Well, I didn't read all this thread but what I did read recalls a rumor I heard after Mario Confente passed away. I was working in a bike shop in Santa Barbara along with a gentlemen named James MacClean. James according to Joe Breeze coined the term for what we now consider (off topic) mountain bikes. He was also very knowledgeable regarding high end (custom) builders. Interestingly he rode a Masi GC that had been repainted by Greg Diamond in a metallic blue Imron. I still shudder at the thought. Now getting back to Mario and Jonathan, Boyer was currently racing in France and sponsored by LeJeune. Part of the rumor was that the LeJeunes being raced were in fact all Confente produced frames. I two examples in the that Jonathan rode the previous winter, very unique bikes with great lugwork and additional tubes that went from the head tube down to the rear dropouts. I happened to measure the BB and low and behold it was 70mm, not 68 mm as one would expect from a french frame. Now to top off the rumor, Confente was supposed to have had upwards of 90-120 incomplete "LeJeunes" that he was still working on and Jonathan acquired them all from his estate. I am sure others on the list may have information to corroborate or refute this story of cycling lore.
JD "still trying to build my Baylis" Edwards Now in the ballooning capitol of the world (not to mention green chili's) Albuquerque, NM
-----Original Message----- From: Bill Karow <billkarow@msn.com> Sent: Oct 10, 2003 5:52 PM To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: RE: [CR]Mario Confente & Pacific Grove/Monterey
Lou Deeter asked:
>>I also heard that Jonathan Boyer lives in the area and has a collection of
Confente bikes, but I didn't attempt to make contact with him. Does someone
know about this? <<
I suspect he'd be more difficult to reach these days, as he's currently serving a prison sentence for molesting an underage girl over a period of years. If he had such a collection, I hope it's being auctioned to provide some form of restitution to his victim. Sorry to mention such unpleasantries on the list, but Boyer's whereabouts seem on-topic in response to Lou's question.
Bill Karow Windham, ME
--- J. Edwards
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