----- Original Message ----- From: David Patrick To: P.C. Kohler Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2005 3:57 PM Subject: Re: [CR]what's correct on a Carlsbad Masi?
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"I'll further this argument by saying that the components Masi offered on complete bikes were chosen, to some extent and maybe to a large extent, by what kind of a deal Masi received from the component manufacturers. For this reason, I guess I just don't view these "factory spec'd" components as the best for the intended application."
No argument here. "Spec" never implies best. Or better. Alfa Romeo spec'd Lucas electrics. But that's what "should" be under the bonnet. If you want the machine to be complete per what the maker wanted you to buy. Or yes, had a pile of to sell! And of course real racers didn't abide by such things. We've talked about those "Masi PX-10s" enough! But come on, let's be honest, how many Masis or De Rosas were "racing bikes" in real use? I think a lot of them and Cinellis etc. were indeed sold as complete bikes and to wannabe racers. And sorry, I don't look at any of these specs and recoil in horror at the crappiness of it all. A lot of guys shopped complete bikes by virtue of their top end components. And surely then, as now, it was cheaper in the end to buy a complete bike. At least in the USA. And there's no great mystery in most of the "specs" either by the 1970s, the same basic Campy/Cinelli/Fiamme/Brooks/Silca mix was found on lots of spec sheets regardless of make or nationality.
But hey, there are prototypical examples of bikes with spec, non spec and a mix of both. My ideal mid 1970s bicycle would be British built with Italian geometry and French components! I am scatching my head to think of an actual "spec'd" bike with this combination...
Peter Kohler
Washington DC USA