DeRosa Stem - Black or Silver?
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
DeRosa Stem - Black or Silver?
I need to replace the stem that came on this DeRosa. I was looking at a black Cinelli or should I go with silver? Should the stem and seatpost match?
#3
I personally prefer the stem and seatpost to match. Here is my De Rosa... I originally had the black stem with a silver seatpost but it just looked off to me. With your bike colors, I would go with all silver... YMMV
Likes For Caliwild:
#4
Master Parts Rearranger
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Portlandia's Kuiper Belt, OR
Posts: 4,465
Bikes: 1982 Trek 720 - 1984 Trek 620 - 1989 OS Schwinn Paramount
Liked 2,099 Times
in
1,020 Posts
I also like to match stem and seat post. An anodized black Cinelli stem would look nice with a matching seat post (especially against the white bar tape--super sharp), but you have a lovely silver seat post already, so a silver stem would do just fine.
Likes For RiddleOfSteel:
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Right where I'm supposed to be
Posts: 1,702
Bikes: Franklin Frames Custom, Rivendell Bombadil
Liked 241 Times
in
149 Posts
A match looks better. If you want to keep the stem, you can remove the black with a chemical like oven cleaner or aluminum safe media blaster, then polish it by hand, and it become all sparkly ! Nothing glistens like polished raw aluminum. I think I use Blue Magic polish. Stinks of ammonia but works very efficiently.
Likes For thinktubes:
Likes For P!N20:
#8
Veteran, Pacifist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 13,819
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Liked 5,822 Times
in
2,502 Posts
Mix & match or all silver Doesn't matter. Just ride it. It only matters which color you prefer to look at, during the most meaningful hours!
Last edited by Wildwood; 01-08-24 at 08:39 PM.
Likes For Wildwood:
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: Pac NW
Posts: 2,393
Bikes: several Eddy Merz (ride like Eddy, braze like Jim!)
Liked 2,277 Times
in
828 Posts
My stem…..
i took it to the local anodizer and had it dipped
weirdly, the paint remained but the black disappeared.
now it’s silver and i love it
For me, better
i took it to the local anodizer and had it dipped
weirdly, the paint remained but the black disappeared.
now it’s silver and i love it
For me, better
__________________
"Leave the gun. Take the Colnagos."
"Leave the gun. Take the Colnagos."
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: Pac NW
Posts: 2,393
Bikes: several Eddy Merz (ride like Eddy, braze like Jim!)
Liked 2,277 Times
in
828 Posts
My stem…..
i took it to the local anodizer and had it dipped
weirdly, the paint remained but the black disappeared.
now it’s silver and i love it
For me, better
i took it to the local anodizer and had it dipped
weirdly, the paint remained but the black disappeared.
now it’s silver and i love it
For me, better
__________________
"Leave the gun. Take the Colnagos."
"Leave the gun. Take the Colnagos."
Likes For Robvolz:
#12
I'd do silver, since everything else on the bike is silver. And lose that dumb "anatomic" handlebar. Even a modern "compact" bar would look better than that!
#13
Senior Member
Pedal really fast and no one will notice either way! Seriously , I think it will look great whichever you choose. I had my Medici set up with black handlebar and black panto stem , the seat post was polished silver. To me , the bike looked great.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,829
Bikes: too many sparkly Italians, some sweet Americans and a couple interesting Japanese
Liked 676 Times
in
463 Posts
At the risk of being pedantic I am in the silver camp as you have what looks to me to be a lovely Shimano group aero seat post to go with the groupset, something like a nicely polished 600 ax stem.
#15
Senior Member
Anything will be better than that H2O stem, oof.
__________________
2014 Cannondale SuperSix EVO 2
2019 Salsa Warbird
2014 Cannondale SuperSix EVO 2
2019 Salsa Warbird
Likes For shoota:
#17
Veteran, Pacifist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 13,819
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Liked 5,822 Times
in
2,502 Posts
Have you considered RED?
Kinda stumpy, but....
Red Alloy FIXIE Bicycle Quill Stem 22.2mm Vintage Fixed Gear Track Road Bike | eBay
Kinda stumpy, but....
Red Alloy FIXIE Bicycle Quill Stem 22.2mm Vintage Fixed Gear Track Road Bike | eBay
__________________
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Last edited by Wildwood; 01-09-24 at 10:17 AM.
Likes For Wildwood:
#18
Pedal to the medal
I'm of the camp that the stem and post don't need to match. Sometimes the contrast can provide some visual intrigue like SurferRosa 's example above, especially with those white brake hoods.
Likes For romperrr:
#19
Crawlin' up, flyin' down
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Democratic Peoples' Republic of Berkeley
Posts: 5,903
Bikes: 1967 Paramount; 1982-ish Ron Cooper; 1978 Eisentraut "A"; two mid-1960s Cinelli Speciale Corsas; and others in various stages of non-rideability.
Liked 2,913 Times
in
1,220 Posts
Black sometimes looks good.
Silver always looks good.
Silver always looks good.
__________________
"I'm in shape -- round is a shape." Andy Rooney
"I'm in shape -- round is a shape." Andy Rooney
#20
Veteran, Pacifist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 13,819
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Liked 5,822 Times
in
2,502 Posts
For an Italian race-y bike, there HAS to be a Rule!
Il' cognoscenti would have it no other way.
......probably not red.
I vote silver for Campa components, black for Japanese, mixed for other.
(except for mine, of course. )
Il' cognoscenti would have it no other way.
......probably not red.
I vote silver for Campa components, black for Japanese, mixed for other.
(except for mine, of course. )
__________________
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
#21
Veteran, Pacifist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 13,819
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Liked 5,822 Times
in
2,502 Posts
Unless it is 'the Other De Rosa", then all options are open.
needs green bottle cage, at least in Nov/Dec
Instead of the other DeRosa, one comment = the original De Rosa. Both fine with me.
ITALIAN CYCLING JOURNAL: The "Other" De Rosa
.
needs green bottle cage, at least in Nov/Dec
Instead of the other DeRosa, one comment = the original De Rosa. Both fine with me.
ITALIAN CYCLING JOURNAL: The "Other" De Rosa
.
__________________
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Last edited by Wildwood; 01-09-24 at 12:49 PM.
#22
Junior Member
Thread Starter
I ended up buying this one
Thanks for the advice. Im going with the black pantograph.
Likes For LarryBSky:
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: Pac NW
Posts: 2,393
Bikes: several Eddy Merz (ride like Eddy, braze like Jim!)
Liked 2,277 Times
in
828 Posts
when did the black stem become the fad on Italian bikes? My DeRosa is from the early 70s, and silver was the look back then.
__________________
"Leave the gun. Take the Colnagos."
"Leave the gun. Take the Colnagos."
#25
Senior Member
Purchased new in '83 a black 3ttt stem with pantographed E Colnago on the side, and clover with painted coloring in the front. Other trend was color anodized Modolo brakes.