Campagnolo Chain Security Device (Chain Catcher) FD-SR203

I bought my used De Rosa Merak in 2023. The dealer that I bought it from, bike-room.com, did a great job of refurbishing and setting up everything. Some of the Campagnolo Super Record EPS components were brand new. On my first ride, after attaching the integrated bar/stem (Vision Metron 5D), and installing the wheels/tires (Fulcrum Airbeat 400, Vittoria Rubino Pro 700×28, the bike shifted and braked pretty much perfectly.

Campagnolo Chain Security Device, (Chain Catcher) - FD-SR203
Campagnolo Chain Security Device, (Chain Catcher) – FD-SR203

Now, I’ve ridden it about 4,800 miles. The only parts that I’ve replaced are a couple of sets of brake pads (Campagnolo DB-310) and the brake rotors (Campagnolo DB-160C3).

The only other problem was the Ergo Power rear disc brake lever was leaking brake fluid through the banjo fitting for the hose that goes from the lever to the caliper. Instead of looking for the Campagnolo hose brake screw that comes with two new o-rings ( Campagnolo EC-EK107), I measured them then bought a lifetime supply from McMaster-Carr. (9262K259 Oil-Resistant Buna-N O-Ring, 1.2 mm Wide, 6 mm ID, Packs of 50)

After a couple of thousand miles on the Campagnolo Super Record EPS front derailleur, I started dropping the chain, both when shifting to the inner chain ring and up to the outer chain ring. Campagnolo has great documentation – Diagnostics and troubleshooting electronic groupsets EPS – Internal Power Unit V2 / V3 / V4 (pdf)- for adjusting the zero setting and adjusting the riding settings of the derailleurs.

Basically, pressing the mode button for six seconds should give a solid purple light on the interface. After that, pressing once on the up or down shift levers on the left hand control will move the front derailleur 0.1 mm in either direction, respectively. I was able to prevent the front derailleur from over shifting onto the big chain ring, but I was still dropping the chain on the inner chain ring.

Campagnolo Chain Security Device (FD-SR203) on Campagnolo Super Record EPS front deraileur

When I searched for a Campagnolo Super Record EPS 12 speed chain catcher, the first hit was for the K-Edge Pro Road Braze-on Chain Catcher. The compatibility specs say, “Not compatible with Campy EPS.”

Campagnolo calls their chain catcher, Chain Security Device (FD-SR203). Unfortunately, Campagnolo doesn’t make it anymore. I could take that to mean maybe you should just adjust your derailleurs correctly and you wouldn’t need a Chain Security Device. But I found it available at Total Cycling, in the UK. I ordered it and it was delivered to me in California in about a week.

Campagnolo Front Derailleur Alignment Tool
Campagnolo Front Derailleur Alignment Tool

Campagnolo has a technical manual (pdf) that includes instructions for mounting the Chain Security Device (if you understand the use of square nuts to fasten the front derailleur, let me know in the comments). I usually use the right tools in order to make things right but instead of buying the Campagnolo Front Derailleur Alignment Tool UT-FD120, I eyeballed it and it’s working perfectly. No more dropped chains.

Vittoria Rubino Pro Tires

My Team Cofidis De Rosa Merak came equipped with 700×28 Vittoria Rubino Pro tires. Bike-room.com set up the tires with tubes. (The wheels are Fulcrum Airbeat 400 DB, an OEM wheel that is similar (but heavier) to the Fulcrum Wind 42)

Vittoria Rubino Pro Tubeless ready tire mounted on Fulcrum Airbeat 400 wheel
Vittoria Rubino Pro Tubeless ready tire mounted on Fulcrum Airbeat 400 wheel

The rear tire started showing wear through the tread at 2050 miles and I retired it 30 miles later. I attribute the wear to my weight (~211 lbs – 97.7 kg).

The front tire, after almost 3300 miles seems to have a lot of tread left. In the center of the tire, there is still a trace of the flash.

Vittoria Rubino Pro Tubeless ready front tire wear after 3300 mi
Vittoria Rubino Pro Tubeless ready front tire wear after 3300 mi

I replaced the rear tire with a 700×28 Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR and went tubeless. The Continental tire has a little over 1200 miles on it and the wear indicators are still showing. I did get a puncture, a 1.5 mm long cut in the tire (probably from a glass shard), that the Orange Seal Endurance sealant sealed.

