# De Rosa Nuovo Classico



## greg75 (Feb 15, 2008)

Hi - here's a few shots of my new De Rosa Nuovo Classico...it just arrived from the other side of the country last night. The bike has been hastily reassembled so please no comments about the awkward set up of bars / saddle.

An unusual collection of parts here: C-Record brake levers and front derailleur, Veloce 9-speed rear derailleur, AC crankset, Dura Ace chainrings, Hope Titanium bottom bracket, Veloce (I think) friction shifters, Veloce single pivot brakes, Mirage headset, no name seat post, Flite saddle, ITM time trial bars and Shamals with Continental tubulars (and an 8 speed 11-18 straight block...eek!).

Pleasingly the bike arrived fastidiously packed. Sometimes you just get lucky. In the metal the bike was a lot better than the ebay photos suggested and it arrived absolutely unscathed by transit. The Shamals, in particular show hardly any wear, particularly on the front wheel. 

I've got plenty of ideas for set up going through my mind but it's a certainty that it won't be happening anytime soon...I used up a lot of brownie point on the initial purchase! There's a bit of work to do just detailing the bike as is and that will have to satisfy for the time being. Ultimately I think I will keep the Shamals for special occasions and replace with a more practical wheelset. Retaining the friction shifters appeals because I can run any wheelset with less hassles. The time trial bars will probably get replaced with Cinelli Giro d'Italia's. Not sure whether I can live with the crankset either (looks like a strange mating of a Super Record spider with a mountain bike crank arm). 

Cheers
Greg


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## iyeoh (Jan 6, 2005)

Awesome bike. I envy those Shamals; been looking for a few myself. Congratulations!


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## gomango (Aug 30, 2006)

Here's the good thing about using the brownie points. The bike is now yours and there is no time table to push for, just self imposed time deadlines. The brownie points will soon be forgotten and you can get down to the business of reinventing the bike the way you want it.

Buy your pieces slowly and you will probably be just fine. 

Or you can buy and build a Primato for your spouse like I did. Gives a fellow more leverage than he deserves! 

Nice bike. Build it up and show us the pictures. We love to see De Rosas!


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## stelvio1925 (Oct 29, 2008)

I see great potential for that bike, as you only need to replace a few critical parts to make it right. Enjoy the process and anticipation of the completed build. Congrats & keep us posted.


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## Uncle Grumpy (Jul 25, 2005)

Is that the one that was for sale in Perth?

If so, I saw that and went into raptures about it. I saw the tri set up and thought, what a waste, but there's a bike you could set up just perfect with a few parts. 

Nice bike! If you want to offload those cranks, they are bizarre enough for me to want them!

Grumps


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## greg75 (Feb 15, 2008)

Uncle Grumpy said:


> Is that the one that was for sale in Perth?
> 
> 
> Grumps


Yep, that's the one. Good to bump into another Australian here.


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## Uncle Grumpy (Jul 25, 2005)

I'm in Sydney myself.

Those ITM bars are crazy. Kind of remind me of the Cinelli Angel bars, which were also a nightmare to look at! 

I reckon a nice set of Record cranks, silver quilled stem and bars (3ttt, Cinelli, or ITM), black bar tape and either some 9 speed shifter/levers or new hoods for those brake levers.

I'd also paint fill the cut outs on the fork crown in a dark blue to make them pop out.

Sorry, this is your project, but when I see a steel De Rosa I get all enthusiastic!

Grumps


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## greg75 (Feb 15, 2008)

I was surprised just how radical the bars are when I saw them. They are extremely narrow, beautifully finished but hardly what you'd call graceful.

I am trying not to think too much about the bike because it really will be a long time until I can do anything, but

1. the Shamals will probably be converted to 9 speed and be special occasion wheels
2. ideally I'd like to go Record hub / Mavi Open Pro for wheels
3. the time trial bars will be swapped out. I have a De Rosa pantographed Cinelli 1A, but this needs 26.4 bars (rare these days)
4. seat post has to go for something prettier
5. would like to go fancy on brakes (monoplaner or late model delta)
6. probably won't go Ergo...digging the simplicity and versatility of friction
7. have not discounted the possibility of a _tasteful_ fixed gear conversion (don't worry, I wouldn't do anything permanent like grind off braze-ons!)

