Originally Posted by
Salamandrine
Hmm, that's interesting. It's a bit late for medium reach, but it was still somewhat in the transitional time. Maybe it was a custom spec. My 78 California Masi has short reach brakes. Despite that it still has enough room for 28mm tires no problem. Probably 30mm tubulars would fit, I think. Those fat Clements were still a thing when I got the bike. It was a special edition made from Columbus instead of 531 though, maybe that had something to do with it.
Yeah, the bulged QR levers were a CPSC feature.
I agree that correct use of correct ferrules is imperative. I actually can feel the difference between 1.6 and 1.8 cables. Tried it once. Current cables are still in fine shape so I'll keep those as long as possible. I don't think there was anything magical about the vintage campy housing. Like most people I swapped it out pretty quickly because I didn't want gray. The old Masi isn't currently being ridden anyway. I have to send it to Ed Litton or someone for a repair at some point.
As far as brakes, I've read from the gurus that US Masi bikes were sold with a standard specification, a special specification, or the "Plant" supplied a finished frame+fork to the customer's LBS, which then built it up to the customer specification. Among other details, customers could specify Reynolds or Columbus. I don't know whether they could call out what each tube is. I'd expect someone with Faliero's reputation for fitting the machine to the rider would not have followed a spec dictated by the customer if he did not agree with the spec. So I think brake reach should be expected to be a variable.
I also have rarely seen tubing stickers, suggesting mixed tubing was the norm. I'd love to see where in 1978 - 1980 there was a standard tubing was identified. In our little vintage club (Detroit Vintage Bicycle Mafia) there have been quite a few Masis in members' hands, and "tubing is a mystery, but they ride great" has been the common view. My particular bike has been looked over very thoroughly by folks like Bob Hovey, and while he agreed it has odd points, it is a Gran Criterium built in late 1980, but not at the Carlsbad shop. I bought mine about 1985 from a college student who got it from his mom, who raced it in S Cal. We can make of that what we will - the young man did not know much about the bike. It was also a little patinated, and still is. Masi remains mysterious.