For safety’s sake (see this video of my descent down Conzelman Road in the Marin Headlands), I decided to patch the tire from the inside. I removed the tire, cleaned out the sealant and put a round Rema patch over the hole. I’m wondering what other high performance tubeless road tires there are that are slightly more puncture and cut resistant.

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My 2023 Strava Stats

Leslie Wong Strava stats for 2023 #yearinsport

These are my 2023 Strava stats from riding my Eddy Merckx Professional and De Rosa Merak. I bought the used De Rosa in March of 2023 and rode it the rest of the year, 2,834.4 miles.

On first glance, the numbers look impressive until one sees that every statistic has decreased compared to my 2022 Strava stats, my 2021 Strava stats and my 2020 Strava stats. It’s a little disheartening to compare my 2023 numbers to the previous years. It’s the natural version of “The Machine” in the Princess Bride.

The yearly decrease is definitely connected to my aging and maybe fewer days of good biking weather (blame El Niño?). Maybe I’ll make a chart and projections of my decline based on how long I am going to live but that might be a little depressing. Or I should try to do more in 2024!

2022 Team Cofidis De Rosa Merak

2022 Team Cofidis De Rosa Merak
2022 Team Cofidis De Rosa Merak; Photography by bike-room.com

I’ve only been riding two bikes since the early 1980’s. For the past 10 years, I’ve been riding an Eddy Merckx restomod. Before that, I had been riding a De Rosa Professional that I built up in the 1984. I decided to finally buy a modern bike.

I wanted a carbon frame De Rosa. I had been looking at the Merak but I thought it was wack to pay $17,800 from a De Rosa North America dealer. When I looked at Cicli Corsa, the Italian online bike shop, their price for a De Rosa Merak Super Record EPS bike was close to $9600 LESS than buying it from a US dealer. But it would take 75 days to build and ship.

2022 Team Cofidis De Rosa Merak, ex Jesús Herrada López
Photography by bike-room.com

I found that Bike Room (which I highly recommend), another Italian online bike shop, had started offering De Rosa Merak Team Cofidis bikes from the 2022 season. I bought the size 54 bike that was used by Team Cofidis rider Jesús Herrada López, who won Stage 7 of the 2022 Vuelta a España (on what was now MY bike, maybe!). I received my new bike seven days after I ordered it.

The used bike was in great condition and came with Campagnolo 12 speed Super Record EPS v4 components, Fulcrum Airbeat 400 wheels, 700×28 Vittoria Rubino Pro tubeless ready tires, Vision Metron 5D integrated bars and a Selle Italia Novus Evo Pro Team saddle.

2022 Team Cofidis De Rosa Merak chainstay, ex Jesús Herrada López
Photography by bike-room.com

Jesús Herrada and I are about the same height, 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) but I’ve got him by about 21.3 kg (47 lbs) and 38 years. I had to make a few changes to the bike to accommodate my 71 year old, 93.75 kg body to ride a bike built for a 32 year old world class cyclist competing on the UCI WorldTour. I’m old and I’m pushing a lot of weight up hills.

For the drivetrain changes, I installed Campagnolo Super Record 50/34 chainrings (from 53/39) and a Campagnolo Chorus 12 speed 11-34 cassette (from a Record 11-29 cassette).

Also because of my weight, I installed a 160 mm (from 140 mm) Campagnolo 03 rotor for the rear disc.

2022 Team Cofidis De Rosa Merak, ex Jesús Herrada López
Photography by bike-room.com

The Vision Metron 5D integrated bars are 130×420 mm, appropriate for a World Tour racing bike and for a then 32 year old world class cyclist. It is a slight stretch for me to reach the bars. Remarkably my back has also not yet complained about the drop. A more suitable reach for me might be the 100×420 mm bars. But with Metron 5D bars running $650 and having to replumb the brakes and wiring going through the bars and stem, changing them has held me back.

The bike feels amazingly light compared to my 40 year old steel bikes. And on 7% and steeper hills, it climbs like the so called dream. If only it had a better engine.