This is all a long way off...so I have to stop myself.

I am in Sydney too. There's not many steel De Rosa fans here.

Greg


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## gomango (Aug 30, 2006)

greg75 said:


> I was surprised just how radical the bars are when I saw them. They are extremely narrow, beautifully finished but hardly what you'd call graceful.
> 
> I am trying not to think too much about the bike because it really will be a long time until I can do anything, but
> 
> ...


There are plenty of steel De Rosa fans in Minnesota though! At least five or six of us! 

It will be fun to watch you go through the process with this bike.

Record/Open Pros are tough to beat.

That's what I am building for my Primato.

We went a little different direction with my wife's Primato, as she requested tubulars. 

We went with Mavic Reflex rims. She's had good luck with these over the years.

By the way, 26.4 Cinelli bars can be found. There is a local shop that has a few left in stock. I just looked into these for a fellow De Rosa owner/aficionado, and they were an incorrect width. So there they will sit. Maybe I'll just stop by there today and buy the rest of their stock.

Only the best though to your project. It will be well worth the wait.


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## splorty (Mar 22, 2010)

Very nice - they are a lovely ride, used to have one and always regretted selling it !!


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## nickillus (May 3, 2006)

Wow! That's sweet, man


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## splorty (Mar 22, 2010)

It was nice, the frame came NOS from a place in Germany called stiller radsport. Think he still has one or two. Alas I got an offer I could not refuse !


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## greg75 (Feb 15, 2008)

*...finally some progress*

I have finally got an update on the Nuovo Classico. Cleaned, polished and regreased everything and replaced the time trial bars (good riddance!) with some Giro d'Italias and a pantographed Cinelli 1A.


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## Uncle Grumpy (Jul 25, 2005)

Much improved!

Looks great. The panto'd stem sets it off nicely.

Grumps


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## paredown (Oct 18, 2006)

Just saw this 60cm Nuove Classico on eBay--$3300 on a BIN--with full Chorus 11, Record hubs and DT rims--

This is like the third bike that I have seen this week that absolutely gets my juices flowing...


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## Peanya (Jun 12, 2008)

That's just gorgeous! Those wheels sure look unique. I wonder if the shape makes the ride harsher. I'd use them just for the looks tho!


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## greg75 (Feb 15, 2008)

Peanya said:


> That's just gorgeous! Those wheels sure look unique. I wonder if the shape makes the ride harsher. I'd use them just for the looks tho!


Yes, the wheels are very harsh...Shamals are good lookers but not really practical.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

greg75 said:


> I have finally got an update on the Nuovo Classico. Cleaned, polished and regreased everything and replaced the time trial bars (good riddance!) with some Giro d'Italias and a pantographed Cinelli 1A.


Stunning. Very nice


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## High Gear (Mar 9, 2002)

Very nice. I used to love watching the pros use those wheels in the Tour. They would bounce the reflected light onto the pavement, causing a cool effect. BTW, what tubing did they use for your frame? Was it Columbus TSX?


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## gomango (Aug 30, 2006)

Excellent work.

Very nice to see her all finished up.


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## Uncle Grumpy (Jul 25, 2005)

You just need to get some nice Campy Record cranks to finish that off and fling those crazy AC cranks to me.

Something about those cranks just screams out "cyclocross frankenbike build".

Grumps


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## greg75 (Feb 15, 2008)

High Gear said:


> Very nice. I used to love watching the pros use those wheels in the Tour. They would bounce the reflected light onto the pavement, causing a cool effect. BTW, what tubing did they use for your frame? Was it Columbus TSX?


Mine is 'SLX New', but I have seen some in TSX. I suspect SLX New was a rename for TSX.


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## greg75 (Feb 15, 2008)

Uncle Grumpy said:


> You just need to get some nice Campy Record cranks to finish that off and fling those crazy AC cranks to me.
> 
> Something about those cranks just screams out "cyclocross frankenbike build".
> 
> Grumps


I need to do things slowly...cranks, seatpost, saddle, brakes and wheels are all waiting for upgrades...once I can rationalise more $$$.

The AC cranks are weird. They are so wide I feel like I am riding a horse.


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## foz (Sep 30, 2004)

a white regal would look great on that bike!


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Beautiful. I bet you could sell the Shamals and get enough to buy some Open Pros that would ride and look much better.


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