Product Description
Lovely unrestored De Rosa Professional complete bicycle from somewhere 1977-1979. 1970's De Rosas are still quite rare, production didn't really ramp up until the 1980's. This was their top model in this era. Ugo De Rosa provided Eddy Merckx with many of his race bikes from 1973 to 1978, and during that time he mentored Eddy. Thus when Eddy released his first retail bike the 1977 Merckx Corsa Extra it was a very close clone of this era De Rosa Professional with Merckx branding.
I've been unable to nail down the exact date, but this one is identified as between 1977 and 1979 by the shorter seatstay caps w/ De Rosa logo, De Rosa heart logo with two long-shaped cutouts on tangs, BB shell with heart cutout and smaller heart on tang, heart pantograph lugs, and heart decals w/ "D" inside and double diamond under. The rear derailleur is dated 1975 and crank is undated "strada" and was original equipment (Italian builders in this era used whatever parts were on the shelf without much regard to date codes and parts being a few years older was common...Date codes can't be newer though). The only non-original equipment on this bike is the 3ttt Record stem (should have been Cinelli 1A) and the Nuovo Record brakes are oddly standard reach where they should be short reach (pads are all the way up and do contact the rims pretty close to where they should)
Condition
Excellent used shape with fully original finish and decals. Zero dents. Paint is glossy and deep with quite minimal wear, decals practically mint. The only spots of more noticeable imperfections is the driveside chainstay's inner/top surface has a big section of worn off paint (almost looks like sweat wear or something?) and some paint wear around the bottle cage braze ons from cage contact plus some wear bottom of top tube and bb. Otherwise only very light paint imperfections not worth noting. Components are largely great to excellent used condition. Original gum hoods are pretty close to mint, supple and untorn. Clement tubulars are supple without cracking and show minimal/zero wear (thus likely not original to the bike but period correct). Rare Cineili Unicanitor #2 suede with CINELLI in block lettering on rear is almost mint. Rear derailleur has a bit of road rash. Crank is almost mint, and unscraped arm ends! Cotton tape has grease stains on rear-facing section of hooks, they were in contact with the chain when it got shipped to me.
Details
- Frame: Columbus SL steel
- Full Campagnolo Nuovo Record gruppo
- Wheelset: Fiamme red label + Campagnolo Nuovo Record low flange
- Crankset: Campagnolo Nuovo Record, 170mm x 53/46t, yellow fill on spider
- Handlebars: Cinelli Giro D' Italia, old logo crest/shield
- Stem: 3ttt Record, 95mm
- Tires: Clement Servizio Corse tubular
- Saddle: Cinelli Unicanitor no. 2 suede with CINELLI on rear in block letters (RARE version)