My First Italian Bike De Rosa

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Moderators: MrCurrieinahurry, maxim809, Moderator Team

Comanche_man
Posts: 84
Joined: Fri Dec 01, 2006 4:14 am
Location: U.S.

by Comanche_man

So my bike addiction continues. This bike came about thanks to a bike I bought back in 2008. I bought for a couple hundred bucks a 2006 Specialized Allez comp. This wasn't the normal Allez though. This was the Steel Columbus tubed steel bike they made in small quantities. I sold that bike for a hefty profit to build the wheels for my then new CAAD 9. Of course a few months later I missed that bike A LOT. I mean more than one should miss a Specialized. Steel frame, 1 1/8 fork, decent race geometry. It was the perfect everyday bike for me. So now this bike has come to replace it. It took 3 complete bikes to get here.

The SAGA:
So this bike began with me purchasing a Schwinn Paramount with full Campagnolo 10 speed and Chorus wheels from a pawn shop for an insane deal. I stripped the bike, sold the frame, fork, headset, and stem and kept anything that had the words Campagnolo on it. Total investment after eBay sales, about $100. Yes, I had gotten an entire Record 10s Carbon group for $100, with Chorus wheelset. I held onto the parts for about 10 months, constantly scouring eBay and bike forums looking for a then Specialized Allez Comp Steel frame to bolt them onto. All the ones the popped up were the wrong size. Then about 2 months ago I find a great deal on a Gunnar Crosshairs bike. Full bike with ultegra. It's Reynolds 853 so I think, the 853 frames are supposed to be great. At this point I plan on bolting all the Record onto it. I sell the Ultegra group and wheels for more than I payed for the entire bike and begin bolting the Record onto the Crosshairs. The bike looks like it will be great, but then I have second thoughts. The crosshairs is a cross bike, I don't ride cross, and I rather have a true road geometry frame. Around this same time, a riding friend has acquired a Colnago frameset and needs parts. Enter the DeRosa Primato. While doing my daily eBay searches I find the Primato. Full bike with Campagnolo Chorus 10 speed group. I talk to my friend and we agree to go half in on the bike. He takes the parts, I get the frame, fork, headset, and stem(too long for him), and handlebars. All parts and frame are in MINT condition. Cost is $1500 shipped. Not bad I think. I sell the Gunnar on eBay since I now have a great frame. With the sale of the Gunnar the DeRosa only cost me around $300 out of pocket. I will wait for the best deals, so I start hunting for the remaining parts needed to make the bike. This takes me to a few days ago when I got the final parts. Got and SLR for $45 on eBay, white KEO max's for $80 on eBay. I sold the ITM bars that came with the bike and bought some NOS 3TTT bars for $15. I bought a new Record chain, Campy cables and housing, bar tape, and a Cane Creek 100 headset at the bike shop to finish it off. I sold the KING headset that came with the bike because it was too flashy. Side note Record chains are expensive :). So for another installment of Comanche_man's budget weenie bike build seminar I present my ~$750 DeRosa Primato.

This is Weight Weenies after all, so the weights of everything.
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The pictures of course don't do it justice. The metallic blue paint looks amazing in person.
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Webbed Bottom Bracket
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Last edited by Comanche_man on Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
Current Weight Weenies:
Cannondale Evo HM (In Progress)
Cannondale CAAD 9 - 6.44kg
Cannondale CAAD 5 Track - 6.55kg
Kona Kula Supreme Mtb - 8.97kg

Other Bikes:
De Rosa Primato, 1988 Cannondale Criterium, Cannondale CAAD 8, Surly Steamroller, YETI ASR

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Wingnut
Posts: 2196
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2007 12:41 am

by Wingnut

Lovely bike! Horrible handlebars! :oops:

theoptician
Posts: 14
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 7:10 pm

by theoptician

Without a doubt the best looking bike I've ever seen on this forum - congratulations

MoPho
Posts: 767
Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2011 7:48 pm
Location: NorCal

by MoPho

Lovely, don't think I've seen one in that color before

Here is mine, though it is currently a single speed and mostly wall decoration

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Bought it new in 1995

locktopus
Posts: 165
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 3:47 pm

by locktopus

That stem is gorgeous.

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Timo
Posts: 1380
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2005 12:10 am
Location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands

by Timo

That's a very nice DeRosa. Did you consider classic tires instead of black ones?
And if I ever meet an aardvark, I'm going to step on its damn protruding nasal implement until it couldn't suck up an insect if its life depended on it.

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rico
Posts: 952
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2004 3:49 am
Location: Kingston, the heart of UK weenie-ism

by rico

I really don't care how much it weighs, that bike is beautiful.

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kgt
Posts: 8749
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 10:29 am
Location: Athens, Greece

by kgt

Comanche_man its perfect! Congrats. :thumbup:

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fa63
Posts: 2533
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 7:26 am
Location: Atlanta, GA, US

by fa63

rico wrote:I really don't care how much it weighs, that bike is beautiful.


+1.

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Powerful Pete
Moderator
Posts: 4132
Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2004 10:22 am
Location: Lima, Peru and the Washington DC area - it's complicated.

by Powerful Pete

rico wrote:I really don't care how much it weighs, that bike is beautiful.


+1

As a De Rosa man at heart, what else to add?
Road bike: Cervelo R3, Campagnolo Chorus/Record mix...
Supercommuter: Jamis Renegade...
Oldie but goodie: De Rosa Professional Slx, Campagnolo C-Record...
And you can call me Macktastik Honey Pete Kicks, thank you.

finner
Posts: 65
Joined: Mon May 28, 2007 11:02 pm

by finner

Both beautiful bikes, I'd love to see a few more pics of the red one.....sweet looking machine.

em3
Posts: 883
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 2:57 pm
Location: NYC

by em3

Very beautiful well balanced build. Even though I usually prefer a flat crown fork on these steel beauties, the stock DeRosa carbon fork looks great. And the Grammo stem along with other silver bits look really sharp. All you need now to complete the build is a Campy Ti seatpost.
EM3
______________

MoPho
Posts: 767
Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2011 7:48 pm
Location: NorCal

by MoPho

finner wrote:Both beautiful bikes, I'd love to see a few more pics of the red one.....sweet looking machine.



Thanks, I have a couple more shots of it, but no details at this time. I'll post them if it is ok with Comanche_man, I don't want to hijack his thread any more than I already did :oops:

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kgt
Posts: 8749
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 10:29 am
Location: Athens, Greece

by kgt

Athena group? No way. 10 speed Record is fine. And this crankset is a classic. I would only suggest another saddle like Regal or Concor or something like that.

mrfish
Posts: 1749
Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:49 pm
Location: Near Horgen, Switzerland

by mrfish

A+ EBAYER FAST PAYER

Great buys. I'm sure you could re-sell the bike again and after a few trades would be riding better bikes than all of us for a few $. I do like the bike as it is, especially the grammo stem. Maybe some traditional tyres, but no need to spend until you wear those out.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



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