Fifty Plus (50+) - New MASI website and nice steel bikes

Masi updated its website this week...

http://masibikes.com/tab4_subNav2.php

A couple of their steel bikes are pretty interesting all rounders for 50+'ers looking for bikes for long rides, commuting, or even light touring.

I like the Speciale CX and the Randonneur. The Randonneur bike is new for 2009

A little more $ than a Surly LHT or Crosscheck complete...cheaper than a Salsa Casserroll complete.

Mmmmm. Root beer.

Thanks for the link. I have always liked steel frames with a slighty relaxed geometry, including clearance for somewhat wider tires and even mudguards. This is one reason I like my classics. I also noticed the barcons on one of the Masis -- nice touch!

I ride a MASI Gran Criterium from '77 and it has a relaxed geometry which I've really appreciated since I converted it to fixed gear.

Kind of sorry to see MASI made in China, . . . but not surprised.

Rick / OCRR

Interesting slant on Masi bikes:

http://www.planetultra.com/maynard/masi.html

It is great to see several companies bringing new steel bikes into their lineups. For a few years it was getting hard to find steel bikes in the entry to mid level range on a bike shop floor. But that trend is reversing and steel is becoming well represented among the options available.

Can't go wrong with steel, and thankfully the industry is seemingly off their esoteric and mixed materials kick and back into the business of building bikes people will ride for years as opposed to for a couple seasons.

I've owned a couple of Masis. The first one - a Gran Criterium - I bought used for pretty cheap around 1974. It had been purchased around 1970 by the original owner from the shop underneath the Vigorelli. It was sold to the second owner, who had crashed it (it had a dimple underneath the downtube just below the head lug), and then I had bought it (which explains why it was so cheap). It still tracked perfectly and was a big improvement over the Japanese bike I had been riding, but it was stolen from a locked garage in the late 70's.

The second Masi was a Special, made in Italy but with Alberto Masi's signature. I bought the frame new in 1979 or 1980 at a shop in Vancouver. It was an Italian Masi, as opposed to the California Masi's built in Carlsbad, CA. I raced it throughout the early and mid-80's, winning Masters stage races in Mexico and the Sprint jersey at a Masters stage race in Guatemala. I thought it handled funny - the head tube was too steep and the top tube was too short. It eventually became a fixed-gear road bike and finally met its demise in a crash around 2003.

It wasn't until I started riding a carbon fiber Trek that I realized just how squirrely the Italian Masi was. You had to be on top of the Masi all the time, and it required care through fast turns. The Trek, on the other hand, cornered like it was on rails. More relaxed, longer top tube, more of a "Greg Lemond" design, which is how a real Euro stage race bike is built (and which is the best design for an all-around bike). I have found that most of the "Italian" bikes coming to North America are built closer to track geometry, reflecting antiipated use on smooth roads and criteriums.

So basically, I think Masis are highly overrated, especially the imports built by Alberto. Maybe Faliero's are OK. A lot of the high regard for old steel frames is the Emperor's New Clothes. You just have to go out and really ride these bikes to make the judgment. But then, this is coming from a cat that rides a steel fixed-gear Benotto track frame most of the time on the road.

L.

I have this hunch that there's a Masi in my future. I've bookmarked their website. Love that root beer color!!!

Just thought I'd pull out a photo for anyone who hasn't clicked through.

I think the seat height was done by the photo guy to make this bike look sexier; but if you imagined what this looks like with the seat adjusted so that the handlebars and seat are level, the geometry of this Randonneur model seems to be traditional tourer. The frame has 18-inch chainstays, 42 inch wheelbase.

Notice that instead of a triple like most tourers it's a compact double - 50/34 chainrings, and a rather aggressive 11/25 freewheel in back. I could see using this bike for commuting if I put a bigger cassette on the back but I think for loaded touring one is going to need a different set up in the crankset.

http://i36.tinypic.com/25z02no.jpg

I like the Soulville line better, as it doesn't have those satanic handlebars.

I looked at a Soulville 10 recently. Nice bike for $1195. SRAM Rival derailleurs.
http://masibikes.com/tab4_subNav3.php

I like the Soulville 7 too, with its 7-speed internal hub. Except that it has coaster brakes. Comes standard with a leather saddle w/springs.

I like the Soulville line better, as it doesn't have those satanic handlebars.

I looked at a Soulville 10 recently. Nice bike for $1195. SRAM Rival derailleurs.
http://masibikes.com/tab4_subNav3.php

I like the Soulville 7 too, with its 7-speed internal hub. Except that it has coaster brakes. Comes standard with a leather saddle w/springs.

