# De Rosa Giro d'Italia



## george kraushaar (Jan 15, 2007)

What do you all know about a relatively recent steel De Rosa Giro d'Italia (orange with chrome front lugs) frameset? This one is in beautiful shape, but has mixed Campy/Shimano parts. I'm not so worried about the parts (that can be remedied) as I am about the basic frame value. As you know, I'm a commited steel man. I have a Gunnar Roadie and Waterford Paramount. Would this bike be a step up from those, or just look prettier?


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## greg75 (Feb 15, 2008)

*fwiw...*

Do you know what tubing it has? Columbus EL-OS?

I splurged on a 1995 De Rosa Primato in EL-OS in May last year and I have absolutely no regrets. It is a wonderful, lively, responsive, comfortable ride. If the Giro d'italia is anything like the Primato I would give it the big thumbs up.

Also, if you are anything like me, don't discount the satisfaction you'll get out of having a delightful looking bike. My bike is red with chrome head lugs. I reckon De Rosa's are pretty special to begin with, so throw in chrome lugs and you have something you'll never tire of looking at.


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## TWB8s (Sep 18, 2003)

I was liking this one at the NAHMBS


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## george kraushaar (Jan 15, 2007)

I think I'm going to go for it. The seat tube is 1cm longer than I normally ride but the top tube is the proper length. Sometimes it's hard to get picky on used bikes which only become available on rare occasions


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## Guest (Mar 5, 2009)

greg75 said:


> Do you know what tubing it has? Columbus EL-OS?
> 
> I splurged on a 1995 De Rosa Primato in EL-OS in May last year and I have absolutely no regrets. It is a wonderful, lively, responsive, comfortable ride. If the Giro d'italia is anything like the Primato I would give it the big thumbs up.
> 
> Also, if you are anything like me, don't discount the satisfaction you'll get out of having a delightful looking bike. My bike is red with chrome head lugs. I reckon De Rosa's are pretty special to begin with, so throw in chrome lugs and you have something you'll never tire of looking at.




Nice bike.


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## tailwinder (Oct 18, 2005)

*Giro tubeset*

The Giro model also had an EL-OS iteration. I believe that Brain tubesets followed the EL-OS versions. Giros of that era lacked the bottom-bracket stiffening tangs of the Primato, but both had Diamante chainstays. I haven't ridden a Primato, but find little BB flexiness on my EL-OS Giro in climbs and sprints. From my first ride till today, my Giro continues to elicit a fuzzy warm feeling for its beguiling combination of comfort, aliveness, and handling.


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## greg75 (Feb 15, 2008)

toomanybikes said:


> The Giro d"italia was built of Brain tubing.
> 
> Nice bike.


Here's one in EL/OS:

http://velospace.org/node/16923


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## Nessism (Feb 6, 2004)

I thought the Giro used Neuron tubing, not Brain. Neuron was a mix between Brain and ELOS. In either case, a nice frame.


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## caterham (Nov 7, 2005)

Nessism said:


> Neuron was a mix between Brain and ELOS.


 not so much a "mix" as a "cross".
brain & brain/OS were cyclex, EL& EL-OS were nivacrom. neuron was a nivacrom tubeset drawn to (non-OS) brain wall dimensions




> In either case, a nice frame.


indeed


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## High Gear (Mar 9, 2002)

george kraushaar said:


> I think I'm going to go for it. The seat tube is 1cm longer than I normally ride but the top tube is the proper length. Sometimes it's hard to get picky on used bikes which only become available on rare occasions


I have a Primato and love it. Go for it!


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## george kraushaar (Jan 15, 2007)

I went ahead and got the Giro d'Italia. The sticker says EL but it also says the tubing is oversize.

The frame is really very clean. Just the tiniest of specks in the paint. The De Rosa people really know how to do things right. The chrome lugs up front, the chrome facings on the dropouts, the partial chrome chainstay - very very nice.

The bike was basically set up with 9 speed Ultegra except for the Campy brakes. We tried to put on a compact but didn't have an Italian thread bottom bracket. We tried a Campy crank but the chainwheels wouldn't clear the chainstay. We stuck the Shimano back on because it was the only one on hand which fit. To gain some lower gears we went to a wider spacing on the cassette. We also changed out the stem because the stainless stem on the bike was too long for me.

As is, the bike has Ultegra shifters and crank, a ti bottom bracket, Chris King headset, ITM bars, Dedo stem, and Mavic Cosmic Elite wheels.

I took the bike for a short jaunt this afternoon to see how she rode. Everything worked just perfectly. You can tell on this bike that you're on a higher level, and I already have a Paramount and a Gunnar Roadie.

The De Rosa is a great high performance ride. It's smooth, stable, stiff where it needs to be, and as quiet as a graveyard.

The frame is a 55cm in the seattube and 54cm on the toptube. Heightwise is slightly too big for me but it feels perfect when I'm in the saddle. I sit precisely right over the bars and the cockpit has just the right amount of room for out of saddle work. My Gunnar is a 54cm but it's a compact frame. Although I like compacts well enough, I really do prefer the horizonal top tube over the slant.

I think I'm set right now. I've got three steel bikes which are each special in their own right. This acquisition allowed me to get rid of two Cannondale road bikes.

During the ride over to the LBS I carried the two Cannondales in the back of my little station wagon. As I entered a sharp corner into the LBS parking lot, the two bikes fell together. It sounded like a load of empty beer cans.


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## Nessism (Feb 6, 2004)

caterham said:


> not so much a "mix" as a "cross".
> brain & brain/OS were cyclex, EL& EL-OS were nivacrom. neuron was a nivacrom tubeset drawn to (non-OS) brain wall dimensions



You are so right...I was lazy and generalizing...too much maybe.:blush2:


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## barry1021 (Nov 27, 2005)

You will love the EL tubing.

b21


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## High Gear (Mar 9, 2002)

george kraushaar said:


> I went ahead and got the Giro d'Italia. The sticker says EL but it also says the tubing is oversize.
> 
> The frame is really very clean. Just the tiniest of specks in the paint. The De Rosa people really know how to do things right. The chrome lugs up front, the chrome facings on the dropouts, the partial chrome chainstay - very very nice.
> 
> ...


You'll have many a special rides on that bike. Post some pics please!


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## BCairns (Aug 6, 2011)

Does anyone have an idea as to what year the De Rosa Giro d'Italia was produced?


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## zmudshark (Jan 28, 2007)

1995-97 according to Bikepedia, model down from Primato, up from San Remo.

BikePedia Text Search for 'de rosa' - 18 Results

It may have been built in other years, but 95-97 for sure.


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## High Gear (Mar 9, 2002)

Afew scans from the 1996 Gita catalog.


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## boneman (Nov 26, 2001)

*Thanks*

Mate...thanks for the scan...the Primato has me drooling although I haven't seen one in my size for eons....i'd settle for a Giro d'Italia though....


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