luker

Big Guys Alert!

um, Big Rich Guys...

180309398342.

The pictures are worth the looksee.

CardiacKid

Could be the most beautiful bike I have ever seen. It is even my size. Unfortunately I don't have a spare $5000+ laying around.

oldbobcat

Just gorgeous. I can see the lineage of the California Masi Gran Criteriums in its profile--slack-ish frame angles, moderate fork rake and wheel clearances, and the "spooned" seat stay caps. The detailing is at a whole other level, though.

Does the seller have a 60?

luker

ya know, that bike has been well used, judging from the state of the almarc and the wear on the brake pads. Rufus knows how to keep his crap looking good, no?

lotek 

damndamndamn dayum.
Makes me wish I were a bit taller (well ok a lot taller).
one of the most beautiful bikes I've seen in a long time.

Marty

RealFrames

Don't believe the hype! Cute sales pitch but for those in the know... Ain't worth 4K, even as a collectors piece. Maybe if you were related, as a family heirloom.

nlerner

Does this statement in the auction raise red flags for anyone?

"yes, One Sweet Bicycle, I am Selling this bike for a friend of mine, the bike is in los Vegas, and can be seen by appointment befor Auction ends
call Rufus at (702)750-9430 or (709) 750-9430
there is a $200.00 deposit after the end of Auction. The bike can be pick up in Las Vegas.
we can make arrangement to ship at actual cost! plus the cost of packaging. Need to Contact Ralph or Rufus at end of auction"

Neal

Picchio Special

The seller's legit. The bike's legit. The bike is also collectible, despite what Mr. RealFrames states.

lotek 

Neal,

Unless his account has been hijacked rjcarnevale is a well known, and respected
ebay seller as well as CR list member.

RealFrames, care to elaborate?

gridplan

Just how do you figure that? Mike Kone's Confente in similar condition sold back in February within 3 hours for the asking price of $8,800. It's easily worth the starting price.

nlerner

Good to know, though I'd feel better if he were more careful with the wording and correctness of his ad copy.

Neal

mobile homeless

Translation?

I'm bidding on it.


heh.

cudak888 

The only thing on that machine that can make me feel that way is the fact that the headlugs haven't been filed up front. Otherwise - forget it, buster...

-Kurt

bigbossman 

Kurt, if you take a look at "RealFrames" posting record, it is a total of 4 negative one-liners in a half hour's space since he joined on the 26th - today.

Picchio Special

Well, at least the front caliper is non-period-correct, which knocks it down a couple of thou. Then there are what might be post-CPSC (and also therefore non-period) QR levers on the skewers, but they're cleverly concealed by the booties, so you can't tell if they're the hand-bent kind. Then again, the rear skewer partakes of the Campy hi-lo hub mojo, so I guess that's not a deal breaker anyway.

unterhausen

I don't know why you assert any of those things are non-period correct. The super record group I bought in '78 had CPSC skewers. The front caliper looks right, except I don't see the engraving on it. I assume they got that O-ring from somewhere other than campy, but otherwise it looks right to me. Dunno if that hurts the value. I have exactly those brake shoes on my bike, they were available in that era. If any of you pony up the $8000 this may go for, I can get you some stock campy period correct brake shoe holders for a complete restoration.

I could point out 10 deficits in the workmanship on the frame, but that doesn't really detract from the value of the bike.

cudak888 

Except for the fact that this is supposed to be a first-gen SR group.

I didn't take a close look - I only took note of the headlugs. Point the others out to me, then maybe I'll dislike this frame (preferably).

-Kurt

unterhausen

Is it? It looks like the rear skewer has aluminum parts, does that date it at all? Plus the CPSC skewers had a different nut than these. It was quite common on custom bikes to have the handles bent. By this time, people didn't really like the looks of the straight levers, it was common to heat them up and bend them. There is no doubt that the original owner put aftermarket parts on here.

The overall presentation is very nice, but I'm trying to do you a favor here.
There are two that really jump out at me. If you look at the view with the shifters, the shore line of the lower ht lug is discontinuous. There is a nasty gash in the left rear dropout near the seat stay. The approach to the dropouts is haphazard, some of them are fully filled, but the chainstay to left rear dropout joint has a substantial cavity. These are the defects that really jumped out at me, I see hints of some other lapses in workmanship, but the photos are crummy. I'm sure with what I see there are plenty more nits to pic.

If you ever make it to the geographic center of Pennsylvania, I'll let you pic nits on some of the frames I've made in order to make up for this post

Oldpeddaller

It's really horrible, isn't it? All those fiddly cut-outs, smooth paint, even hand-sewn leather bar wrap for heaven's sake - you'd think they would put some decent plastic Bike Ribbon or similar on it!

(Jealousy's a vile thing - I'm only glad it's too big for me and hope the new owner will be really pleased with it! I've never even seen a photo of a Confente before and I have to say it looks beautiful).

unterhausen

the only SR component I see on there at all is the rear derailleur, and maybe the chainrings. It strikes me as strange that the chainrings weren't pantographed. But the thing that's really strange is the front derailleur. As far as I know, there was no such thing as a brazed on front derailleur in the '70s -- suggests a repaint. The seatpost isn't period correct either. Can't tell if it is Confente, but I would be surprised if it was.

No jealousy here, it's sad that Confente died so young. That's the thing that's really driving these prices.

Wino Ryder

Have to admit its a very very nice bike, and certainly worth every penny, especially since its one of only 124 road frames, but that bike is clearly not the most beautiful bike I've ever seen.

Tis true! I've seen some bikes right here on BF (C&V of course) that are breathtaking gorgeous. Maybe not quite the collector appeal of Confente, but definitely 'show stoppers' in their own rite.

seagull.apollo

That's just a silly bike. Too nice for words.

Rabid Koala

NO thanks, I'd have to sell some Paramounts to do the deal.

Vegas is only about 6 hours away from here though.....

repechage

It has a braze-on front changer mount! Unless Mario rose from the dead, added later, therefore repainted. Which would also explain the chrome full chain stay.

Will that hurt the price? Probably not much.

Best guess even in this sour market, $7,000.

repechage

Having seen one in the nude, I blame the paint here, and maybe the chrome job. Mario, did a slew of things that no one would ever see when the frame is built that were thought through, and nicely handled. Beyond reproach? No. but back in 1976, was the best anyone in America would see, at that time.

Too good to live, too young to die, bye buy.