[CR]confente is worth it

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Chater-Lea)

From: "Charles Andrews" <chasds@mindspring.com>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:18:57 -0800
Subject: [CR]confente is worth it

Jerry Moos wrote:

I have to believe it is his compelling story combined with the amazing number of now prominant framebuilders associated with CA Masi in some way that has put Confente in a class shared only perhaps by Singer and Herse. Is that it, or can someone point out something concrete he did that even other great framebuilders were unable to do?

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Between the mojo and the ride, Jerry, a confente in original paint and graphics, with original panto'd parts, is worth every penny, whatever you pay.

It's easy to say "ehhh, it's just a Masi GC with different lugs"...but, I can tell you, it's not. confentes ride better than masis. They seem rather like a Masi GC with the wrinkles ironed out. A very sporty, very comfortable road bike. And far more refined in its aesthetics than the GC. As close to a perfect 70s steel racing bike as I know of in this world. If I had to choose between a clean, original, complete confente and just about any other 70s steel road bike, I'd likely pick the Confente, purely on the basis of ride-quality and overall aesthetics.

And, of course, leave us not forget the mojo, which is always worth a lot of money. Not to mention the fact that there are so few of them. Had Mario built a few thousand of them with pressed lugs, I suspect they'd cost a bit less. Not much less, but a bit.

Ask any McClaren F1 owner a similar question. You can get a car that's nearly as fast, and a lot more practical, for a lot less money. But I suspect every person who currently owns a McClaren F1 is very happy to have it. The comparison is not entirely apt, as the McClaren costs a bit more to use than the Confente will <g>...but, nonetheless, the concept is the same.

Or ask an owner of one of the fewer than 1200 extant Porsche Carrera GT cars if they think it wasn't worth the money, or if they'd trade their GT for a Corvette. I expect not a one would complain.. or trade.

Charles Andrews
Los Angeles