[CR]Casati question

(Example: Framebuilding:Norris Lockley)

To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: "Toni Theilmeier" <toni.theilmeier@t-online.de>
Date: Sun, 6 Mar 2005 08:53:52 +0100
Subject: [CR]Casati question

Well, so I went to have a look at the Casati our LBS has in its used bike rack, and I´m glad not too many people answered my post that it is FS, because I´m not too sure I might not want it myself now.

The parts it is kitted out with are not interesting at all, but the frameset leaves me irritated. On the one hand, the lugs, brake bridges

and so on seem to be rather un-refined and plain, the dropouts are small and non-branded, and the tubes are Cromor. On the other hand, the

fork crown is nicely done with a "C" in it, and it says "Casati" (engraved) on the seat stay tips. Then there´s a lot of chrome, and two puzzling transfers: One on the top tube, some sort of signature I can´t

read, like "Gianni ...", and the other on the lower part of the down tube, triangular, reading "Varnished by Dossena Carlo", in English.

The model is indicated on the l/h chain stay, the transfer reading "Casati Monza".

I have looked on the net, and not found anything really, not even on the encylopaedic CR website. The Casati site is under construction.

The question of course now is: Is this frame anything special? Was the

Monza Casati´s cheaper model?

I´m sorry to bother the list, but I can´t remember ever having seen

another Casati in Germany, and if this thing isn´t a KOF frameset I don´t know what is.

Regards,

Toni Theilmeier, Belm, Germany.