Re: [CR] Collectible Bicycles / Fausto Coppi

(Example: Framebuilders:Pino Morroni)

Date: Sun, 20 Dec 2009 08:58:43 -0800
From: Jerome & Elizabeth Moos <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>, John D Proch <johnprochss@yahoo.com>
In-Reply-To: <318138.82366.qm@web111015.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [CR] Collectible Bicycles / Fausto Coppi


AFAIK, the Coppi bikes were typical of such bikes, with the manufacturer simply licensing the use of the famous racer's name, like with Jacque Anquetil, Lousion Bobet, and Roger Rivierre bikes and many more. Never heard that Coppi had any real involvement with the design or production of the bikes. Not sure, but I get the impression that Gino Bartali, by contrast, may have had substantial control over the production of bikes bearing his name.Part of the problem with bikes bearing famous racer's names is that typically they are produced in a range of models from Pro to gaspipe. Thus the low end models tend to drag down the image and the prices of the top model. Another problem is that much of the appeal is to have a bike "just like" the famous racer used. But devoted fans associate Coppi with Bianchi, Bobet with Stella, and Anquetil with Heylett, not with the bikes produced later in their careers or after they retired. The final factor is just supply and demand. Even the Pro level licensed bikes were often made in realtively large quantities, so are not all that rare. So a Coppi bike does not have near the appeal of a Bianchi with even an extremely dubious provence connected to Coppi, or even a Bianchi that could be shown to be the same year and model on which Coppi achieved one of his triumphs. The licensing of names is mostly effective in selling bikes to the casual or unsophisticated fan. The real tifosi know what their heros really rode and are not impressed by a name slapped on a generic product.Merckx is a bit of an exception, in that (a) he rode Merckx branded bikes early in his career and in his prime, the very early years and the Peugeot stint being the exception. And (b) he became an actual manufacturer of bikes after his retirement, rather than just licensing his name. Also, AFAIK, the Merckx bikes manufactured since his retirement have not included any really low end models, although Falcon made some gaspipe Merckx bikes under license. But Merckx bikes, although well respected, seem to command resonable but not inordinately high prices. Perhaps similar to Colnago but not typically as high as say Masi or DeRosa.The one exception is the pro quality bikes in Molteni colors produced during Eddy's career, which do command some high prices. As with the other big heros, the motivation seems in being "just like Eddy" even when no provenance is claimed for the particular bike. To have a bike just like one Eddy might have ridden in his prime seems to be worth a premium price. But none of the Coppi-branded bikes seem to have achieved that image in the eyes of potential buyers.Regards,Jerry MoosBig Spring, Texas, USA--- On Sat, 12/19/09, John D Proch <johnprochss@yahoo.com> wrote:> From: John D Proch <johnprochss@yahoo.com>> Subject: [CR] Collectible Bicycles / Fausto Coppi> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Date: Saturday, December 19, 2009, 7:18 PM> Hello Vintage Bicycle Fans and> Experts,> > There are so many bikes that are collectible and others> that are not. That is> the reason that either they were highly desirable or rare> with different> specific gearing setups like Cambio Corsa, frame detailing> and whether they are> have the original paint, decals and other factors that make> them desirable. My> question is that Fausto Coppi framesets on Ebay have been> appearing from time> to time and they do not seem to bring a high value. Is> there a reason for this?> I understand that Fiorelli and Fausto somewhere merged or> may have never even> been related and any insight to what is and what I do not> understand would be clearer> to me by any of those of you that can help me understand. I> have read this and> heard that and still do not understand the connection. I> have seen many> Fiorelli\u2019s from the late and early 1960\u2019s and even up> until the 1980\u2019have seen> Fiorelli\u2019s. I believe I own an early 1980\u2019s Fiorelli> Coppi (?). > Could anyone help and share any knowledge about the company> and possibly> why Fausto Coppi\u2019s do not bring premium money? Thanks to> all and this is the> coolest place on the planet for vintage cycling friends and> information!!> > Merry Christmas and best to all,> John Proch> La Grange, Texas