De Rosa says that its new Merak is a ground-up update and the result of two years\u2019 development. Changes include a bulked out fork and rear section to the frame, with larger cross-sections, with the latter claimed to increase the bike\u2019s stability at speed.<\/p>\n
According to Cristiano de Rosa: \u201cI\u2019ve spent the last few weeks riding this bike like a madman on descents. I\u2019ve found myself reaching speeds I had never even come close to before, and what surprises me isn\u2019t so much seeing that number on the bike computer, but feeling completely safe while getting there. The faster you go, the more you understand the work we\u2019ve done on stability. That\u2019s probably what impresses me most about the new Merak.\u201d<\/p>\n
De Rosa has pared back the Merak\u2019s weight too, with a claimed frame weight of 700g and full builds from 6.9kg to 7.1kg. The standard spec includes a one-piece De Rosa branded Vision cockpit and a Selle Italia SLR Boost Carbon saddle.<\/p>\n
Latest Videos From<\/span>Cyclingnews<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The bike can be kitted out with the full range of Shimano, SRAM or Campagnolo electronic groupsets and there\u2019s a range of wheels on offer.<\/p>\n De Rosa describes the frame graphics as \u2018retrofuturism\u2019 with a smaller downtube logo and the heart symbol removed from the head tube in favour of a De Rosa wordmark. De Rosa will offer three different finishes for the new Merak: Classic, Dynamic and Race, with slightly different prices for each.<\/p>\n