Is this a real Confente?
06-27-14, 05:30 AM
#27
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09-27-14, 09:29 AM
#28
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I own Confente "07". See post 128 in this thread. My bike is 62.5 cm and in original Molteni orange paint. If the bike in this thread is presented as 07, its a fake.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...e-bikes-6.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...e-bikes-6.html
There are a fake or two and a "tribute" bike too… that color even to very close… the tribute frame is marked as such on the bottom bracket to proclaim what it is.
The top tube cable routing might be original IF the serial number is 07, not just 7.
If 07 , then the bike would have been built up in Monterey Ca at George Farrier's (sp) home workshop.
There is another example from the Monterey period that has that cable routing.
Mario started over with the numbers and used a leading 0 when he resumed building after being locked out of the Los Angeles shop.
I would expect the brake levers to have a few very small spades milled into the front of them.
If #07 , then the only hiccup is the chrome fork crown, most of the Monterey bikes had painted crowns.
Only one image, so that is the best I can do.
The top tube cable routing might be original IF the serial number is 07, not just 7.
If 07 , then the bike would have been built up in Monterey Ca at George Farrier's (sp) home workshop.
There is another example from the Monterey period that has that cable routing.
Mario started over with the numbers and used a leading 0 when he resumed building after being locked out of the Los Angeles shop.
I would expect the brake levers to have a few very small spades milled into the front of them.
If #07 , then the only hiccup is the chrome fork crown, most of the Monterey bikes had painted crowns.
Only one image, so that is the best I can do.
Last edited by cb400bill; 06-23-15 at 07:09 PM.
09-27-14, 10:00 AM
#29
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I own Confente "07". See post 128 in this thread. My bike is 62.5 cm and in original Molteni orange paint. If the bike in this thread is presented as 07, its a fake.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...e-bikes-6.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...e-bikes-6.html
There are a fake or two and a "tribute" bike too… that color even to very close… the tribute frame is marked as such on the bottom bracket to proclaim what it is.
The top tube cable routing might be original IF the serial number is 07, not just 7.
If 07 , then the bike would have been built up in Monterey Ca at George Farrier's (sp) home workshop.
There is another example from the Monterey period that has that cable routing.
Mario started over with the numbers and used a leading 0 when he resumed building after being locked out of the Los Angeles shop.
I would expect the brake levers to have a few very small spades milled into the front of them.
If #07 , then the only hiccup is the chrome fork crown, most of the Monterey bikes had painted crowns.
Only one image, so that is the best I can do.
The top tube cable routing might be original IF the serial number is 07, not just 7.
If 07 , then the bike would have been built up in Monterey Ca at George Farrier's (sp) home workshop.
There is another example from the Monterey period that has that cable routing.
Mario started over with the numbers and used a leading 0 when he resumed building after being locked out of the Los Angeles shop.
I would expect the brake levers to have a few very small spades milled into the front of them.
If #07 , then the only hiccup is the chrome fork crown, most of the Monterey bikes had painted crowns.
Only one image, so that is the best I can do.
If you send them to me via email @ aaron@holkservices.com I will post them for you.
Last edited by cb400bill; 06-23-15 at 07:10 PM.
09-27-14, 11:16 AM
#30
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I agree. You can't say you have a Confente and not post pics!
09-27-14, 11:52 AM
#31
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one tip that can sometimes be helpful in evaluating a machine as to its true "marioness" is the presence or absence of cpsc campag components. mario HATED cpsc and would not install any cpsc components on one of his frames. what became of them after they left his hands if of course beyond his control.
09-27-14, 10:33 PM
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one tip that can sometimes be helpful in evaluating a machine as to its true "marioness" is the presence or absence of cpsc campag components. mario HATED cpsc and would not install any cpsc components on one of his frames. what became of them after they left his hands if of course beyond his control.
09-28-14, 10:54 AM
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09-28-14, 11:10 AM
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09-28-14, 12:20 PM
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06-22-15, 09:39 PM
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I own Confente "07". See post 128 in this thread. My bike is 62.5 cm and in original Molteni orange paint. If the bike in this thread is presented as 07, its a fake.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...e-bikes-6.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...e-bikes-6.html
There are a fake or two and a "tribute" bike too… that color even to very close… the tribute frame is marked as such on the bottom bracket to proclaim what it is.
The top tube cable routing might be original IF the serial number is 07, not just 7.
If 07 , then the bike would have been built up in Monterey Ca at George Farrier's (sp) home workshop.
There is another example from the Monterey period that has that cable routing.
Mario started over with the numbers and used a leading 0 when he resumed building after being locked out of the Los Angeles shop.
I would expect the brake levers to have a few very small spades milled into the front of them.
If #07 , then the only hiccup is the chrome fork crown, most of the Monterey bikes had painted crowns.
Only one image, so that is the best I can do.
The top tube cable routing might be original IF the serial number is 07, not just 7.
If 07 , then the bike would have been built up in Monterey Ca at George Farrier's (sp) home workshop.
There is another example from the Monterey period that has that cable routing.
Mario started over with the numbers and used a leading 0 when he resumed building after being locked out of the Los Angeles shop.
I would expect the brake levers to have a few very small spades milled into the front of them.
If #07 , then the only hiccup is the chrome fork crown, most of the Monterey bikes had painted crowns.
Only one image, so that is the best I can do.
Is it real, or a fake???? The S/N looks like "F7" to me. Weird....
Last edited by cb400bill; 06-23-15 at 07:10 PM.
