DeRosa Idol -- experience -- seat mast

[Tommasini53]

Greetings,
I have an opportunity to purchase a DeRosa Idol. The frame has had some great reviews but curious if readers have any experience with this model.

Particularly, I'm curious about the integrated seat mast.
Have you experinced any problems with the system that tightens the mini-seat post in the mast??
Any problems cutting the seat mast?? (i'm an experienced mechanic and i've installed many carbon forks)

Any thoughts on the frame would be helpful.
thanks in advance. -adam :beer:

[1centaur]

My LBS said the screw hole was not directly centered and had to Dremel it to correct for that, but otherwise no problem since I have owned it. They had no problem cutting it, even though it was the first ISP they had cut.

I don't love that clamp design but it's not unusual on European bikes, just somewhat fiddly to dial saddle angle in on. If I was going to swap saddles constantly I would not want to do so on an Idol (or anything with that clamp design).

I have grown to appreciate my Idol as a comfortable bike. I like it much better with traditional wheels than with deep section CF or Fulcrum Zero wheels.

[weaponsgrade]

some posters on RBR had some problems w/the seat mast cracking.

[sspielman]

I have a Carrera with the same seatpost setup. The setup is made by Walther and several Italian makers use it. The setup comes with a cutting guide/jig to complete the job....It is important to use the jig properly or something will be out of kilter. I found the cutting operation more fiddly than some others, because in addition to getting the height correct, a hole has to be drilled on the back of the post. The jig is used to get this hole at the right distance from the top of the cut seatmast...There are two holes on the jig for this purpose...a small one for the pilot hole and a larger one to accomodate the fastening bolt. Once the cut and hole are complete, the setup allows for about 2-3 cm of adjustment. I have found the setup to be reliable and secure after installation.

[sspielman]

My LBS said the screw hole was not directly centered and had to Dremel it to correct for that, but otherwise no problem since I have owned it. They had no problem cutting it, even though it was the first ISP they had cut.

I don't love that clamp design but it's not unusual on European bikes, just somewhat fiddly to dial saddle angle in on. If I was going to swap saddles constantly I would not want to do so on an Idol (or anything with that clamp design).

I have grown to appreciate my Idol as a comfortable bike. I like it much better with traditional wheels than with deep section CF or Fulcrum Zero wheels.

To be clear about this, if the hole was off center, it was because the SHOP did it wrong, not DeRosa...the hole is drilled after the seatmast is cut...