De Rosa Merak 2013

Dizeee

After a few months of deciding I wanted a treat, and a second road bike, I ended up buying this. It was more than I had planned to spend but I am over the moon and it should last me years. The best thing about it is I can use it as a dry weather bike and keep it immaculate, if it is raining or dirty I can take the Bianchi.

Done a few hundred miles on it now and love the way it rides.

BianchiBiker

My god, that is one gorgeous bike, you should be very happy! good sibling for your Bianchi too!

Lance9109

Lovely looking bike mate - quite an Italian stable your building!

andytee87

Yep, that is one gorgeous bike! Think a similar level de rosa will be my next bike in a few years. Sublime in my opinion! And if its a bit more than you planned to spend then who cares, as long as you havnt bankrupt yourself then it's all about the enjoyment you get from the bike

bianchi_tim

Beautiful, or should I say bellisimo!

Love De Rosas, this morning I've test ridden an R838 Athena and it made my Bianchi feel like a butchers bike. Trying to crunch some numbers now that at least look sensible to the missus.

I've looked at other bikes but I just keep coming back to De Rosa, there is something special about them, not sure what it is but even on my short ride this morning the bike drew lots of attention.

Enjoy your De Rosa, hopefully I'll be joining the De Rosa club soon!

poppit

I'm looking at the same bike, how comfortable are you finding it, is it good for 100k rides on our roads?

Dizeee

It is extremely comfortable, much more than I thought. It accelerates like lightening. As long as you go for a proper sizing and bike fit you shouldn't go far wrong. I'll write a bit more later I am literally rushing out the door

arran77

Another sweet looking De Rosa 8)

mick1355

Stunning bike, very nice........ can I ask, looks like you've got the bb30 adapters on for the UT chainset, what they like, any good?

Again beautiful bike..

poppit

Dizeee wrote:

It is extremely comfortable, much more than I thought. It accelerates like lightening. As long as you go for a proper sizing and bike fit you shouldn't go far wrong. I'll write a bit more later I am literally rushing out the door

I'm 188cm tall so I'm thinking the 56.5

Dizeee

Mine is a 56.5 I think, however I am 5 foot 10 inches whatever that works out at in cm...

It is BB30 compatible, I haven't noticed anything different in terms of feel at all.

My Bianchi Impulso is an aluminium and a year old, so when first riding the Merak there was lot's of difference in feel. It feels much more responsive, twitchier, faster to accelerate and easier to climb on. I actually got a wobble on on my first fast descent (Newlands Corner) ending up in me backing right off. It's not happened since though and I have managed 47mph on it going down Shere Road.

The brakes are very effective, much more so than the 105 on the Bianchi. You can get a decent amount of grab from the hoods without needing to use the drops. The Athena gears I am unsure on. I still don't understand the double tap system, but the difference between big and little cog on the front is massive - it literally doubles the resistance. I need to take it back for a tune up as they are bedded in now and I get the odd jump when changing down.

Its very stiff, I am runnung Conti GP 4000's and they spin fast. The fulcrum quattro race wheels are 35mm dish with aero spokes so fine for what I need. They are labelled as a CX wheel, however on researching them they are identical to the quattro race road version, the only difference being the seals are doubled up for extra resistance to water and road debris (they weight the same). At first I was unsure and I got ribbed on another forum for them, but having done my own homework I am happy.

The only problem I am having is the rubber bungs that fit the frame holes for the EPS system (which I don't use) keep falling out. They are a very poor fit. I have lost two and am trying to replace them which is proving tricky. Other than that I love it, the green stripe for me is the best paint scheme and it matches the red green and white theme of my other bike and my kit.

poppit

Mmm, I'm 6ft 2", the 56.5 is the largest they seem to do over here so perhaps it'll be a non starter.

slam that stem

It's beautiful, really nice. The forum thanks you for not buying a Colnago, Canyon, Mekk, or Boardman instead.

Please slam you stem as your flexability increases, you'll thank me later that you did.

leechaz

That is absolutely stunning .
What a great choice for a second bike .
Good luck .

kleinstroker

Love De Rosas and that one is a beauty!

