I: [CR]Too much eBay, not enough Masi talk

(Example: Framebuilders:Tony Beek)

From: "The Maaslands" <TheMaaslands@comcast.net>
Subject: I: [CR]Too much eBay, not enough Masi talk
To: Classic Rendezvous <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Fri, 15 Nov 2002 06:50:57 -0500

Richard wrote:
> < If you want an Italian master built bike built by the guy...>
>
> define 'built'.
> wrote the work order?
> cut the tubes?
> fixtured it?
> brazed it?
> filed it a little?
> aligned it?
> etcetera.

At De Rosa, for those going to their frame building shop, the procedure is generally as follows:

Cristiano De Rosa measures customers up and writes almost all work orders. The tubes are cut by digitally controlled mitering machines. The input of the data is generally done by one of the assistants. The mitered tubes are then put in a jig and fixtured by the assistants. The brazing is done by one of 6 people (3 of whom are De Rosa family members) What little filing is done, is generally done by the person building the particular frame, including the De Rosa family members. The frame is aligned by the person building the frame.

Lastly, the final quality control is definitely handled by one of the De Rosa family. Your chances of getting a De Rosa built frame are therefore about 50% or more. If you buy a titanium frame from the 90's, you were about 99% sure of getting an Ugo-built frame as he was then the only one building them.

Steven Maasland Moorestown, NJ

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