Actually, I agree with Emanuel. Maybe Italian Masis were big in CA, but in the midwest, (if Cleveland is midwest) the best known Italian bikes were Cinelli, Colnago, Bianchi and Atala. We saw DeRosa mostly in Bicycling! magasine. We were aware of Masi's existance, but almost never saw one. I believe the obsession - and I think that is a fair description - with Masi among American collectors is based on two factors. Its appearance in probably the best known American cycling film, "Breaking Away", and the fact that an amazing number of top US framebuilders and painters were in some way connected with the CA Masi operation in their youths.
Regards,
Jerry Moos Big Spring, TX
Chuck Schmidt <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net> wrote:
Emanuel Lowi wrote:
>
(snip)
> I'll wager that the obsession with Masi has much to do
> with the fact that they were USA-made for a period,
> and less to do with their Italian origins.
I'll take that wager, Emanuel! You've got the cart before the horse...
Here in California in the '60s there were more than a few Masi Specials. I'm always surprised when I hear our British list members say they had never even heard of Masi back then. Hard to miss Faliero when his shop is located under the Vigorelli in Milan and he's building for the most famous pro racers of the time.
Masis were already in demand here in California and the US before Faliero opened up a branch of the business in Carlsbad in '73. Why else would the factory be located here if there wasn't alread a demand!
Most you'd ask back in the '70s would have told you that the California operation actually spoiled the mystique. While the Carlsbad frames were clearly nicer workmanship, most collectors are obsessed with the Italian built ones before the "USA-made period."
Chuck Schmidt South Pasadena, Southern California http://www.velo-retro.com (t-shirts, reprints & timelines)
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