Surely people the idea that different nationalities built different riding bikes cannot be that obtuse? No more than different countries' cars are (or were) distinct and different.
And it was hardly an obscure idea. Read a Holdsworth or Falcon catalogue and they specifically mention "Italianate" frame features. Meant something then. Should now. Carlton's "Giro d'Italia" wasn't named that by accident. Their "Professional" frameset, c. 1969, on the other hand was more like a PX-10 except for the forks. The basis of the Mark I Raleigh Pro which, yep, reminds me of a PX-10 in its ride. Eddy Merckx didn't like the ride of his stock PX-10 (although it didn't prevent him from winning most of the major early victories on one!) so he and Simpson had Masi make those famous Masis in Peugeot colours. So the difference meant something to real racers, too. Compare the forks alone of those two machines and tell me they would ride the same. Nonsense.
And it's not just "PX-10" either... Gitane, Mercier, all of the prime French pro machines of the era shared the same basic design. They were entirely distinct from Italian bikes of the same era.
I can' think of anything more dismal or boring than the notion that an Italian or French anything is "the same". You need, I guess to date them, drive them or ride to find out.
Peter Kohler
Washington DC USA