Harvey Sachs wrote:
>
> Funny how attitudes on this vary. To me, a 30 year old "just out of the
> box" bike can have both mojo and funk (although I only am competent to
> judge the latter), but there is also a wistfulness, that this is a bike
> that never got to serve its function of bringing pleasure by being
> ridden, but has only the compensation of offering a pristine view of a
> past time. Nice, but static.
>
> On the other hand, I've gotten a lot of pleasure, on a modest budget,
> unwinding the resultsof decades of modernization and change to equip
> bikes as they were when new. My Cinelli has truly awful paint, but I've
> brought it back to how it might have been when new, and this brings
> satisfaction. It's now a grizzled vet, but with one kind of integrity
> that I value.
>
> And then, there are restorations like e-Ritchie's Masis, which shows
> awesome attention to detail, to getting the bike back to in-the-box
> condition. A true just-out-of-the-box is either a lucky find, or a
> triumph of the wallet. Ritchie's class of restoration is the result of
> hard work, patience, time, and a not inconsequential commitment to
> spending.
>
> But, if Chuck was referring to "over the top" restorations with thick,
> wet-look paint on bikes for which it is inappropriate, I'm with him all
> the way. These, from some fine shops, sometimes strike me as sad.
A bike show to be judged. In this case it is The All Masi Show and the eight Masi entered are all 1971 blue Masi G.C.
Here's my vote: 1 Just unwrapped from box 1971 blue Masi G.C. (example John Barron Masi G.C.) 2 Beautifully maintained from new, ridden occasionally 1971 blue Masi G.C. 3 Beautifully maintained from new, ridden daily 11971 blue Masi G.C. 4 Poorly maintained but recently found, overhauled, cleaned and polished 1971 blue Masi G.C. 5 Perfectly restored 1971 blue Masi G.C. (example e-RICHIE Masi G.C.) 6 Badly abused recently found, overhauled, cleaned and polished 1971 blue Masi G.C. 7 Poorly maintained, poorly overhauled, poorly cleaned and not polished 1971 blue Masi G.C. 8 Incorrect restoration with thick Imron 1971 blue Masi G.C.
Please... everyone is free to comment and all opinions welcome on and off list. Comments?
Chuck Schmidt South Pasadena, Southern California
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