I have taken some detailed photos of the 1970s De Rosa frame I have for sale and have added them to the listing. Item number is 370001917490 for those who are interested. I have cleaned off the seatstay caps which just reveals damage but nothing else - they could easily be filled or replaced when the frame was renovated. The other pictures show the typical De Rosa details from frames c1972-3. The frame came from Belgium and the Molteni connection was not mentioned by the person I bought it from until it was collected so he had no reason then to exaggerate the importance of the frame. Other De Rosa frames from c1973 featured on 43bikes.com have almost identical features to this frame the main difference being the lack of heart cutouts in the lugs - however I understood (I cannot remember where I read it) that the early Molteni De Rosa frames did no have all De Rosa identifying features - De Rosa did not sponsor the Molteni team and there was apparently some overlap between the Colnago and De Rosa frames used by the team. If any CR members have any information or questions regarding this frame or Molteni De Rosas they are welcome to email me either on or off the list...
Hilary Stone, Bristol, England
Tam Pham wrote:
> On Dec 5, 2007 4:32 AM, kim klakow <Akimbo71@gmx.net> wrote:
>
>> Hilary wrote:
>>
>>> there are two De Rosa frames, a good 1980s one and a very interesting
>> mid
>>> 1970s one which is allegedly ex-Molteni team - it came from Belgium and
>>> has plain lugs without heart cutouts, slotted bottom bracket shell and a
>>> number braze-on...
>> The "Molteni" frame has awfully mashed stay caps or is that just the
>> picture?
>>
>> The auction could use some better, detailed photos if it's being alleged
> as an ex-Molteni frameset. Those seat stay caps almost look like somebody
> tried to stamp "DE ROSA" (with a big O) onto the stay caps *after* they've
> been brazed onto the frame... and with nothing to support the caps on the
> backside they collapsed/dented.
>
> Overall, the frameset looks like it could be a De Rosa but the indentation
> for chainring clearance isn't consistent with mid-70's De Rosas nor are the
> squarish reinforcements for the bridge tubes on the stays. There is the
> (better?) possibility that the frame is a Benotto, IMHO.
>
> Tam Pham
> Huntington Beach, CA - USA