Just to be clear, my bike is NOT 1979 production (D8003), it is NOT a track bike, and it DOES have the solo decal, with seemingly original patina. I do apologize for promoting rumors.
Ken Freeman
Ann Arbor, MI USA
> RE: Item number 170151417162
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n> I too have written this seller for a detailed
\r?\n> photo of the bottom bracket and have not
\r?\n> received anything yet. But the seller does
\r?\n> seem to be making an effort to list the bike
\r?\n> honestly, so I don't think there's anything
\r?\n> shady going on.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> As for it being a Masi, I thing there are
\r?\n> enough details in the current photos to
\r?\n> confirm that... fork crown, seat stay
\r?\n> bridge, lug windows, squared contours on
\r?\n> the rear dropout.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> The solo decal on the downtube, the
\r?\n> front-facing palmares boxes on the seat
\r?\n> tube bands and the missing chainstay
\r?\n> decals are typical of 1979 production
\r?\n> so I think it's safe to assume that's
\r?\n> when the repaint and brazeons were done.
\r?\n> The only other time the solo decal was
\r?\n> used was on Carlsbad track bikes or by
\r?\n> special request (as on Jerry Ash's road
\r?\n> bike). The only thing I find curious is
\r?\n> that the shifter brazeons are too low.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> >> For early US Masis, I understand
\r?\n> that serial numbers were not always shown
\r?\n> on the frame.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> This is an old rumor that doesn't want
\r?\n> to die. It's just not true. I have photo
\r?\n> documentation of about 150 Carlsbad bikes
\r?\n> (about eight percent of total production)
\r?\n> and in my experience a Carlsbad
\r?\n> without a serial number is almost
\r?\n> unheard of. I've only seen maybe
\r?\n> two or three frames without some
\r?\n> sort of BB stamp and at least
\r?\n> one of those was a frame repair
\r?\n> where it probably had been filed
\r?\n> out. One was a NY Trade Show bike.
\r?\n> There are also two (Masi employee)
\r?\n> frames I'm aware of with the owner's
\r?\n> birth date in lieu of a serial number.
\r?\n> Then there is a small group of
\r?\n> subcontracted frames that have no
\r?\n> serial numbers, only a frame size
\r?\n> with no "M" prefix (I've seen five
\r?\n> of these so far). My guess is they
\r?\n> were built after Carlsbad closed and
\r?\n> before Rob's production at the Ranch
\r?\n> began.... they all have an unusual
\r?\n> fork bend that was obviously not
\r?\n> done on the Carlsbad jig and stamps
\r?\n> of a different size than Carlsbad
\r?\n> used.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Still too early to tell about this
\r?\n> black bike on eBay. I think the
\r?\n> owner should not have relisted the
\r?\n> bike before doing more research,
\r?\n> because in replacing the 73 date with
\r?\n> a 76 date, he's just substituting
\r?\n> one guess for another. And at this
\r?\n> point, I'm not even sure he went
\r?\n> the right way... judging by the fork
\r?\n> crown, there's a possibility the bike's
\r?\n> not even a Carlsbad, it could be
\r?\n> a '71 Italian.
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Bob Hovey
\r?\n> Columbus GA USA
\r?\n>
\r?\n> http://bhovey.com/
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Ken Freeman Writes:
\r?\n>
\r?\n> I have a 1980 Masi that has the same downtube decals. Masi having been what
\r?\n> it was, it's just hard to establish history in a definitive way. The best
\r?\n> assessment I've gotten, working with several 'Listers who are prime
\r?\n> Masi-istis, is that at times the painters left off the flag section, and for
\r?\n> some special geometries they were left off. Perhaps this is to distinguish
\r?\n> the special frame from the standard (i.e. geometry in accordance with the
\r?\n> model frames) items. The assessment is also that mine is actually a Masi
\r?\n> from California.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> One frustration I have with this listing is that the pictures show very few
\r?\n> of the frame features that would allow me, at least, to see the signs of
\r?\n> Masi frame design and construction. Anyone who scammed or duplicated a set
\r?\n> of decals could perhaps have gussied-up a different frame as a faux-Masi.
\r?\n> The parts are certainly in the correct ballpark, but there were many
\r?\n> "full-Campy" bikes sold in those days.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> For early US Masis, I understand that serial numbers were not always shown
\r?\n> on the frame.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> The seller's tone seems genuine and I mean to cast no aspersions on him or
\r?\n> his bike, but it is hard for me to see what it really is. I wouldn't be
\r?\n> surprised if he finds it difficult to answer your questions, Masi history
\r?\n> being still as questionable as it is, despite the heroic efforts of some of
\r?\n> our prominent 'Listers.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Not my size, so I'm not a bidder.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Best regards,
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Ken Freeman
\r?\n> Ann Arbor, MI USA
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Steve Shaw Writes:
\r?\n>
\r?\n> The? supposed 73 Masi is now relisted as a 76 with pretty much the same
\r?\n> description.? ( Item number 170151417162).? Has anyone seen a pic of the
\r?\n> bottom bracket or know the serial number of this bike.? I've asked the
\r?\n> seller but not received any info and I'm getting suspicious about it.? Why
\r?\n> does the sticker on the downtube say Masi instead of Masi Gran Criterium.?
\r?\n> Is this a California Masi or not?
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Steve Shaw
\r?\n> Millbury, MA
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n> **************************************
\r?\n> See what's new at http://www.aol.com