Confente mania

[11.4]

I'm not usually one to gawk at eBay prices, but this one is pretty interesting:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=140191846033&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=004

I had a couple Confente frames, raced them hard, treated them just like Mario wanted me to, and then sold them off after they sat for a while because I was on team equipment. I just saw them as good frames -- possibly the best at the time -- but not collectibles. When I've owned other frames, I've owned them to race. Of the six frames I still own (a low number for me, historically), only two haven't been raced and they are dedicated fixies -- one for summer, one for winter. My favorite track frame has flown to races in Europe nine times in the past year. I guess I should be keeping my old beat-up stuff. All I have to do is mention Mario's name anywhere, anyhow, and I get fifteen e-mails from people who want what I have, or want photos, or historical detail, or whatever. Honestly, I just raced the stuff. That's what Mario wanted. And if you watch our friend Richard racing on his own bikes, you figure he's of the same mind. There's another thread going on about NAHBS trends -- perhaps builders should come with frames that have been raced -- less paint, more mud.

[e-RICHIE]

mine needs the ashtrays emptied atmo -

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2277/2126486343_4b24369da6_o.jpg

[chrisroph]

wow!

Hey what are 1968-70 nikon f bodies worth? I've got 2.

[roman meal]

"the holy grail of seatpost binder bolts"

even this viking would not go on a crusade for that.

[swoop]

being over 40 and looking fit... i mean real fit... is freaking cool. its a nice coffin.

[amg]

Richard is over 50, 53 if I'm not mistaken and is amazingly fit! God Bless.

Antonio

[swoop]

Richard is over 50, 53 if I'm not mistaken and is amazingly fit! God Bless.

Antonio

cute feet too.

[DarrenCT]

fyi,

demi moore is almost 50 and looky her...

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/1205/demimooreqf8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[chrisroph]

fyi,

demi moore is almost 50 and looky her...

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/1205/demimooreqf8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

richie looks great but not that great

[Jack Brunk]

Last year I had a chance to buy three of his bikes that had never seen or touched the road. They were being held buy a woman who worked for Confente. One of the bikes was a full on 55cm track bike and she wanted 8 grand for the bike. I turned her down and today that was probably a good deal. The other two were fully built record bike that were stunning to say the least. Jock Boyer has a couple hanging in his shop that are incredible pieces of work.

[11.4]

mine needs the ashtrays emptied atmo -

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2277/2126486343_4b24369da6_o.jpg

Somehow when I see photos of Richard racing, he's always clean. Whenever I see pictures of Page, he's always a foot deep in slime. Richard's cross bikes always seem to need detailing, not cleaning. Now some of that is certainly the elegant style of Mr. S.

And to disagree with Mr. Swoop, Mr. S may actually have an edge on Ms. M. After all, he hasn't been married to Bruce Willis.

Of course, I think of Mr. S as a racer first and as a framebuilder second. But then he's so good at the latter precisely because he's first the former.

[RIHans]

I believe OUR HERO

Is in the 55 plus class. Just to clarify. But he is "mucho" skinny, yo.

Looks good on him.

[A.L.Breguet]

wow!

Hey what are 1968-70 nikon f bodies worth? I've got 2.

Me too. One with MLU. They're still almost worthless. Dammit.

[stevep]

Somehow when I see photos of Richard racing, he's always clean. Whenever I see pictures of Page, he's always a foot deep in slime. Richard's cross bikes always seem to need detailing, not cleaning.

its well known that he changes clothes in the pit every lap. the team bring a big closet for him and they set it up at the end of pit row.
the chief now has gained admittance to the 55+ category.

[A.L.Breguet]

Do you have any idea what a recent frame price might be? Assuming they change hands anymore.

[YO!!!]

I sold one at a private auction several years ago for $6250.

Probably would have brought more on eBay, but did not want to
deal with the hassle factor associated with high profile auctions.

[dbrk]

Heresy? I await flames.

Confentes are beautiful bikes and there's a certain way in which his work both helped create and raise the standards of excellence in frame craft. I mean to take not one iota of greatness from the great man.

The very best steel bikes made today by the likes of Sachs, Goodrich, Weigle, Spectrum, S White, D Kirk, et.al., are in fact even more finely crafted. This doesn't make a Confente worth less or their work worth more. But some of these builders down under the paint and then to see the levels they have gone...well, this is a whole new level of craft.

