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28 January 2006

De Rosa - Hydroforming

Hydroforming Aluminum - DualHF and Merak

The De Rosa family may be classy and respected, but the Italians know how to show some attitude. In their lineup they have topflight aluminum frames but with their own distinctive qualities that enables them to stand out from the crowd. For 2006 both the Dual and Merak are using a new process called Hydroforming. This process allows for standard aluminum tubes to be shaped and molded for their specific desires.

BiciRace.com visited with Cristiano De Rosa at his family's factory north of Milano to get a better understanding of their aluminum frames. The family is super proud of their carbon models, the Protos and King XLight, but the aluminum offerings should not be overlooked when considering a great ride. Aluminum was the material of choice up until a few years ago when carbon became the market buzz. The material offers responsive handling, lightness and affordability. Whether or not carbon is truly top, aluminum continues to offer many similar qualities at a lower cost.

The frame is a beautiful work of art even without the finishing paint. The welds look great, and they should, papà De Rosa did them himself.

Water Pressure

Cristiano explained that Hydroforming is where straight aluminum tubes are subject to pressurized water to achieve the perfect design and properties. The hydraulic process allows De Rosa to push the material where it is needed for strength, and away from the areas that are under less stress. And oh yeah, they can also form some cool designs on the tubes in the process, making their frames distinctive in the peloton.

The DualHF and Merak make use of carbon in both the seat and chain stays to give added comfort. The De Rosa boys thoughtfully carried the aluminum distinctiveness to the carbon, the carbon of the DualHF is curved and the Merak is waved. This is a special touch that the company invested in, whereas most aluminum manufacturers insert a standard stay on their frames that can be bought from carbon suppliers.

Papà De Rosa

BiciRace.com was impressed with the aluminum selection. We gazed upon the rows of frames marked for the end client, before selecting out a DualHF for closer inspection. The frame is a beautiful work of art even without the finishing paint. The welds look great, and they should, papà De Rosa did them himself. Ugo De Rosa, the one who started the company and helped Eddy Merckx start his own frame business, still welds the aluminum frames everyday. It is amazing to think that you can ride on a frame built by the man himself, Ugo De Rosa.

The weights on the aluminum frames are impressively light. The DualHF: 1480g and the Merak: 1850g (both with fork and headset). This distinctive Hydroformed design by the classy and respected Italian firm continues to give riders a reason to consider Aluminum.

Grazie alla famiglia De Rosa!
If you need to find a De Rosa retailer in the United Stages then contact AlbaBici, or go online and visit the Chicagoland Bicycle.

Read:
De Rosa - Inside the Heart, 15 January