Purchased a Fausto Koppi KP1 sent from Italy.It's 58cm and the frame weighs 1100g and fork 380g.(pretty damn light). Frame material is altec 2 plus.It is identical to what the Polti team used in 2000 in the Tour of Spain.I have never seen this frame for sale since 2000 in the UK.
The wheels are Rolf Vector Pro with Michelin Pro Race/Light combo. Stem is a fantastic Easton 70, bars deda 250, saddle SLR xp, post alien use aluminium. Groupset is 1st generation Campag Chorus 10 speed with Record carbon levers. 42-52 rings and 11-23 cassette.175mm cranks, daytona pedals.I estimate it to weigh 16.3 lbs.
It is an extremely lively Italian bike which is highly responsive at speed and accelerates quickly in any situation. The forks are a work of art and produced by Look. (remember 380g from yr 2000).In 2001 carbon rear triangle was added by Coppi.I bought it as I could not afford the 2000 De Rosa Merak nor the Rossin equivalent and the Klein equivalent was under budget and not convincing.
Aside from being lightweight,super rigid and good looking I can directly compare it to another roadbike I bought in 1998, namely a Cannondale CAAD3 with ITM Millennium forks, Ultegra groupset, 9 spd, 42-52, 12-23 cassette, upgraded to ITM millennium stem, 3t bars, alien post, xp saddle, cosmic elite rear wheel, campag moscow front wheel.
The Cannondale felt great until I rode the Fausto. Yes the Dale is comfortable, light (17.3lbs), responsive and tracks well on descents but once you ride the Coppi with it's Altec 2 plus frame you realise why people love Italian frames. Maybe I am not comparing like with like and perhaps if i had the chance to ride a 2004 CAAD7 I would change my mind. The Coppi just goes at any press of the pedals.it urges you to ride fast and to get into the drops.However it took 2000km of riding to find a comfortable postion it is so rigid.
The Dale is surefoooted, loves descending safely, absorbs road shock with its fat tubes and looks great (red/yellow). Maybe I just need to buy a quality pair of wheels such as Zondas, SSC's or American Classic or Vigor to really bring them to Vector Pro standard. Does anyone else have the priviledge of owning American and Italian bikes? I use my Dale in the UK and my Coppi in Barcelona.(as a kid I would ride a 531 frame with open 4 cd wheels and 7 speed group so i have done the steel thing and I would consider buying a Colombus Foco frame with Centaur 10spd and campy wheels). By the way as far as Campy versus Shimano goes I started road cyling in 1989 with shimano dura ace, ultegra and 105 mix. In 1998 I went with Shimano Ultegra 9 speed and in 2000 Chorus 10 Speed. I prefer to ride then tinker with the bike and would stick to Campag in the future. It looks better, wears better, gave us 10 speed 4 years before Shimano, has FAR SUPERIOR braking (my ultegra brakes have never worked despite changing blocks and using 3 different rims).I hope to rid my ultegra group and convert the Dale to Centaur 10!Yes Shimano shifiting is slicker and some may prefer the ergonomics of the dual function levers but Campy front gear shifts allow more extreme chain angles to be used without chain rub.After 15 yrs of experinc with both groups (and obsolete Suntour) I go with Campagnolo.Who else owns both Italian and American frames?
The wheels are Rolf Vector Pro with Michelin Pro Race/Light combo. Stem is a fantastic Easton 70, bars deda 250, saddle SLR xp, post alien use aluminium. Groupset is 1st generation Campag Chorus 10 speed with Record carbon levers. 42-52 rings and 11-23 cassette.175mm cranks, daytona pedals.I estimate it to weigh 16.3 lbs.
It is an extremely lively Italian bike which is highly responsive at speed and accelerates quickly in any situation. The forks are a work of art and produced by Look. (remember 380g from yr 2000).In 2001 carbon rear triangle was added by Coppi.I bought it as I could not afford the 2000 De Rosa Merak nor the Rossin equivalent and the Klein equivalent was under budget and not convincing.
Aside from being lightweight,super rigid and good looking I can directly compare it to another roadbike I bought in 1998, namely a Cannondale CAAD3 with ITM Millennium forks, Ultegra groupset, 9 spd, 42-52, 12-23 cassette, upgraded to ITM millennium stem, 3t bars, alien post, xp saddle, cosmic elite rear wheel, campag moscow front wheel.
The Cannondale felt great until I rode the Fausto. Yes the Dale is comfortable, light (17.3lbs), responsive and tracks well on descents but once you ride the Coppi with it's Altec 2 plus frame you realise why people love Italian frames. Maybe I am not comparing like with like and perhaps if i had the chance to ride a 2004 CAAD7 I would change my mind. The Coppi just goes at any press of the pedals.it urges you to ride fast and to get into the drops.However it took 2000km of riding to find a comfortable postion it is so rigid.
The Dale is surefoooted, loves descending safely, absorbs road shock with its fat tubes and looks great (red/yellow). Maybe I just need to buy a quality pair of wheels such as Zondas, SSC's or American Classic or Vigor to really bring them to Vector Pro standard. Does anyone else have the priviledge of owning American and Italian bikes? I use my Dale in the UK and my Coppi in Barcelona.(as a kid I would ride a 531 frame with open 4 cd wheels and 7 speed group so i have done the steel thing and I would consider buying a Colombus Foco frame with Centaur 10spd and campy wheels). By the way as far as Campy versus Shimano goes I started road cyling in 1989 with shimano dura ace, ultegra and 105 mix. In 1998 I went with Shimano Ultegra 9 speed and in 2000 Chorus 10 Speed. I prefer to ride then tinker with the bike and would stick to Campag in the future. It looks better, wears better, gave us 10 speed 4 years before Shimano, has FAR SUPERIOR braking (my ultegra brakes have never worked despite changing blocks and using 3 different rims).I hope to rid my ultegra group and convert the Dale to Centaur 10!Yes Shimano shifiting is slicker and some may prefer the ergonomics of the dual function levers but Campy front gear shifts allow more extreme chain angles to be used without chain rub.After 15 yrs of experinc with both groups (and obsolete Suntour) I go with Campagnolo.Who else owns both Italian and American frames?
