Certainly, when riding the Protos and peering down, your eyes are met with the most gargantuan lump of carbon you’re ever likely to see sandwiched between two crank arms. There really is no other frame like it. Hardly surprisingly, De Rosa makes no claims about any aero data. It would be difficult to believe the huge box-section down tube would be overly slick in a wind-tunnel, although the way the fork intersects with the head tube does look pretty sleek. Whatever your thoughts on the look of the frame, Cristiano states, ‘No bike should be made too beautiful to ride. We make all our bikes first and foremost to ride. Beautiful comes second.’