All said, I wish I had a Confente but I'm lucky to have a few others.

dbrk

[A.L.Breguet]

I sold one at a private auction several years ago for $6250.

Probably would have brought more on eBay, but did not want to
deal with the hassle factor associated with high profile auctions.
Really? That kind of price is certainly enough to tempt counterfeiting. Ouch.

[merckx]

The Confente thing is the James Dean thing.

[YO!!!]

Really? That kind of price is certainly enough to tempt counterfeiting. Ouch.

Yeah there have been a few attempts at imitation and I don't mean for flattery. ;)

[e-RICHIE]

here's my confente atmo -

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1304/749066967_c5e492ca4f_o.jpg

[Fixed]

bro r.s. is real
he is like us but better
imho cheers :beer:

[YO!!!]

here's my confente atmo -

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1304/749066967_c5e492ca4f_o.jpg

Is there a BUY IT NOW ?

Do I have to wait till it thaws?

What's the bend / standover height?

[11.4]

Heresy? I await flames.

Confentes are beautiful bikes and there's a certain way in which his work both helped create and raise the standards of excellence in frame craft. I mean to take not one iota of greatness from the great man.

The very best steel bikes made today by the likes of Sachs, Goodrich, Weigle, Spectrum, S White, D Kirk, et.al., are in fact even more finely crafted. This doesn't make a Confente worth less or their work worth more. But some of these builders down under the paint and then to see the levels they have gone...well, this is a whole new level of craft.

All said, I wish I had a Confente but I'm lucky to have a few others.

dbrk

Yes. This was actually my point of view. Confente was an important point in the tradition of race bikes, but I've had bikes since that I thought were actually better done. Mario was something of an organic craftsman -- His frames were sometimes not in the best alignment. He'd drop a bottom bracket and dent it slightly, then just hammer it back into shape, even though it had significant gaps to the tubing. I saw one with a rear end that was out of alignment but shipped nonetheless. And he had a problem for a while with plate forks separating. He'd built for Eddy, and that probably is what made his name more than anything at the time.

I don't regret not having those frames any longer (except insofar as I could be selling them today -- and I saw an authenticated Confente road bike that went recently for $16,200). Given a choice I'd take a RS rather than have a Confente back (I just think that I have better chance of seeing a new Confente than of ever seeing a new RS :crap: ).

[Fixed]

bro 11.4 could you post a pic of some of your bikes?
please if you have time ..
cheers thanks for all the info throughout the year :beer:

[swoop]

people love stories and mythology more than the actual mastery. who has time for mastery when the story is so easy to 'get'. this one goes to 11.
atmo.

[A.L.Breguet]

people love stories and mythology more than the actual mastery. who has time for mastery when the story is so easy to 'get'. this one goes to 11.
atmo.
FWIW, here's a link to the man's story:
http://bhovey.com/Masi/MasiArticles/ConfenteStory/ConfenteStory1.htm

[11.4]

$250 for a seat post bolt. I honestly never saw a custom-stamped seat post bolt at Mario's shop. Can anyone turn up one on an authenticated Confente? All I can say is that if you have a red Richard Sachs Regal saddle, hold onto it. It'll be worth $800 in twenty years.

[jcmuellner]

Love well made bikes, but realized I'm just not in the category to appreciate them with my wallet. I'd rather spend money on a custom from a builder now than some older steed that is boutique-priced. Douglas has a point that frame builders in our day and age make fabulous bikes and for me are a first choice.

I got a little Univega road bike with 26" road wheels for my daughter this year. Come next summer when she starts riding it, it'll be worth far more than any Confente, Merckx, Sachs or Vanilla. It's all just perspective.

[Dr. Doofus]

i thought of this thread while watching those merkcx videos yesterday

one scene in the greatest show on earth, there have been some crashes on the stage where jimenez rips it up the final climb and takes like 2 minutes out of merckx...anyway, one guy who went down bent his fork. he starts "cold sizing" it with his hands, gets a wheel, rides off. say that vintage bike is still around. repainted even. some dude could buy it for 3,000 on ebay...

i don't get it

[J.Greene]

He'd built for Eddy, and that probably is what made his name more than anything at the time.


There is a story about this over across the hall in the CR archives. When asked about the Mario Confente connection, Eddy replied "Mario who?". Maybe in Gent and between dinners with Theo Bos you'll get a chance to ask Eddy about this.

