King

Name: De Rosa King
Brand: De Rosa

road

Origin

The King has been the backbone of De Rosa's road lineup since the early 2000s, offering a race-derived frameset accessible to performance enthusiasts who aren't riding a UCI WorldTour squad. The King 3 update brought T700SC carbon, Kevlar seat-tube reinforcement, and a distinctive aerodynamic trick: moving the rear rim brake from the seatstay bridge to below the bottom bracket shell.

Specifications

Frame: King 3: Toray T700SC unidirectional carbon fibre monocoque with Kevlar reinforcements on inside of seat tube; extended seat tube above top tube reduces seatpost leverage; 10 sizes; frame weight ~1,130 g (66 cm size)
Weight: kg
Drivetrain: Campagnolo Super Record 11-speed on top builds; 39/53 chainring, 12-27 cassette; 2022 King Carbon also offered with Shimano builds
Brakes: Rim-brake versions: rear caliper hidden under BB shell for aerodynamic benefit; 2022 King Carbon disc: flat-mount hydraulic disc
Wheels: Fulcrum Zero (top builds); 700c; 2022 King Carbon: 142x12 thru-axle (disc)

The verdict

+Strengths

Sub-6.8 kg complete race build with top-tier Campagnolo groupset and quality carbon wheels
Hidden under-BB rear brake is a clever aero solution with zero performance compromise
Wide 10-size range covers riders from smallest to tallest within one frameset family

−Weaknesses

T700SC is a competent but not ultra-premium carbon — newer platforms use higher-modulus blends
Rim-brake architecture feels dated as the industry has largely moved to disc
King name has become diluted across many variant sub-models, making spec comparison confusing