Re: [CR]Counterfeit Confente Bikes

Tom,

There are two types of "counterfeit" Confentes. One was built by a builder who started with the same Bocama lugs that Mario used and the lug cutouts are clearly not the confente shape, and can be seen a mile away by someone who knows what the real deal looks like. There is only one like this that I know of.

The second type are more difficult to detect and are not the one the JFC is referring to. These two frames were actually made from genuine Confente "parts" in that the lugs and BB shell used came from the boxes of pre-engraved lugs that Mario had in his shop. Also, all of the original proper bridges and other fittings are correct for a Confente frame, which the first frame was not. Mario had lug cutouts engraved by pantagraph and they are all consistant, except for the minor sharpening of the points of the spade at the top and in the stem. I know how these two frames came to be, although I don't know who actually built them. They also had paint jobs that were not like the original Confentes in that they were the wrong colors and the decal work was too good. Original Confentes I have seen, including the one I have, have runs in the clearcoat (one on a chainstay socket and another just below the signature on the top tube) and typically a "knob" of the color of the frame right at the tip of the rear seat lug on the point where the seat slot is. Also the decals on my frame are fractured and have small pieces missing here and there as well as having the seat bands misaligned. I'm actually surprised the frame went out this way, and it is original for certain. We would never get away with that at Masi Carlsbad. Not sure how a Confente went out that way.

Tom, if you think you may have a Confente on the line you can ask me and I'll give you the real skinny on it.

As far as my research has revealed, there was no shop manager at Confente. The closest thing to a shop manager would have been Sal DiPasquale (sp?) who was Bill Rechts' right hand man in L.A. Sal looked over the entire situation since Bill was in New Jersey. Bill Recht was the sole owner and investor and Mario and Jim were actually sub-contractors; since a hourly pay agreement was not met between them. I understand there may some "disagreement" regarding this, but I trust the several sources and the circumstances that support this information. If someone cares to PROVE to me, not just write a plausable scenario for the sake of confusion, I'm all ears. But this information comes from THREE different sources that all agree with this, and all are quite informed and were present at the time. Nothing I have been able to learn has conflicted with what I have just said and none of them have any motive to tell anything other than the truth; therefore I must consider it valid and of greater value than any possible "other" perspective.

You should not run into any counterfiets that are not already known. If you do, I'd like to know about them. So far, there are only three.

Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA