De Rosa UD

Price Paid:  $575.00 at ebay

Favorite Ride:
Derosa UD

Bike Setup:
Look HSC4 SL fork, Campy Record components.

Summary:
The Derosa UD is by far the lightest and stiffest road frameset I have owned and I have owned 30+ road bikes. It is a harsh ride but I like it because it climbs like a rocket on or off the saddle. I has never felt noodle like and maybe beacuse I weigh in at 149 LBS.

Strengths:
Excellent climber, excellent paint and looks.

Weaknesses:
No weaknesses that I have found yet.

Similar Products Used:
Derosa Planet, C40 HP, Morgul bismark

Price Paid:  $0.00

Bike Setup:
Campy record

Summary:
I bought the frame because I got a good deal on it and thought I'd use it for a training bike. After about 1000 miles I can't get used to how the thing feels - harsh while in the saddle but also like a noodle when putting any kind of pressure on the handlebars. Almost like the top tube was non-existant. My Merak is a much better bike.

Strengths:
The welds are impeccable.

Weaknesses:
It feels like a wet noodle when in the saddle. The bottom bracket doesn't sway much but the feel is just wrong. I love my Merak but the UD I'd like to replace. It's not as soft as you would think on rock-chip roads either. The metal also dents very easily

Similar Products Used:
DeRosa Merak, Klein quantum,

Price Paid:  $1400.00 at La Bicicletta, Toron

Favorite Ride:
Mallorca, Spain

Bike Setup:
Campy 10, FSA cranks bars and stem, CAT brakes, speedplay X1, FRM carbon hub tubulars. ....... 14.5 lbs

Summary:
Awesome looking bike [light silver] that is ideal for climbing and flying around slow to medium speed corners. Not so ideal for high speed descents or fast group rides as the front headtube flexes and the bike wobbles all over the place. This was a project bike built to 14.5 lbs and the front end was the only let down. Note - I'm 165 lbs which within the weight range for this tubeset, the flexing headtube was strange as the bottom bracket and back-end felt great. Campy Record internal headset failed after 1 day causing the frame to contact the fork [paint chips flying]. Replaced it with an FSA unit which works perfectly. Semi slope design in a 52 felt perfect and was easy to get to fit me at 6'

Strengths:
Beautifull welds and exterior paint finish. Fully painted Mizuno fork. Great feel from the bottom bracket and the back end.

Weaknesses:
Primer coat doesn't adhere to the frame so your beautifull silver paint chips off with the slightest hit. Supplied internal Record headset failed and caused the fork to hit the headtube [more chips]

Similar Products Used:
Colnago Titanio and CT1, Look 381i Team

Price Paid:  $3000.00 at La Bicicletta, Toron

Favorite Ride:
Firstly, the correct spelling is, favourite. Riding the Dolomites, or the British Columbia Rockies.

Bike Setup:
De Rosa 52cm 'sloping' frame, with De Rosa full carbon fibre fork.
Campagnolo 10 speed group throug

Summary:
(The previous 'fields' do not allow comment and therefore add the following before I begin the review...$3000 Canadian Dollars for frame, fork and Campag headset. And it should read 'RETIRED' road racer.)

I raced for almost thirty years and I have ridden dozens of different bicycles. Admittedly, most were custom built and therefore the fit was generally uncompromised. Only since I retired from racing have I purchased 'off-the-peg' frames (my last four). Of the four, the De Rosa is the finest. Although the head tube is a bit short (for my current needs....it would have been perfect had I still raced) the ride is unlike all other aluminium frames I have ridden. It is stiff, but the sloping (slooping in DeRosa terminology) frame imparts a distict advantage over traditional geometry. The long Campagnolo carbon fibre seat post certainly helps isolate road shock, but does not impart a 'disconnnected' feel. Descending at speed has an almost 'steel' feel to it, although one can not mistake the ride for anything but alloy.
In short extremely light, fantastic colour choice (looks very 'down-to-business' and the sloping geometry feels excellent.

Strengths:
Workmanship is the best in an alloy frame I have seen. It is virtually impossible to see a 'weld', as the radii are very smooth and tapered at the tube junctions. Even at the BB junction which is very hard to access, the filing and sanding is inpeccable. The finish makes Cannondale and other so-called smooth welded frames look sloppy in comparison.
The other strength is it's weight. I would not recommend choosing a frame for it's weight, as with that usually comes compromises. I have found none. At 965 grammes (I weighed it myself....size 52) it is stunning and hard to believe...especially when I remember having custom made Columbus 'Record' straight .5mm thick tubing bikes weighing twice that and riding like they were made from bamboo. This bike transfers energy like my Colnago Dream, but is lighter, livelier and much more comfortable.

Weaknesses:
The seat collar. The original kept sliding off. A Campagnolo collar cured the problem.
Secondly, the paint finish. Although the colour is fantastic...matte black, with a cobalt blue accent strip... it is difficult to keep clean. The 'feel' of the 'soft' paint is unique and quite sensuous, but I surmise it is that finish that enables dust to settle. But to be frank, one of the things I like most about the frame, is the paint colour and finish and I was prepared to live with it.

Similar Products Used:
My first 'sloping' geometry bike, but I have since purchased another with similar geometry, but far less costly, which feels a bit softer, but 'remote' and certainly not as lively.
A carbon C40 rode