styggno1

I am researching for a future build (1981 Eddy Merckx Aero) and really need pictures of a De Rosa Linea Aerodinamica. Not the version that can be found - with a grub screw behind the seat cluster and with extremely cut down head lugs or the Pista version - but the one shown in the De Rosa catalogue (pictures below).

I have been searching like a mad man for some time and I have not found even one picture of such a bike. My google-fu is normally strong but this time - no. If you have one of these bikes or pictures of one - please step forward. Pretty please - with a cherry on top!

darkmoon

BICI AMORE, used bike shop in Tokyo.
They sold last May.

https://biciamore.jp/new_arrival/%E3...3%BC%E3%83%89/

more pix

https://bianchi.ocnk.net/product/4389

styggno1

Thank you darkmoon - but that is the aformentioned version with a grub screw and cut down lugs. The one in the catalouge pictures above is totally different.

Here is what I am not looking for:





The closest I have so far is this one:




But it does not have the shifters on top of the downtube. Shifter cables going under the BB instead of on top. Close but no cigar.

Lattz

Check this out:
https://www.pedalroom.com/bike/de-ro...ero-bike-14072

styggno1

Great! Thanks Lattz!

It is the first one I have seen closely resembling the catalog bike. I will post the pictures here for future reference.

The owner puts it at 1983. Double bottle holders and pump peg are the only and small differences compared to the catalouge pic.






Keep them coming if you have got them - please!

jiangshi

Didn't the catalog picture show an ovalized seat tube?

Lattz

This might be somewhat flattened in mid-section, but without better pics we will never know.

jiangshi

Or a better monitor. The catalog shows a flattened seat tube.

Kilroy1988 

I agree, the seat tube is definitely flatted in those catalog shots shared in the initial post. However, I also see the same thing on all of the photos of other bikes referenced here so far.

-Gregory

Lattz

I guess everybody agrees that the tubes are flattened in the catalog pic which is taken dead from the side. Although I dont trust my eye or my monitors on the terribly high quality pedalroom pics.

Kilroy1988 

It's harder to see in most of the other pictures but it becomes apparent with those examples of the OP said are not what he's looking for, with the seatpost clamp that goes directly into the post from the back - on those frames you can see the seat tube extending behind the posts, which is the telltale sign of their oval shape.

-Gregory

Lattz

I know, that the grub screw'd version is made of teardrop shaped AIR tubes (or at least fully ovalized ones) whereas the one OP is looking for are plaint tubes flattened in sections, I also have a bike with such, although there its so pronounced, no bad monitor could hide it.

P!N20

Paging corsaclassic

styggno1

I must have a way better viewer (big screen) as I can see the seat tube being wider at the middle than in the upper end towards the seatlug - in the catalog picture, on the one with a non aero shifter position and on the last one (red). The last one being the difficult one. However - these tubes were ovalized by hand and might differ a lot. The bikes all have their top tubes ovalized and what would the point of doing that if not having the seat tube done?

(Personally I can not see any reason to have the top tube done... at all - as it does not contribute to drag much. But I guess most of it was a gimmick anyway)

Lattz

If I learned something in the past 20 years of staring at bike pictures also in a great deal of time on these pages, that sometimes it's easy to see what you want to see.... therefore I still think, the red posted by me could be one with flattened tubes, but could be one without them as well. It looks like what you are after, but I wouldn't make big conclusions based on those images. Picture quality, lighting conditions, frame shape and frame material or paint color can do a lot to mislead the eye. Also I would not bet against upper-end bike manufacturers ability in the 80's to be able to properly ovalize tubes to be the same, however De Rosa being Italian might not be exception from what I often claim when searching for unicorns (bike or not), that how the end product really looked like was really depending on what kind of day (lets call him) Giovanni had that morning. Quarrel with boss / wife, not enough or too much chianti.... and a unique bike was born, mostly resembling the others, but annoying tiny details don't add up. Jokes aside, these are often ending up labelled as "must be from the transition period where they used up the existing decal/braze-on etc..." might or might not be that way.... one thing is sure, we might never know.
And really not to advertise my own stuff, but this seat tube doesn't leave place for imagination even if you see it on a Tamagochi. Comparing the red to this, I see it if I want to see it, and its round if I don't want to see. Many EGO frames have the same, I thought these came out of the box like that, but then - hello Giovanni - I met exceptions as well. (sorry for long post and crappy pics, it was after unboxing).

styggno1

I see what you mean and I do agree. Next year I have 40 years of studying blurry pictures of vintage bikes... I am not a beginner at trying to figure out details and forming theories about, for instance, timelines. This is manifested in most of what I have written here on BF - I more than often use the term "circa" or "approximately" instead of firm statements. I try to use common sence and speak of probability of theories. One such is the above lines about having a aero profiled top tube - and not having the seat tube done the same way. But it is not a firm statement ;-)

I often written about the "Giovanni-effect" of producing bikes and the "before lunch and/or after lunch" effect. Knowing a bit of how it works in Italy it is not to be ignored totally. And flukes. And shortage of parts at hand (one do not stop production because you are out of the "catalouge correct" brake bridge), etc. It is just funny that collectors and enthusiasts 30-50 year later trying to figure it all out. And part of the fun.

Edit - for instance the fact that I started this thread reasearching a 1981 Eddy Merckx Aero...

CyclesMakaron

Do you see what I see?








Wait for it...






wait for it...








De Rosa and Merckx had a close relationship the first years of Merckx production. Learning more about the Merckx led me to researching De Rosa Aerodinamica. With this I am not saying De Rosa built the Merckx Aero. I am saying the early Merckx Aero got a De Rosa crown. The rest of the bike frame is still to investigate. There are some things speaking for but as of yet more ones speaking against.