This interesting Masi showed up on ebay this past week. The seller, in Zürich, Switzerland, described it as, "New Masi Gran Criterium frame, built by Masi's steel frame builder Giovanni Pelizzoli aka Ciocc (the real Ciocc - check out http://vimeo.com/5519990), who proposed me with this frame to distribute Alberto Masi frames in Europe. Although I ordered an original Gran Criterium, Giovanni invented it like this, it is a one of, a prototype for a "new" Gran Criterium.
The frame is built in Columbus Spirit tubing. Fully chromed. The steerer tube is too long: has to be cut and threaded or used with an ahead stem."
- Fully lugged and chromed
- BB Italian
- Top tube 56, seat tube 56 c-c
Note: Faliero Masi sold the rights to produce bikes under the Masi name in the US in the 1970s. The frames built by his son, Alberto Masi, are sold under the name "Milano". Alberto Masi built frames, in Milano, are available from importer Milano Sport located in Greenwich, CT.
The frame is sure to be a rare, one-off.
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Gorgeous bike! Interestingly, our friend Serafino Tomi in Viterbo claims to have designed a logo very similar to the logo used on the Masi bikes. He said Masi was not shy about incorporating interesting details he saw on bikes built by others and somehow convincing folks HE was the inventor! The saddest thing is to see the great name on Asian-made bikes that have NOTHING in common with the originals, or even the authorized copies made in Southern California years ago.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. I'm speechless!
ReplyDeleteFunny frame. To say the least.
ReplyDeleteBut, can somebody clarify this:
- I heard that Alberto sold the name to Kirkbride and other tugs here in SoCal? Not Faliero. And that Faliero got really pissed with all that. And That Alberto didn't even know what they are doing to him, he thought he is selling "rights to sell", not his name, for God sake.
So, please someone say something about that.
I see those China made frames almost everyday here in San Diego North County. To be honest, they are nothing worse (comparing to other present "brands") than what was Masi in '70.
Someone can call that brand "art" (or for matter of fact also Cinelli and Colnago) but you have to know better than that. You have to know if you repaired hundreds of those (what I did) and found under the paint what reality is. Without CCCP those names would be completely something different. Right? If you know how and how many CCCP bought of them?
Sorry to burst you bubble, there is much better framebuilders in England of that time, or right now in USA than what is steel frame of '70.
Remember, not a SINGLE Italian framebuilder passed Reynolds 753 test. many tried, and failed.
But, I am still in love with Italia, just "stay close" to Prosciutto, Gorgonzola and Primitivo, ah, forgot Panini Calabresi, si, si, ...
Ves: see: http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2010/12/part-of-confente-and-masi-history.html
ReplyDelete