John Jorgenson wrote about seeing a frame with a hole running through the chainstay bridge. Dwight (Ike) Safter, who built frames at Turin Bicycle Co-op in Chicago in the 1970's made them like that. Local legend was that he been taught by Albert Eisentraut. The frames did look cool with a contrasting color inside the tube. Later I heard that a fair number had cracked at the bridge. I wonder how many frames he made. Has anybody heard of Safter frames?
Marcus Helman Huntington Woods, MI
Chuck & All
Falerio's signature was on the frames when slotted chainstays first appeared on a Masi. With show bike frequency I think and different in execution.
Regarding the structural integrity, there was an American builder who's name escapes me, building in the 70's, that fabricated the chainstay bridge as a section of tube that pierced both stays and terminated at the outside. One could see through the bridge. Was for additional stiffness the owner told us, a few months later He was by the shop with the bare frame seeking a frame repair at the cracked stay radiating from the piercing tube. Probably too big a hole in that case, and easier to prototype than do a structural analysis. Perhaps the price of advancement, or attempt to.
Regarding the Masi twin plate crown, I like them for their additional fore & aft compliance, they are softer in ride, as long as the harmonic is not sympathetic,
John Jorgensen
Palos Verdes Ca