[CR]Irish Masis

(Example: Framebuilding:Tubing:Falck)

From: <themaaslands@comcast.net>
To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org (Classic Rendezvous)
Date: Wed, 08 Dec 2004 22:39:42 +0000
Subject: [CR]Irish Masis

I obviously didn't express myself very clearly in my previous post, as Tom's reply shows that he did not get my logic. I'll therefore try once again to be a bit clearer.

Masi, De Rosa and Cinelli bikes all have values that are generally superior to that of most bikes with a similar level of workmanship and racing palmarès. These superior price evaluations are due IMO to their relative renown. In Italy, I would say that today, the DeRosa and the Cinelli would both be rated very slightly above the Masi, but not sufficiently so to make a difference. My limited knowledge of the Japanese market would seem to point to a similar situation over there. In the US, I would dare say that contrary to what Tom states, all three are about at the same level (when comparing similar vintage bikes). While Cinelli and Masi are more or less contemporary with one another, De Rosa reached a critical size much later. My comment about the 10-20% added value given to the Masi in Italy is when they are compared to other master framebuilder bikes with similar workmanship and pro racing palmarès. In the US, few people are aware of any other master framebuilders that could be compared to these three in palmarès, so their renown, by default, is comparatively greater.

So if I take a few top-end bikes from about 1970 that have recently sold in Italy, I can state that the following real price scale. Starting from the cheapest to most expensive, and including a relative price based upon the sale price of a Bianchi Reparto Corse bike: 1968 Torpado (relative price 70), 1969 Bianchi Reparto Corse(relative price 100), 1970 Legnano team bike (relative price 100), 1971 Masi GC (relative price 110), 1969 Marnati-built Chiorda (relative price 110), 1969 Masi Special (relative price 120), 1972 De Rosa (relative price 120), 1971 Cinelli (relative price 135). In the US, at the present exchange rates and paying for shipping, the Torpado, Legnano and Bianchi would IMO likely reach about the same price in actual dollars as paid in Italy; whereas the Masi, Cinelli and De Rosa would all sell for greatly more than what an Italian would pay for the same bike. The Chiorda would be an enigma here in the US because of its rarity.

I therefore believe that it is not the American production of the Masi that is important as much as the 'boutique' image. Americans are apparently much more likely to pay over the top for the 'boutique' heritage than are Italians. Likely because the difference to the Italians between a quasi-production bike and the boutique bike was not that great and the marketing they were exposed to was not that different between the two.

Tom asked: "I just missing something? Are there Italian bikes, and Masis in particular that are finished like the early Carlsbad bikes? "

Ask E-Richie to comment on Maurice Bresnahan's Masi Special to get an answer to this. To me, a few of the things that truly put the California Masis in a class of their own in relation to other racing bikes widely available at the same time, were the performance and the paint. You do however have to remember that at the time, given the transatlantic transport costs, as well as customs, duties and foreign exchange rates, the sale of a California Masi to a customer in the US brought considerably more money into the producer's pockets than did the sale of an Italian one. So you are comparing apples with oranges.

--
Steven Maasland
Moorestown, NJ