tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6752457184418512360.post6557236139621258294..comments2024-03-27T02:59:56.632-07:00Comments on Jim Langley's Bicycle Beat: HOLY GRAILS: 1974 Masi Gran CriteriumJim Langleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04184699406623972210noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6752457184418512360.post-4048744810297651182020-12-29T08:53:52.839-08:002020-12-29T08:53:52.839-08:00Thanks for sharing your Masi story, Steve - you ma...Thanks for sharing your Masi story, Steve - you made my day! I have long lusted after a Cinelli but never even been close to getting a good one. Thanks again for the comment!<br /><br />Jim Jim Langleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04184699406623972210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6752457184418512360.post-85879137125625161072020-12-21T06:03:33.657-08:002020-12-21T06:03:33.657-08:00Resurrecting an old thread, but I purchased my fir...Resurrecting an old thread, but I purchased my first Masi from a guy who walked into the shop in 1979, wanting to sell his well-used race bike. It was pretty rough, with a lot of paint missing from the top tube, but I only had a track bike and a touring Paramount to ride at the time and was in the market for a decent road bike. He didn't want much for it, so I bought it, not really knowing much about Masi beyond the fact that it was a respected Italian brand that had setup shop in California. I actually would have preferred a Colnago in those days. Over an extended period of time, I stripped the frame, and my wife will never let me forget that she did most of the detailed paint removal around the lugs, leaving the frame completely bare. The frame was likely a '74, and it had the twin-plate fork crown. I was bothered by the fact that the crown looked a tad crooked to my eye, though the frame and fork were both in perfect alignment. It did seem that the fork and frame were brazed by different people, as the frame seemed absolutely amazing in all respects. Without paint, the lugwork and finishing were impeccable. As was commonly done in those days, but anathema today, I added cable guides, bottle and shifter bosses and painted it a green that was very similar to the one Jim's bike wore when he bought it. I believe it was a Mercedes color and I loved it for its uniqueness. It was my best paint job up to that time, though I had no decals to dress it up with.<br /><br />The frame was a centimeter or two large for me and, not understanding what I had, I sold the frameset to finance the purchase of a custom Marinoni, which still today wears some of the parts from that Masi. I was poor enough at the time that I don't know that I would have been able to afford to keep the Masi and buy the Marinoni, which proved to be the best fitting frameset and most enjoyable classic bike I've ridden (I have owned and ridden many dozens over the years). I'm not sure that it wasn't the right thing to do at the time, and the changes that I made would have detracted from its value today, but I sure wish I still had that Masi. I am personally convinced that it really is one of the frames brazed up by Mario in the very early Carlsbad days when everything was fresh and new and things hadn't yet started going south. I have two Carlsbad Masis today, a '75 and a '76 and, while important bits of Masi history, they don't quite have the mojo of the '73-'74 first wave frames.<br /><br />The other tale of one that got away was a circa 1970 Cinelli Mod. B, but that's a story for another day.Steve Barnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05141738452735566462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6752457184418512360.post-41509067196540622172015-11-05T23:15:14.360-08:002015-11-05T23:15:14.360-08:00Hello, I want to sell the Masi I commented on awhi...Hello, I want to sell the Masi I commented on awhile back.<br /><br />It's never been ridden.Masi<br /><br />Second, Mario Confente produced a small group of “special build” frames just before he departed. These are numbered with an “M” and a single digit. M1 was built for Mike Wootten and M2 was built for Jerry Ash. One lucky collector has owned M3, and presently owns M4 and M5. M6 and probably M7 were built under the Masi roof but received <br />Confente decals, so perhaps one could argue that these bikes were the first Confentes in spite of the fact that they have Masi lug sets and “M” cutouts in the bottom brackets.<br /><br /><br />Paul Parks<br />paulparks0@gmail.com<br />(310) 951-3847ppparkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03498486755167430324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6752457184418512360.post-52347247584446722762013-09-10T12:06:32.516-07:002013-09-10T12:06:32.516-07:00Sounds like you need to build it and start riding ...Sounds like you need to build it and start riding it "ppparks" ;-) Enjoy it!<br /><br />Thanks for the comment!<br />Jim LangleyJim Langleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04184699406623972210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6752457184418512360.post-13302946818909124732013-09-09T22:09:34.873-07:002013-09-09T22:09:34.873-07:00I just acquired M6 from my buddy's dad.
It ha...I just acquired M6 from my buddy's dad. <br />It has been in a box in his garage since 1996.<br />Never ridden just sitting in my living room.<br />Cereal #96694R (not sure about the R)<br />52M6.ppparkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03498486755167430324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6752457184418512360.post-59992993718589090242013-07-22T07:20:44.370-07:002013-07-22T07:20:44.370-07:00Nice to hear of your 73 Masi still in regular use ...Nice to hear of your 73 Masi still in regular use JB. It's great you've been racing and riding it all these years. Thanks for the offer of the pedals and shoes. If you can tell me what brand and size the shoes are and which Campy pedals you've got, I'll let you know if I can use them. If it's easier you can email me at jim at jimlangley dot net. Thanks for your comment and keep enjoying that Masi. In cycling, JimJim Langleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04184699406623972210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6752457184418512360.post-72755328635008787862013-07-22T06:41:45.863-07:002013-07-22T06:41:45.863-07:00Great project, priceless. I have been riding my &...Great project, priceless. I have been riding my '73 since my junior racing. (My facebook has images. Landing page image shows us in a club race in Ottawa). I am riding my Masi. I ride it still each week. all original except I use clinchers and clipless pedaly keep the campy rims and the original campy pedals in my storage. Also changed the original stem. Still have these originals, so maybe you might want the pedals and even a pair of shoes?JBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09153031434037344300noreply@blogger.com