Eric writes;
>> The "Masi" factory in Italy is now called Milano 3V. I can't comment on the
quality but the bikes certainly look lovely.
The Masi shop in Italy is still called Masi, as are the bikes. Milano is a name that is used in the US market only, due to ownership issues (Faliero Masi sold all US rights to the name to Roland Sahm back in the early 70's).
>> Mark writes:
Paul, basically the Masi Prestiges were made in Italy starting in about
1976 or so. They had Reynolds 753 tubing (versus the 531 on Gran Criteriums
of the era)
To the best of my knowledge earliest Prestiges were 531, changing to Columbus in the mid-late 70's (tho Columbus was always available by special order, with both the GC and Prestige). Not sure what was used in the '80's... unlike the US bikes, I've not been able to turn up much in the way of catalogs or brochures on the Italian bikes. If you have some documentation with any details about the Prestige, please (!!) contact me off-list, I'd really like to get scans for the web site.
?
>> and the Prestiges were finished/detailed a little nicer.
It's probably just a matter of taste but I much prefer the detailing of the Gran Crits... nicely tapered lugs, reworked dropouts, handmade seat stay ends. The clean finish on the Prestiges was the result of investement cast lugs and plug stay ends that received far less hand work and are rather sterile to my eye in comparison to the Gran Crits.
Bob Hovey
Columbus, GA USA
http://bhovey.com/