Dizeee

Is visit your local stockist, there must be a bigger size. No way can I have the largest frame as a short rider

antlaff

poppit wrote:

Mmm, I'm 6ft 2", the 56.5 is the largest they seem to do over here so perhaps it'll be a non starter.

wiggle have 58.5

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/de-rosa-merak-evolution-athena-r3-2013/

antlaff

sorry meant to add that is a great looking bike

TKF

Nice bike but CX wheels?

poppit

antlaff wrote:

poppit wrote:

Mmm, I'm 6ft 2", the 56.5 is the largest they seem to do over here so perhaps it'll be a non starter.

wiggle have 58.5

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/de-rosa-merak-evolution-athena-r3-2013/

I'm probably going to be buying from Evans as I can get some money off them. Their sizing guide says that the larger size is for people 191-198cm, and the 56.5 size is for 183-191cm which is my height http://www.evanscycles.com/products/de-rosa/merak-evolution-r5-2013-road-bike-ec042059

Strangely, I recently spent a week on a Merckx EMX-1 in Mallorca, Evans size guide says I should have been on a XL, which in Merckx's sizing is a 54cm, the rental shop put me on a L, 51cm, and it was perfect. http://www.evanscycles.com/products/eddy-merckx/emx-1-ultegra-2013-road-bike-ec043540

Dizeee

slam that stem wrote:

It's beautiful, really nice. The forum thanks you for not buying a Colnago, Canyon, Mekk, or Boardman instead.

Please slam you stem as your flexability increases, you'll thank me later that you did.

I am intrigued about the school of thought about slamming stems and taking away spacers. Apparently I have loads on my Bianchi but when looking at other peoples bikes I have no more / less than anyone else.

I still don't find the hunched over stretched out position on a road bike comfortable for long periods of time, so my thoughts are that surely if it assists with comfort, they are worth having on? They certainly don't impede my performance, so I wonder why there seems such a strong feeling about spacers in general. If anything I think I need a shorted stem.

Dizeee

poppit wrote:

antlaff wrote:

poppit wrote:

Mmm, I'm 6ft 2", the 56.5 is the largest they seem to do over here so perhaps it'll be a non starter.

wiggle have 58.5

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/de-rosa-merak-evolution-athena-r3-2013/

I'm probably going to be buying from Evans as I can get some money off them. Their sizing guide says that the larger size is for people 191-198cm, and the 56.5 size is for 183-191cm which is my height http://www.evanscycles.com/products/de-rosa/merak-evolution-r5-2013-road-bike-ec042059

Strangely, I recently spent a week on a Merckx EMX-1 in Mallorca, Evans size guide says I should have been on a XL, which in Merckx's sizing is a 54cm, the rental shop put me on a L, 51cm, and it was perfect. http://www.evanscycles.com/products/eddy-merckx/emx-1-ultegra-2013-road-bike-ec043540

Sizing is a weird thing. The same shop that put me on a 56.5 (alledgedly, I have never measured) Merak told me that my 55 Bianchi was a lightly too large.

I am 5 foot 10 inches, and slim / athletic, so I fit somewhere between medium and small.

Ben6899

Lovely!

Geeky/techy question. Is that a BB30 bottom bracket with an adapter so you can run the Campag PT/UT?

jonomc4

Gorgeous bike - I have a DeRosa R838 and love it - I still feel spoilt after a year of ownership every time I ride it. Got to say that yours is an extra sexy bike!

RideOnTime

very nice...
like the styling...

Dizeee

Ben6899 wrote:

Lovely!

Geeky/techy question. Is that a BB30 bottom bracket with an adapter so you can run the Campag PT/UT?

Yes it is BB30 compatible, and also has the fittings for Athena EPS.

Dizeee

Thanks for all the replies, I am loving the bike and intend to keep it looking every bit as good as it does in the pics. It's going to be an awesome summer out and about racking up the miles.

mfin

Get some cutters out! The rear mech cable is poking out loads, and the brake ones are, looks messy, will be better looking with them short... here's a tip... the brake cables, cut them off so that they end in line with the middle of the bolt on the brake shoe, then re-cable-end them. It will look a lot better... at the moment it looks like a guitar thats been strung without cutting the spare string length off (which can look cool on old guitars, but not on De Rosas )

Dizeee

Yeah true, should get round to doing that :oops:

Velonutter

Cool, love the black & the green stripe 8)

rokt

Super bike, It's one of the bikes that's on my short list.

I do like that, a lot. Enjoy.