DeRosa and CX-Fire review

ballyharpat

I was riding a Tarmac Pro with DA7800 for the last 7 years, it's a superb bike, it was fast and comfortable. I didn't upgrade, as nothing matched it, or else was only equal to it, so I couldn't justify spending on a new bike. I sent back a wilier last year because it was only a side grade, not an upgrade.

I bought a Ridley x-fire as my winter bike. It is really fast and stiff and handles really well, It wants to be thrown into corners-but….. it's really stiff, it can send a vibration that can be tough after a few hours, especially with the roads in Ireland nearly all chip and seal…….my body hurts after a spin longer than 2 hours.having said that, it is really fun to ride and handle well, I will have no problem putting thicker tires on it and fenders and a slimmer seat post to kill the chatter a bit. It has full Ultegra 6800 and it does everything I need it to do and it feels like good quality.

I took my new DeRosa Superking888 out last week for 100k on a maiden voyage, I started with Sunny weather, then it rained, then I got snowed on and then hail and then sun again. I rode it up hills, down valleys, over smooth tar, potholed roads and chip and seal surface as well as paved Irish small roads, these surfaces were not planned, I just happened to end up there. I rode for 3.5 hours, stopping to take pics along the way.
I did not get one twinge of pain for the whole ride, the ride was very much dampened, at first I didn't like it, I thought it felt dead, but when I warmed up and dropped the hammer, the bike went.the stiffness of the frame felt good out of the saddle and there was no flex, but the bike went where I wanted it to go without being jumpy.
I didn't want to throw the bike into corners, it flowed, I could get aero on it and get back up and feel good in all positions, the geometry really suits my style. no chatter through the metal handlebars, the seat post is very stiff, but transfers no vibrations. Whatever technology they are using just works.
The bike climbs really well, I slide to the rear of the saddle generally when climbing, and this was no different. I got home and didn't feel an ache, I actually had to do a body scan to see if I had any pain, not one ache.
he only thing I changed from stock was I put on an old sell Italia that has gone with me for the last 12 years through different bikes.

I would say to anyone that has the money to buy one, they are a timeless classic. The Dura ace is seamless, it shifts like a dream. The Ridley CX-Fire has full Ultegra 6800 and is really good, but not near as smooth as the DA, which can be good or bad depending on if you want to hear/feel the gears shifting.

Taxuser1

Which De Rosa did you ride ? I'm a massive fan, always wanted one. Lad in Wexford has the distribution rights to them in Ireland I think ?

ballyharpat

Taxuser1 wrote: »

Which De Rosa did you ride ? I'm a massive fan, always wanted one. Lad in Wexford has the distribution rights to them in Ireland I think ?

DeRosa Superking 888
http://imageshack.com/a/img924/7452/uo2bOJ.jpg
http://imageshack.com/a/img922/7550/VWjgFF.jpg

pelevin

Does a devil-dog come with every DeRosa?

ballyharpat

pelevin wrote: »

Does a devil-dog come with every DeRosa?

lol, definitely not, and the reason he looks peed off in the pic is, he knows I bought another bike and that means even less time with him-not a happy camper

Lumen

Isn't the Ridley a cyclo-cross bike? The ride might well be stiff on road tyres, it's supposed to run off road on 32-35mm tyres.

ballyharpat

Lumen wrote: »

Isn't the Ridley a cyclo-cross bike? The ride might well be stiff on road tyres, it's supposed to run off road on 32-35mm tyres.

Yeah it's a 'CX-Fire' with Canti brakes, doesn't necessarily equate to a stiffer than a road bike frame though, they can be very forgiving, I had a CX-Crossbow, and that was very smooth on the roads, I also had a redline Conquest, also very smooth. I have ridden a few Ridley road bikes that are really built very solid and stiff, I rode a Noah last year and it knocked hell out of me-I'm a light guy. The geometry of CX bikes is generally more relaxed than a road/race bike, which is why in the USA, you see lots of guys using cx bikes for both commuting and randonneuring, also they can take wider tyres, but they don't 'need' them, I just like the extra clearance to fit fenders on and offf in a hurry, and also makes it easier to clean the bike as well as the brake cables being fully housed and running inside the frame,

So the reply is basically, no, it's not stiff because its a CX bike, it's just a stiff bike…..

pelevin

ballyharpat wrote: »

lol, definitely not, and the reason he looks peed off in the pic is, he knows I bought another bike and that means even less time with him-not a happy camper

Well he certainly gives off a vibe of "Don't even think of nicking this bike you ...." Though maybe I'm misinterpreting it & it really means, "Don't even think of cycling this bike you ...."