Original Message: ----------------- From: Michael Allison banjodoc@earthlink.net Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 15:27:33 -0500 To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org, chuckschmidt@earthlink.net Subject: [CR]NOW: 1960s Masi measurements WAS: 80s Masi ride quality
"As you observed, these old frames "have a magic carpet ride." The roads way back then were, on the whole, moderate to poor. The old Masis, and probably most frames from the sixties (except for Cinelli, which always felt like a track bikes with a derailleur), were "tour bikes." That is, made to carry a rider for 100 miles day after day and not beat them up too much."
These measurements are pretty much the same for a lot of lightweights of the 1960s into the 1970s, including the PX-10 and a whole raft of British lightweights like the lovely Viking "Severn Valley" frameset on UK eBay right now. They are marvelous "riders" and yes "racers", too... there's a website somewhere that alleges Mr. Merckx saying his PX-10 "rode and handled like a dog", but he did pretty well riding it! No matter who is supposedly have actually made it. Maybe even... Peugeot! As did a lot of riders of the day on 72 parallel angle frames. Actually, I think this basic geometry was established for performance machines by the mid 1950s and lasted into the early 70s save for the Italians. E vero?
I've yet to find any data as to what geometry Cinellis of the 1960s used vs. the 1970s; surely the Speciale Corsa wasn't the same from c. 1948 onwards? Or were they that good?
Peter Kohler Washington DC USA
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