Subject: "The Masi Story" Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 11:21:23 -0700 From: brian baylis <rockub@adnc.com> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Listmembers,
Finally a few minutes to tell this great story. It was presented as part of Peter Richs' talk at Velo Rendezvous this past weekend and is very interesting. It also explains how he came to be one of the very first to import Colnago frames. Here is the story as I remember it.
Somewhere in the neighborhood of 1961 Peter Rich was in Italy, racing I believe, when he was exposed to the highly regarded frames of one Faliero Masi, from Milano. He was very impressed with these beautiful machines, so he decided to bring them to his customers in the United States. 1962 was the year that his first order of Masi bicycles arrived in his store in Berkeley, CA. I think there were about 20 bikes in the order. From what I understand, the bikes sold like hotcakes and soon there was another order brewing. As I recall there ended up being between 2 and 3 orders per year sent to Masi. I would assume the number of frames varied from time to time. Peter would take deposits from customers for the size and color of bike they wanted. When the bike came in the customer would pay the balance and pick up the bike. Appearently this routine continued for a number of years where Peter would send 1/3 payment up front for the bikes, 1/3 when the bikes were ready to ship, and the final third when the bikes arrived. Peter relates that as time went on the deliveries took longer and longer until they were waiting a year for bikes that were ordered. His "exclusive" dealer arrangement eventually ended up being one of "about 19 exclusive dealers", according to Peter Rich. Masi was selling bikes to anyone with money and hanging the original dealer out to dry in the process. The final straw happened when one of his customers walked into the shop one day with a Masi EXACTLY like the one she had ordered from Velo Sport and wanted her deposit money back for the bike she had been waiting a year for. When asked where she got the bike she responded with " I bought it off the shelf directly from Faliero/Alberto Masi in Milano". Peter knew that it was one of the bikes he had ordered for the shop, for this customer, and one they had been waiting a long time for. Masi sold her the bike at retail in Italy using Peter Riches money and order to stock his shop, so to speak. Needless to say, Peter was a little miffed!
Peter told us that he hopped a plane to Italy the very next day and went directly to the Masi shop at the Vigorelli. When he arrived, there were a bunch of pro riders hanging around shooting the bull with Faliero and Alberto. As Peter relates, there was the word MOULTINI on the jerseys; yes folks, it was Fast Eddy and the boys paying a visit. They were not riding Masis at the time and the bikes said Moultini on them as Peter took note. Peter walked in and demanded to know why Faliero was selling HIS bikes to other people. Both Alberto and Faliero were present and they told Peter they were busy with something at the moment and to come back later that evening and they would discuss the situation. Peter tells us that his patience had run out with Masi, I believe this was 1968 by that time, and so he wanted to get their attention and some immediate satisfaction. He picked up a hammer from the Masi workbench and SMASHED the top tube of a bike sitting there! THAT got their attention and it apparently made Eddy and the gang a little nervous. The riders sort of decided to hit the road so the two parties could "talk", but not before one of them tipped Peter off with a little friendly advice. One of the guys told Peter to go to a particular town, Peter didn't remember the name, and ask around for "the local framebuilder". He was told that this guy made nice frames AND was more businesslike. That man was Ernesto Colnago.
After the crowd left, Peter, Faliero, and Alberto spent the entire rest of the day and into the night packing up the bikes for shipment to Peter Rich. Needless to say, that was the last order to Masi from Velo Sport. Peter paid a visit to Colnago sometime in 1968 and I hear the bike may still be around. I'd really like to see it. By 1970 some of the very first Colnago bikes and frames were making it to the US through Peter Rich. I bought one in 1972 (it was a 1971 modle) and raced it in 1973 until a crash shortened it's life. I now have a suitable replacement that almost certainly came from Peter Rich, complete with my favorite bike graphic, the 1970-'71 "playing card" style decals.
So there you have it. A wonderful story from the person INSTRUMENTAL in bringing both Masi and Colnago to the forefront in the United States. I personally deeply appreciate Peters' vision and awareness about cool racing bikes from the 60's and 70's. I have a Masi special from probably the first batch brought in in 1962. She's a great bike in great condition. My colnago collection has my personal favorite vintage ride amongst them, for which I credit Peter Rich. Thanks for the talk and the great stories you passed along to us. Priceless in my book.
Brian Baylis La Mesa, CA Serious struggle to write as I try to get work completed here. Where the hell do all of these bikes come from??