De Rosa Idol

[caleb]

Interesting write-up on De Rosa's new Idol (http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=5277).

Anyone have one? Opinions?

Anyone gone through the custom ordering process?

[PoppaWheelie]

I did a double-take at the photo of the "atmospherically controlled room". Looks like the dude in the back is puffing a cig. "How Italian" I thought...then realized it was a bike in the background. Too bad...

[Grant McLean]

I have a King Xlight

Great bikes, they should be on everyone's short list.
It mystifies me why there isn't more hype about these bikes.

-g

[1centaur]

see my comments in this thread:

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22733&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0


They would not agree to add a little length to the TT without raising the length of the HT to the next bigger size - very stupid of them I thought - so I ordered stock (and stock is monocoque while custom is tube-to-tube). Different wheels do different things for the bike - I view it now as a comfortable bike with nice handling, but not light enough to be a top tier selection and not stiff enough to be a sprinter's special. I went to handbuilt wheels to keep the weight down and maximize comfort.

For pez, I thought that review was damning with faint praise.

[velosport]

The frames "look" good but technology wise they are pretty low for a carbon frame. I think the Italians are having a difficult time with the technology driven carbon market. They like to make beautiful bikes (Tango aside) but their build quality is not top notch nor have they invested in building bikes that push the limits.
I've had a Colnago C50 which rode wonderfully was pretty to look at but was some what lacking in quality control and fairly heavy. I still have a Scott Addict LTD the quality is perfect, super light and rides very well. It's an amazing frameset but I don't love it like my custom steel bikes or Ottrott but it's a classic example of a German design group pushing the envelope of bike design. It's made in Tawian but they are flat out making the best carbon bikes.

[caleb]

They would not agree to add a little length to the TT without raising the length of the HT to the next bigger size

Shoot, that's exactly what I would have wanted - small headtube, medium toptube.

[Grant McLean]

see my comments in this thread:

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22733&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0



Just wondering if you still think it's slower than your other bikes?
I've never heard of a comment like this before.

-g

[Grant McLean]

The frames "look" good but technology wise they are pretty low for a carbon frame. I think the Italians are having a difficult time with the technology driven carbon market. They like to make beautiful bikes (Tango aside) but their build quality is not top notch nor have they invested in building bikes that push the limits.
I've had a Colnago C50 which rode wonderfully was pretty to look at but was some what lacking in quality control and fairly heavy. I still have a Scott Addict LTD the quality is perfect, super light and rides very well. It's an amazing frameset but I don't love it like my custom steel bikes or Ottrott but it's a classic example of a German design group pushing the envelope of bike design. It's made in Tawian but they are flat out making the best carbon bikes.

I find it very funny that you like your steel bikes,
but Italian carbon bikes are too low tech!

High tech sucks! :banana:

-g

[caleb]

see my comments in this thread

Thanks, any idea what the talk of a new sub-1000g frame on the thread is about?

[Grant McLean]

Thanks, any idea what the talk of a new sub-1000g frame on the thread is about?

I think you'll find that most Serotta fans don't care too much about weight.
An Ottrott is like 1300-1500 grams, who cares if it's sub 1kg?

-g

[caleb]

I think you'll find that most Serotta fans don't care too much about weight.
An Ottrott is like 1300-1500 grams, who cares if it's sub 1kg?

-g
True, but lots of people on this board don't even own a Serotta, myself included.

[ergott]

I thought this was a contest to see who sings better in the factory.

It's getting close to that time!

[1centaur]

Just wondering if you still think it's slower than your other bikes?
I've never heard of a comment like this before.

-g

It's not just the engine.

[Buzz]

What happened to Italian workmanship? That just looks like a bunch of glue and electrical tape. Kind of sloppy no? Nothing like the carbon stuff I saw being painstakingly crafted in Saratoga.

[velosport]

The electrical tape =frame jig. The atmosherically controlled room = no smoking.

[Blue Jays]

The integrated seat tube is pretty darn cool. I would have to get accustomed to the notion of only having 2 centimeters of adjustment! Fit the bike carefully, that's for sure.

[swoop]

italy is italy. some of the best stuff in the world ever built is in italy. and it was built by guys like this. you can't worry about the appearance of the process in a culture that makes beauty from chaos and doesn't really work on a clock. it aint a sausage factory.

[swoop]

which seems more honest than...

[Blue Jays]

I think that might be Eddie Van Halen's cousin playing the bicycle-shaped guitar above! Both would probably enjoy rocking a DeRosa...

http://www.beverlyhillspeople.com/EddieVanHalen/Eddie-Van-Halen-Guitar.jpg

[Climb01742]

It's not just the engine.

heretic!!



:D

[sspielman]

...I don't care if they made the carbon DeRosa's in the Marlboro factory, the results speak for themselves. To borrow a phrase from DBRK, in the world of frames, deRosa only has peers...(and damn few of those....)