JG

[Too Tall]

WOO HOO
Maybe he was riding one of these?

[11.4]

There is a story about this over across the hall in the CR archives. When asked about the Mario Confente connection, Eddy replied "Mario who?". Maybe in Gent and between dinners with Theo Bos you'll get a chance to ask Eddy about this.

JG

I've heard this story and also heard it was urban legend. There are photos of Mario and Eddy together from Mario's Italian days -- I've seen them, and this was before Photoshop. When Eddy was in Mexico City for his hour record, he also denied knowing Ugo De Rosa in an interview with the local paper. I'm not into creating a greater legend here; it's just interesting overall what a cult has grown around his bikes. I still would like to see this bolt confirmed. I never had one on my Confentes. Perhaps I just had substandard Confentes -- they'd have really been collectible with the bolt attached.

[e-RICHIE]

I still would like to see this bolt confirmed. I never had one on my Confentes.
Perhaps I just had substandard Confentes -- they'd have really been collectible
with the bolt attached.
confente + red regal = more tail than sinatra atmo.

[fiamme red]

I still would like to see this bolt confirmed. I never had one on my Confentes. Perhaps I just had substandard Confentes -- they'd have really been collectible with the bolt attached.Made by Andrew Hague, perhaps.

http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=classicrendezvous.10303.2262.e ml

http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=classicrendezvous.10712.1223.e ml

http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=classicrendezvous.10712.1389.e ml

[11.4]

Made by Andrew Hague, perhaps.

http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=classicrendezvous.10303.2262.e ml

http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=classicrendezvous.10712.1223.e ml

http://search.bikelist.org/getmsg.asp?Filename=classicrendezvous.10712.1389.e ml

I've seen the Rexart ones on a Medici track frame I once had. This one doesn't look the same. And I knew Emmanuel Lowi who made some of those inquiries -- a camera geek as well as a bike geek. Nice guy and very into this stuff. The Campy seat post bolts tended to crack easily in those days -- the metal quality was really bad. They were notorious on the track. I remember one evening at Trexlertown when Jerry Ash broke two of them on his Confente and when we broke both bolts on the Confente tandem in one evening. We had plenty of reasons to ask Mario for replacements but he never had anything available.

[Too Tall]

I've seen the Rexart ones on a Medici track frame I once had. This one doesn't look the same. And I knew Emmanuel Lowi who made some of those inquiries -- a camera geek as well as a bike geek. Nice guy and very into this stuff. The Campy seat post bolts tended to crack easily in those days -- the metal quality was really bad. They were notorious on the track. I remember one evening at Trexlertown when Jerry Ash broke two of them on his Confente and when we broke both bolts on the Confente tandem in one evening. We had plenty of reasons to ask Mario for replacements but he never had anything available.

Simes is still piss'd about that.

I don't have pic of that tandem handy if it is the one I think it is however here is one you'll know:

[gt6267a]

Simes is still piss'd about that.

I don't have pic of that tandem handy if it is the one I think it is however here is one you'll know:

its hard to tell from the photo, but is that mike beers? haven't i seen that tandem in ba bicycles?

[e-RICHIE]

Simes is still piss'd about that.

I don't have pic of that tandem handy if it is the one I think it is however here is one you'll know:
the stoker's right hand isn't showing.
track racing is cool atmo.

[jerk]

my iPhone was pantographed by mario confente's ghost.

jerk

seat binder bolts are mp. isp is the only way to roll.

[e-RICHIE]

my iPhone was pantographed by mario confente's ghost.

jerk

seat binder bolts are mp. isp is the only way to roll.
i knew steve pucci when he was still doing prints atmo -


http://nymag.com/fashion/fashionshows/2006/fall/main/europe/womenrunway/emiliopucci/images/4.jpg

[jerk]

[QUOTE=e-RICHIE]i knew steve pucci when he was still doing prints atmo -


http://nymag.com/fashion/fashionshows/2006/fall/main/europe/womenrunway/emiliopucci/images/4.jpg[/QU sense?

in the anatomic sense?

jerk

sent from a dial-up compuserve account on a pc jr in the brockton public library.

[11.4]

my iPhone was pantographed by mario confente's ghost.

jerk



Heck, I have a Mario Confente speeding ticket. He was driving me to the airport, I said I'd pay it, he died, I decided that California Highway Patrol was going to have a time trying to collect it. (Was that bad?)