>Jamie Swan said: This thread is OT but maybe because it is Masi talk we can get away with it.<
>Lou said: My records (entry in the Used Bike Buyers Guide) show the first
Masi 3V frames were made within the CR timeline, in 1982. I don't have any
firsthand experience or knowledge on this. I seem to recall a published
interview with either Alberto (who claims to have designed the 3V) or Faliero, who was
very proud of it. I checked the archives and also came up empty. I'm sure I
have some records in my library, but it will be awhile before I can get to
them. Lou Deeter, Orlando FL (off-list) <
Lou;
You're probably thinking Sept '84 WINNING, the article "Il Maestro" by Kent Gordis quotes Faliero (who mentioned nothing at all about any contribution from Alberto) as saying the 3V was introduced at the 1981 Milan Bike show.
So I guess it is on topic... I said 1984 in my original message since that was the date given in the Doug Roosa article (Dale has this one posted on CR, but there's no publication date on it) stating when the first Volumetricas were produced. In this article, Alberto does take credit for the design, saying it came to him while chatting with Tullio Campagnolo "in the early 80's".
Nadine Frey's Sept '84 interview in "M The Civilized Man" with both Faliero and Alberto, quotes 1983 as the date it was first designed (no production date given, but the article makes it clear they were being sold at the time), and again Alberto is credited with having "designed and patterned the joints." On rereading it, this appears to be an attribution of the article's author, not a direct quote, so who knows if it is true or not. There several other things that cause me to be reluctant to place too much weight on this particular article (for example... "Masi puts one of the tubes...in a vise and (it) folds without cracking until either side is touching the other. Masi releases the vise and the tube springs back into place" and "the new steel tubing can't be subjected to high heat. So Masi invented... a new form of joint... which can be welded on without actually heating the tubes. For added elegance, all the joints are welded together with a gold and silver alloy." Whew!).
Bob Hovey
Columbs, GA