Hi gang,
I'm a sometimes poster, most times lurker on the CR list. The passion for and knowledge of vintage bikes on this list is really amazing and has fueled my own interest in this hobby (obsession/addiction/call it what you will.) When I posted my bike to eBay last Friday, I figured it would be mentioned here, but I didn't get a chance to read any of the postings until last night. It's been interesting reading, especially since much of it reflects my own range of feelings about the bike.
I bought the bike via ebay in 2005, I believe in the spring/early summer. I bid the night before the auction ended and was the high bidder by only about $40, so I was actually quite surprised that I won the auction. I had, of course read so much about the marque here on CR, and was curious to experience the ride of a bike with so much mystique surrounding it.
When I got the bike, it had no pedals, no Masi pump. It had dried out globe hoods. It had gray Campagnolo lined brake housing, cloth tape (white? yellow? I don't remember) and all-black Continental Sprinter tubulars. I put on the pedals, the Vittoria tires, shield logo hoods, the benotto tape and yellow housings. I happen to like benotto tape, and I like the way the yellow tape and housings picks up the yellow on the frame. As I mentioned in the listing, I didn't really ride the bike with the Martanos. This was mostly due to the fact that I recognized the rarity and value of them and didn't want to slam them into a pothole here in NYC. I rode another set of wheels with fat tubulars. I also put a Brooks Team Pro saddle on it (I hate Unicanitors.) I bought the bike to ride it and I rode it. A lot. I knew that the paint job/braze-ons killed the value of the bike as a pure collectable, but that's why I was able to buy the bike in the first place. An unmolested, all original, twin-plate Carlsbad GC would have cost far beyond what I would have been able to, or willing to, spend.
It's a great-riding bike. Most of this, I'm sure, has to do with the way it fits, the geometry, and the fat tires as well. I could ride the bike all day and come off it feeling great. I would ride it at least 50% of the time in the drops (probably due to the short top tube.) I didn't take it on rides with many extended stretches of heavy climbing, mostly due to the gearing restrictions imposed by the NR shifting. (I also have an early Eddy Merckx with Super Record components that is the best climbing bike I've ever owned.) The Masi fits me so well, in fact, that I am going to take detailed measurements of the frame and it's angles to use as a starting point for a custom frame.
One poster mentioned that it has a schizophrenic quality, the shiny paint job with the original parts. That's interesting because I had thought about upgrading the parts to Super Record as well. I had also thought about selling off the Martanos to someone with an unmolested GC where they'd be more at home. I had also thought about having the bike stripped down, removing the braze-ons and having it repainted correctly. To this end I acquired the correct style of clamp-on downtube shifters, cable clamps, even the cheapo white plastic bar plugs that were supplied as original equipment. I thought about doing a lot of things to it, but all I actually did was ride it. I rode it a lot.
I never thought about spreading the rear triangle and setting it up with Ergo/STI. I never thought about riding it with clipless pedals. I almost always rode it wearing wool clothing and a cycling cap. I guess I felt it had been messed with enough, that it was still a great bike, worthy of my respect at least, and that I was to some extent "keeping the faith" by leaving it alone. And by riding it. A lot.
It's always interesting to me to read the posts on CR regarding restoration. Some folks seem like they'd repaint any bike, while others wouldn't ever repaint any bike, and the rest falling somewhere in the middle. I've never had a bike repainted, not to say that I never would. I would never have had this Masi painted the way it was, would never have added braze-ons. If the frame was in any kind of original condition at all, I'd have left her alone. But having said that, I can't remember a time when I've gone out for a ride on it where someone hasn't ridden up and complimented me on it. I hope whoever gets it has a much fun as I've had with it.
Cheers,
Rob Anderson
Brooklyn, NY