Modern Gran Crit?

[shamsixnine]

Saw this while surfing...

https://www.masibikes.com/framesets/gran-criterium

Guessing made in Asia. Looks like a nice steel frame for decent price. Got me wondering though. Is this Masi any less legit than perhaps the California Masis of the 70's?

[paredown]

The brand guy for the resuscitated Masi (now owned by Haro) posted a lot of information about what the 'new' Masi was up to, and he is both a big bike fan and pretty knowledgeable.

He blogged as 'Tim the Masi Guy'--and left his blog up even though he no longer works for Masi: http://masiguy.blogspot.com/

Here's the posting he wrote on what is a "real" Masi,
http://masiguy.blogspot.com/2005_04_01_archive.html

and you should read it back to back with the old posting on Bob Hovey's site also about what a "real" Masi is:
http://bhovey.com/Masi/Nationality.htm
(http://bhovey.com/Masi/Nationality.htm)

It is a funny thing to consider--if you think that Falerio sprinkled some sort of fairy dust on his frames, then did it transfer to California? Did it get transferred to the guys who worked with Confente? Did it carry on with the guys who built with Masi and moved on--anyone from Mike Howard on down? Are the 'Milano' bikes that were imported the "real" Masi-s and the American ones the imposters?

In short, is there a brand essence that can be sustained in product produced several long steps away from whom and where it started?

I know the collectors draw the lines pretty sharply--Cinellis need to be pre-Columbus take-over (even though the later SCs made by Losa are probably better than the late 60s/early 70s production), they want their Colnagos to be late 60s/early 70s (complete with file marks and bad paint) because those are the "real" Colnagos, and they think anything after about 1975 is not a real Masi... And they may have a point.

I find it interesting though that there is another recent thread about Merckx returning to consult with his company that he sold, because they have not been able to sustain their 'edge' in producing desirable bikes and need his input.

There is less information out there now that Tim no longer posts info, but I think that they have been sourcing their steel frames in Taiwan-the last Italian sourced steel was a while ago. And I suspect that they would be good quality and well finished.

[texbike]

As the owner of a Carlsbad-built, '75 GC, I'm of the opinion that the only true Masis are those that were made in Italy by the hands of Faliero, Alberto, and team and originated from the depths of the Velodromo Vigorelli in Milan. The rest are nothing more than licensed interpretations of the real thing. :)

Texbike

[mhespenheide]

They're awfully pretty, what with the polished chrome lugs. And a far better deal than the Bianchi Eroica.

As to the lineage... I imagine there were quite a few people wondering the same thing about Masi moving to California in the 70's. But the builders in CA did beautiful work, and earned their own names. We'll have to see how the modern frames turn out, but --

Masi would do well, in my opinion, to create a dedicated working group in Asia (Taiwan?) and limit the production of the new Gran Criterium to those specific builders. Then introduce us to those builders. Give us some articles and photoshoots with those builders. Names are important and have power -- I'd be more inclined to buy a (used) Serotta if I knew it had been brazed by Dave Kirk or the like. You can't build a mystique, but remind us that you've still got people building bikes by hand.

[shamsixnine]

I never considered myself a retrogrouch, rather a modernist in most aspects. And I never considered getting an Asian built bike. But this has me reconsidering. I'm thinking it's pretty damn cool-as long as its a great ride as well. And that price is awesome. In 1984 my Guerciotti frame with a super record front derailleur and a super record headset was around $500!

[ultraman6970]

IMO bikes like that need a threaded headset and quill stems, they look way better that way.

[Steve in SLO]

Saw this while surfing...

https://www.masibikes.com/framesets/gran-criterium

Guessing made in Asia. Looks like a nice steel frame for decent price. Got me wondering though. Is this Masi any less legit than perhaps the California Masis of the 70's?

In my mind:

Real Masis are made in Italy.

California Masis are a different breed, have their own cachet, and in some cases are probably better than their Italian – built brethren. That being said, they share much DNA with their Italian counterparts.

The new Asian Masis look like nice frames, probably ride well, and have Masi stickers.

[ripvanrando]

Will these newly minted Masi GCs lower the value of my 1972 Italian Masi GC.

$1095 for that new GC frame and let's say $3k all in for a middle of the road build.

I've seen some stunning originals for less than these knockoffs but that may be harsh, time will tell whether they have "that ride". On quality tubies my Masi just floats, descends and corners like I'm riding on a Magic Carpet.

[false_Aest]

If they're at Interbike and I find them . . . I'll post pictures.

[smontanaro]

If it's your size, you can try one out for less than two grand:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/bik/5790129632.html

https://images.craigslist.org/00e0e_5VdF02uEbcx_1200x900.jpg

I guess the color scheme was meant to recall Mario Confente's preferences, but with all the black bits, the effect is spoiled, in my opinion anyway.

[thirdgenbird]

A silver headset, bottle cages, bar, stem, and post would go a long ways on that.

[smontanaro]

A silver headset, bottle cages, bar, stem, and post would go a long ways on that.

Agreed. Do the big manufacturers make cranks and derailleurs which aren't completely or substantially black? That big, black table saw blade is really distracting.

[thirdgenbird]

Agreed. Do the big manufacturers make cranks and derailleurs which aren't completely or substantially black? That big, black table saw blade is really distracting.

Veloce, Potenza, Athena, and 5800 105 all come in silver. The 105 is a matte silver, but still silver.

[bobswire]

I haven't really looked at Masi in years but this looks like a decent deal for an all rounder. https://www.masibikes.com/bikes/competition/cx-comp-2016

[Waldo]

Snip: Will these newly minted Masi GCs lower the value of my 1972 Italian Masi GC.


I'd say the new version GC increases the value of an authentic 1972 Italian GC by making the public aware of the wonderful original that the new version attempts to imitate.