06-23-15, 05:20 AM
#38
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06-23-15, 05:24 AM
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=753proguy;17917820]
This is for sale again on eBay. Currently at about $9600.00.
Is it real, or a fake???? The S/N looks like "F7" to me. Weird....
This is for sale again on eBay. Currently at about $9600.00.
Is it real, or a fake???? The S/N looks like "F7" to me. Weird....
Last edited by cb400bill; 06-23-15 at 07:12 PM.
06-23-15, 06:54 AM
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So I arrived at this thread by another link (not via any current threads link) and was unfamiliar with Mario Confente. Very neat story. I did not finish the thread before curiosity led me around other sites on the internet to gather up historical information. Then I thought, "Hm, I wonder if any have sold on eBay recently..." I go to look and sure enough, the very bicycle in this thread is currently listed. I had to refresh to be sure. I got so excited to share I raced back to this thread, read through the end....only realize I'm late to the game, haha. Very cool nonetheless!
06-23-15, 07:20 AM
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I own Confente "07". See post 128 in this thread. My bike is 62.5 cm and in original Molteni orange paint. If the bike in this thread is presented as 07, its a fake.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...e-bikes-6.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...e-bikes-6.html
There are a fake or two and a "tribute" bike too… that color even to very close… the tribute frame is marked as such on the bottom bracket to proclaim what it is.
The top tube cable routing might be original IF the serial number is 07, not just 7.
If 07 , then the bike would have been built up in Monterey Ca at George Farrier's (sp) home workshop.
There is another example from the Monterey period that has that cable routing.
Mario started over with the numbers and used a leading 0 when he resumed building after being locked out of the Los Angeles shop.
I would expect the brake levers to have a few very small spades milled into the front of them.
If #07 , then the only hiccup is the chrome fork crown, most of the Monterey bikes had painted crowns.
Only one image, so that is the best I can do.
The top tube cable routing might be original IF the serial number is 07, not just 7.
If 07 , then the bike would have been built up in Monterey Ca at George Farrier's (sp) home workshop.
There is another example from the Monterey period that has that cable routing.
Mario started over with the numbers and used a leading 0 when he resumed building after being locked out of the Los Angeles shop.
I would expect the brake levers to have a few very small spades milled into the front of them.
If #07 , then the only hiccup is the chrome fork crown, most of the Monterey bikes had painted crowns.
Only one image, so that is the best I can do.
This bike and the concern about a fake actually yields a bit of new information. The F series bikes, or at least this one may not have been accounted for, so the total number of Confente bikes may be seven units higher than previously thought, bringing the total into the 140's.
Always more to learn is the moral of the story.
Last edited by cb400bill; 06-23-15 at 07:12 PM.
06-23-15, 07:47 AM
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Thanks. My CR contacts are saying the same thing. Dang. What a bike.... It's also here in Michigan.
Supposedly "F" serial numbers were from his third and final shop?
06-23-15, 07:54 AM
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Supposedly "F" serial numbers were from his third and final shop?[/QUOTE]
I don't think Cardiff by the Sea ever got set up. Story goes that the morning Mario died he was on his way to pick up a surface plate to commence work in the San Diego area.
My guess from the eBay listing explainer was this series was for the fellow whose shop Mario was using in Northern California, his last name started with F. Seems reasonable to me. Of course this might make the total number of Confente bikes a number now 5% higher than considered before.... Will it hurt value? I doubt it.
06-23-15, 07:59 AM
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It looks like there was another Confente sold recently on eBay for $11,700, and was located in the UK. Wow.
Mario Confente Bicycle Number 58 | eBay
Mario Confente Bicycle Number 58 | eBay
06-23-15, 08:10 AM
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My guess from the eBay listing explainer was this series was for the fellow whose shop Mario was using in Northern California, his last name started with F. Seems reasonable to me. Of course this might make the total number of Confente bikes a number now 5% higher than considered before.... Will it hurt value? I doubt it.[/QUOTE]
Farrier?
06-23-15, 08:14 AM
#47
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^At the very least, the one sold above has solid provenance.
Though if one is going to spend, it would be difficult to really nail it on whats an original. No expert by any means but if I was in the position to acquire, would need to see others side by side or have a mother load of archived photo's. This year I did see a declared knock-off frameset up close but what would I know? Funny too as I had a hard time believing it was a fake. So rare I didn't want to believe it. LOL
Though if one is going to spend, it would be difficult to really nail it on whats an original. No expert by any means but if I was in the position to acquire, would need to see others side by side or have a mother load of archived photo's. This year I did see a declared knock-off frameset up close but what would I know? Funny too as I had a hard time believing it was a fake. So rare I didn't want to believe it. LOL
06-23-15, 09:05 AM
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06-23-15, 09:11 AM
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^At the very least, the one sold above has solid provenance.
Though if one is going to spend, it would be difficult to really nail it on whats an original. No expert by any means but if I was in the position to acquire, would need to see others side by side or have a mother load of archived photo's. This year I did see a declared knock-off frameset up close but what would I know? Funny too as I had a hard time believing it was a fake. So rare I didn't want to believe it. LOL
Though if one is going to spend, it would be difficult to really nail it on whats an original. No expert by any means but if I was in the position to acquire, would need to see others side by side or have a mother load of archived photo's. This year I did see a declared knock-off frameset up close but what would I know? Funny too as I had a hard time believing it was a fake. So rare I didn't want to believe it. LOL
There are some variations on these bikes, a narrow evolution if you will.
06-23-15, 09:19 AM
#50
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I wonder how many people would recognise it as being something special. I wouldn't if I hadn't read it here.