Cuadro De Rosa Avant

We've carried De Rosa for years, and the Avant has always occupied an interesting place in their carbon range — not the flashiest name in the lineup, but one of the most honest frames they ever made. The monocoque construction gives it a ride quality that feels coherent in a way that bonded-tube frames often don't. Power goes in, the bike responds, and there's no vague mid-frame flex to interpret. On sustained climbs, it's planted without being harsh. On descents, it stays composed.

The Avant was never positioned as De Rosa's lightest or stiffest frame — that wasn't the point. The point was a well-made carbon road bike with genuine Italian pedigree and ride manners that suit a committed road rider rather than a weight-weenie or a pure sprinter. At the original $2,200 price it was a solid value. At $999.99, it's a different conversation entirely.

There's one size left — a 55cm sloping. That fits a range of riders roughly in the 5'9" to 5'11" territory depending on proportions, and the slightly sloping geometry makes it more forgiving on fit than a traditional horizontal top tube. If you're in that size range and have been looking for a reason to build up a quality Italian carbon frameset without opening a five-figure line of credit, this is it.

We'd pair this with a solid mid-range groupset — Shimano 105 Di2 or mechanical Ultegra are both natural fits — and a carbon wheelset in the 1,500g range. The Italian threaded BB is compatible with a wide range of cranksets, so you're not locked into any particular ecosystem. Build it right and this is a sub-8kg road bike for well under what a comparable new frame alone would cost.