Yes, I saw pics of the Soulville in all the Interbike coverage. Would be a nice bike w/proper handlebars.

Where's Crosschain? Didn't Dave Stoller ride a Masi in Breaking Away?

... Didn't Dave Stoller ride a Masi in Breaking Away?

Yup. A reddish orange Gran Criterium. He even hit 50mph in the 42T chainring in the movie. :)

It wasn't until I started riding a carbon fiber Trek that I realized just how squirrely the Italian Masi was. You had to be on top of the Masi all the time, and it required care through fast turns. The Trek, on the other hand, cornered like it was on rails. More relaxed, longer top tube, more of a "Greg Lemond" design, which is how a real Euro stage race bike is built (and which is the best design for an all-around bike). I have found that most of the "Italian" bikes coming to North America are built closer to track geometry, reflecting antiipated use on smooth roads and criteriums.

So basically, I think Masis are highly overrated, especially the imports built by Alberto. Maybe Faliero's are OK. A lot of the high regard for old steel frames is the Emperor's New Clothes. You just have to go out and really ride these bikes to make the judgment. But then, this is coming from a cat that rides a steel fixed-gear Benotto track frame most of the time on the road.

L. This comparison is much more about geometry than about frame material. There are plenty of good lugged steel road frames which ride stably and comfortably -- I own and ride a few. :) I have always preferred long distance road racing frames or touring frames over twitchy criterium frames.

Yup. A reddish orange Gran Criterium. He even hit 50mph in the 42T chainring in the movie. :)

I lived in Bloomington when the movie was filmed and saw a couple of scenes being shot and can verify that Dave was doing an honest 50mph in the 42T ring. Wouldn't swear to it in court, though. Or, maybe I'm thinking of the TV version of Breaking Away that was shot in Georgia and has kudzu at the side of the roads they rode on. Hoosier kudzu, of course.:lol:

Is a Masi a Masi?
Brings up that question never to be really answered.
Is a Colnago a Colnago?
Really, in the old sense, NO. Neither are neither. Really, my old Colnagos are not really 'Colgnagos' (except for my trackie...) they're just mass-produced 'replicas' of what Colnago may have built for a few lucky few.
Not to say that these all aren't fine bikes, as are the modern versions.
For many of us, dinosaurs from the 60's, 70's and 80's (90's and 00's) the idea of a 'special' frame varied from 'labeled' stuff like 'Colnago' to 'Olmo' to ... whatever.
Whereas a Marinoni, maybe a Limongi or Oreo, maybe a Eisentraut or Sachs or Redcay or you name it; even what seemed a mundane 'Serotta Club' were likely built by the hands of that Frame maker.
For some of us, lucky enough to have spent time in the basements (often the 'place') where these Fine Artisans worked their magic, there is a difference. Is it the 'Quality' or 'ride', prolly not. But it is the connection between the 'concept' and the Artisan and the final intent and realization. Maybe a little like the difference between a 'Martin' and a Yamaha. I don know...
Surely these are fine bikes, but not really any different or more special than maybe my 'unknown origin' Marin (although I've been given good insight, from a very reliable source, on the probable manufacture - surprised I am not).
Even though 2nd hand, Texraid's new-to-him Waterford follows in that line of interaction, artisanship and intent.
Is all this important, a big Deal? Only of you think about it.
Personally, I kick myself often for letting go of my Oreo - very happy I keep my Limongi and sad I never followed through with Marinoni on the bike he was gonna build for me.
Just ramblin here (cause MASI really ain;t MASI). But iff'n you have a frame builder in your neck of the woods, and there are plenty of them out there, lots of new, young ones; you might find a special added dimension to cycling just by visiting them (if they'll have you) and maybe even a little more if you get them to build you a bike.
just sayin...

... some ramblins from Maynard Hershon
http://www.planetultra.com/maynard/masi.html

some of you pharts may remember Maynard and his musings from early Velonews daze...
me... he ALWAYS struck the chord with me, from the very first article...
glad to see his stuff is still around...
http://www.planetultra.com/maynard/index.html

for anyone just hearing of Maynard and his writing, hope it hits you as squarely as it does me...
(here's hopin they fix some of the 404s...)

EDIT: oops, sorry JanMM, just saw your post with the same link for Maynard's article...
anyway, M-FOZ-ziz is a good thang...

The Speciale Randonneur has the same geo as the Speciale Commuter, like the Casseroll Triple as counterpart to the Casseroll Single.

The website needs shots of the bikes in all color themes. It's a shame the site has no picture of the Orange Creme Speciale Commuter.

Nice but 60 C-T is largest top tube. Too small for me.