couple hundred into my pocket and he still has to clean up the remainder of the components. Is someone going to lay out $3000+ on a restored early 70s De Rosa when the last couple genuine articles in fairly good original condition went begging at that amount?

Now, if the buyer is like me (in some cases) he's going to keep it for his very own. I know that was his Pog plan. In that case, the money will have been well spent in his eyes; he'll have what he wants. For everyone else, let's be honest: wouldn't it only be worth it to own for your own? Chances of recouping anything over the original investment plus restoration value are virtually nil.

In the buyer's defense, that was a frame worth saving - and it needed a good custodian. Personally, I'd have waited to spend my pennies on something I would not have to restore, but that's just because when I finally get my hands on a De Rosa I will be particular that it's original. My .02 for the record.

I'll duck now.

DD

Worth it as an act of stewardship - to preserve another example of a classic (arguably the classic Italian marque), given that examples of the time are not common, and given that they tend not to be built from a mold, since De Rosa was doing largely pro and custom stuff at the time. So in my case, neither for resale, nor purely based on personal interests either. I agree that original is preferable, and tend to go that route myself. I think $3000 is not out of line for a restored early 70's De Rosa, but also agree that recent examples from the era have gone for less (not sure why). In any case, bikes (and especially De Rosas from this period) are indvidual, and appeal to different people differently. I would have made an exception to my originality rule for this bike, had it been available at the price I was willing to pay, which was less than what it went for.

What he said ^^^^^^^.

That nicely repainted blue De Rosa track frameset fetched about $2500 recently, on eBarf, and that's 'just' a 1977ish track frameset....

I'm of the mind that this would have been a keeper for me, a bike to restore back
to the way it looked when it was new, and to be ridden. Now if that meant stripping
paint, filling pits and then repainting so be it. That bike deserves to be preserved.
In essence for me the price would have been worth it.

Marty

As a De Rosa owner I can understand the ideal behind restoring one from this era but I am just too cheap. Keep us updated DrilliumDude, I am very interested to see how she comes out.

Would those blue brake hoods have been hard to find back when this was on the road? They are really cool.

The imaged / auctioned bike is ready for new paint. Buying one that is "original" prevents the covering up of problems that might be beyond what one is willing to tolerate in the end. Controlling the restoration provides just that, control.
This era is not my favorite, I like the frames from a bit later with the short point lugs.

There is some overlap in lug point length, era-wise, but I hear you.

I hear you.

We simply don't have the time or money to throw into some of these projects.

I have two boys heading off to college in a few years and this is our priority.

The time will come when I can dig in with bicycle renovation like I have with my primary hobbies, but it certainly isn't right now.

Good points, everyone. Exactly the types of responses my post intended to elicit; I really did want to know why, with the "only original once" flag being flown so often, this one would be seen differently. And I got my answer Thanks!

And I'm with Grady for now: don't have that kinda money to throw at a restoration. I used to average one frame every year. Not until next June at the earliest unless I can unload my Supercorsa.

DD