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De Rosa unveils new lighter weight ProtosTeam Edition.jpg

De Rosa unveils new lighter weight Protos

Latest incarnation of race bike is 20% lighter with the same stiffness to weight ratio as previously
by Mat Brett
Wed, Jan 11, 2017 10:05
6

De Rosa has unveiled the latest incarnation of its Protos race bike that’s said to be lighter than before with the same stiffness to weight ratio. 

"De Rosa is able to offer the new Protos with 20% less weight than its predecessor by re-engineering the tubes while maintaining the same stiffness to weight ratio," according to the Italian brand.  

The frame is made from four types of carbon-fibre that are merged together to form what De Rosa calls CM63.

The new bike will be ridden by the Nippo Fantini Pro Continental team this year. It will be equipped with a Campagnolo Super Record EPS V3 groupset, Campagnolo wheels, FSA Attack handlebars and saddles from Selle Italia. 

Team Edition.jpg

That’s about all the info that has been released on the new Protos so far. We’ll give you more details, including pricing, when we have them. 

www.derosanews.com
www.i-ride.co.uk

De Rosa
Protos
Nippo Fantini
Mat Brett

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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6 comments

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barbarus | 7 years ago
0 likes

I can hardly see the bike in the second picture!

Avatar
davel | 7 years ago
0 likes

Mat - do you really need the Mr Turning alter-ego?

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Ducci | 7 years ago
1 like

I'd hazard a guess if you replace the word 'same' with 'current' you'd probably be closer to the mark for the intended meaning.

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jimt | 7 years ago
4 likes

So it's 20% less stiff!?

Avatar
Mat Brett replied to jimt | 7 years ago
1 like

jimt wrote:

So it's 20% less stiff!?

De Rosa says, “De Rosa is able to offer the New Protos with 20% less weight than its predecessor by re-engineering the tubes while maintaining the same stiffness to weight ratio."

If the weight is down 20%, according to the brand’s statement the stiffness would of course be down 20% too.

We suspect De Rosa actually means the level of stiffness (rather than the stiffness-to-weight) has been maintained, but that's guess – we can only tell you what they’ve told us. We contacted them about this earlier and are awaiting a reply.

 

Avatar
miannini replied to jimt | 6 years ago
0 likes

jimt wrote:

So it's 20% less stiff!?

 

Yes, that's the very same I read too. And I guess we readed it right.

 

I got it right from Cannondale too, when they released the SuperSix Evo back in 2011: 15% more stiffness to weight ratio, at 1/2 the weight of the previous generation (SuperSix). 

So, half the weight, half the stiffness (since it's based on a ratio "per weight"). If it's 15% more stiff per weight, this is 50% x 1,15 = 57,5% the stiffness of the previous model.

And judging by the older Supersix model (which I own one and it's stiff as a marble seat) and the Evo model, which I rode and found MUCH more flexy than the previous model, it's really 42,5% more flexible. And it's a much better silkier ride to my taste.

Now people are learning that "stiff is not always better". A big thanks to Jan Heine @bikequarterly

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