Moser's early frames were lugged right? His later frames (90s) era were CRAZY expensive fillet brazed. As a starving college student I could only drool over the catalogs...
i just won the asheville triathlon two days ago using some ancient toe clips from decades ago to help speed up my transition haha. it worked, 1st overall on the bike and in the race at the age of 46!
My friends who collect bicycles consider a DeRosa as a highly sought after machine. Eddie Merckx specifically wanted a DeRosa bicycle. Riding tubulars is a special treat providing a special connection to the road. 25 mil is a nice size for some comfort in a non-race setting. These videos inspire me to ride my old steel machines. Thsnks
Beautiful bike, interesting history. Less of a purist myself, I'd display this as shown here, but I'd ride it with clipless pedals, a channeled saddle, and probably some well-padded gloves. I guess that's the way I'd ride just about any bike of this vintage.
Yep, understand where you are coming from - old school pedals look awesome but for a spirited ride clipless all the way, saddles I just get used to... Dan
I like how you talk about the historical context around bikes you present. Helps understand how the characters of the time took on the political and technical limitations in road racing back then.
DeRosa also built the filotex benotto and Samson Benotto team bikes. They are in fact identical to this bike. They didn’t use sand cast lugs, the production bikes used that. They used nervex Dubois pressed lugs. The team bikes also used the diamante chainstays and had a flat Fischer fort crown the production benotto bikes didn’t have.
Yep, all correct - there`s a good feature on Moser`s `79 Roubaix bike if you search online for cycling weekly Moser - identical frame details apart from brake nuts instead of recess allen bolts (changed for the `80 season), Dan
What are diamante chainstays? Are they just a little fatter in a concave shape? I read somewhere that early Colnago Master frames had them because I still ride a late 1980s Master and the 42t inner ring comes VERY close to the chainstay. Took it to the shop and thankfully the head mechanic is a lot older than me so he understands Italian steel frames and said that's just how it was made. I also have an Early 80s Colnago Super SL frame and the chainstay is not that big compared to the Master frame.
I still ride a DeRosa from the same period, 1984. Yes, it rides best, hard and fast. It never gives up road feel, but is comfortable over a 100 mile ride, the genius of DeRosa. I attribute it to steep geometry front and rear, 74, 73.5, investment cast lugs, and long top tube, 55cm on a 54cm seat tube. it climbs like a bandit and descends like a motorcycle. No other bike I've ridden rides the same. 75,000 mies, still going strong.
Lovely looking bike Dan. And I loved the tale of the ‘helicopter doping’ I didn’t know such things happened. Perhaps can still happen? Was that photograph motorbike at the summit on the tour stage 14 that impeded Pogacar in the pay of Jumbo Visma perhaps? Think you were brave to tackle that busy road, the vintage scooters, and the wind. Thank you.
Yep, the Moser/Fignon helicopter incident was a big issue at the time, Fignon really kicked up a fuss - suprised Pogacar wasn`t more upset - I`d have been proper mad... Dan
Nice video, you forgot history there is another builder and that's Giuseppe Pela the bike maker to the stars in the 50's and 60's. He made Merckx's 1970 tour winning Fame bike that was white and red. I own one of only four or five Pela known mine is a Benotto and has all of his maker marks ,same lug work and fork crown as the Fame bike and made around the same time.
I had a moser in the early 80s looked beautiful but weighed a ton in falck tubing. I raced on mostly Alan’s or Gazelle’s.I had a lambretta GP 200 as well 👍
Yep, Moser bikes went all the way through from crappy gas pipe moly frames to the finest SLX - though Alans would always be lightweight in comparison, Dan
Great video Dan. Really interesting to hear the history behind some of these bikes. Can I ask what brand and size of tyre on a vintage bike like this (both tubs and clincher if possible)? Thanks very much.
Yep, on a good steel framed bike from the late 70`s through `80`s I would go for 25mm tubular or clincher - `90`s frames tended to be built for skinnier 21mm or even 19mm (and they feel better for it when fitted in my opinion) - what are you fitting them on? Dan
@@vintagevelos9517 That’s great thank you! I think I have heard you speak of Veloflex before in regards to tubs. Is it the latex inner that is good with these? Any specific range/model? Thanks again!
Its the really high cotton count - 280-320 tpi and thin ass inner - they need pumping up everytime you ride - gives a really supple yet comfident ride, Dan@@mwatkins1445
The is really intriguing. Why would anyone re-badge a Moser as a Benotto? It would definitely not add to the value as Benotto is almost a forgotten brand. I am guessing only a few people that were around in the 80s and earlier would even remember the brand. I have a old Benotto frame that I re-painted to white from the default metallic beige a few decades ago. I think I still have it in the storage locker. I also have a Columbus Aelle tube built Moser from the last 80s, A very stiff criterium frame. Back in those days I was a poor student so I could not afford a double butted Columbus SL frame till later on. I will have to look for both frames. Where did you get the leather cycling shoes from? I am looking for a pair. I am surprised to see a bridge between the two chain stays. I thought De Rosa used a bridgeless design, at least that was what was on my buddy's De Rosa from the last 80s.
Chances are it was re-branded by a team mechanic as a sideline sell off - the team would have had loads of spare Benotto parts due to previous sponsrship, Dan
Ernesto Colnago, Ugo DeRosa...what about Faliero Masi? IMHO those are the "Three Tenors" of steel frames. Pegoretti's tig-welding doesn't belong in that category, sorry. The Giro 'copter story is a pleasant fantasy...what really helped Moser vs Fignon was not having them race over the Passo Stelvio!
I tend to go for KMC chains on older bikes, I find they work well, though for 9 speed onwards Shimano`s I go for propriety Shimano chains as they get a bit fussy. Don`t usually have issues with older rims as long as the condition is good, just an issue with track rims and spokes on this one, Dan
Great bike! Fine content. But period correct would be grey brake cable hoses without the Campagnolo word mark on it ;-) Also you cut them too short. Just saying.
Classic bikes just wink at you 😂 and are such a great ride, especially when you ride with a bunch of Carbon bread cyclists that think you must have a Deep rimed bike all carbon parts with discs and weigh 9+ kg if they are lucky 🍀 cheers from Oz 🇦🇺
Modern carbon bikes are not always that good - big money ones tend to be a lot better than the cheaper ones which are easily outclassed by a good vintage steel bike, Dan
