In a message dated 2/23/2005 12:59:42 PM Eastern Standard Time, patrick-ajdb@sbcglobal.net writes:
<< I replied directly to Jimmy that the Japanese issue of Bicycle Club magazine that features the Campagnolo history (available from Jitensha Studio for $25) has a DeRosa built Merckx featured in the back. It is a silver bike of approximately 57-59 cm and has a very lovely outlined heart on the top of the flat fork crown, denoting that DeRosa built this particular bike. >>
Neat! That would be an EXTREMELY rare bike (and therefore highly collectible...)
Being the devil's advocate here, could it not also mean that a DeRosa engraved crown was used, perhaps early in the process of Merckx building? With DeRosa carting up boxes of components to Belgium to start things off, it is not inconceivable that "box number 4" of 250 fork crowns contained a few engraved crowns. Does this absolutely prove that it was made in the DeRosa workshop? BTW, most all of the early Merckx Belgium frames had an Italian threaded bb.
What I would ideally wish for in this circumstance is someone or some piece of literature to confirm that DeRosa ever made frames in Milan labeled Merckx, for resale.
Dale Brown
Greensboro, NC