What a day! I just spent an hour with Ted Kirkbride
 

Wowzers,
It all started with the daily Craigslist post I check out each morning and saw an ad with a bunch of frames and wheels. I called the number who was really a screener to make sure that the callers weren't jerks or thinking they were going to get a piece of history for measly money. I passed the test and gave him my name and number.

Five min later, I get a call from Ted Kirkbride himself. Man in his 80s. Wealth of knowledge. Sure, books have been written about the Masi bikes and the men who both built them and rode them, but hearing his stories in first hand was an incredible experience.

BTW, I have a degree in journalism (U of Oregon) and haven published regarding food, wine, Vespas and architecture. I have never been published writing about bikes.

Two things: I plan on writing up our conversation (wish I had taken better notes) and I'm trying to organize a lil meetup at his shop where he will tell some stories, answer some questions and of course, sell us some vintage frames, wheels and boxes of campy parts.

Hoping to have this in about 2 weeks. I'll keep you posted.

I also plan on better cataloging what he is offering. He is too old to deal with a bunch of people asking if by chance he has a 1972 NR rear, Etc.

Ted is aligned with history is written by the victors. Or at least those who are still alive get to have the last word.

had key involvement, then not.
good chance was responsible for the errors in judgement that almost killed off the brand in the USA.

I thought that ad looked like a goldmine - When I posted the ad I noticed the Kirkbride bikes, I was not familiar with his name and had to look him up, I then went back and edited the post and added his name but I did not know it was his ad. I was surprised there was a number in the ad. Glad you made it over to meet him, sounds amazing.

Love it, bike shops and brands come and go. Committing these memories to the written word (and pix!) is something we can have forever.

Kirkbride's version of history can be read in the Masi 90th anniversary book produced by Haro Bikes.

I'll have to go read that Haro article. Ted is one of the people who might have built my frame, in 1980.

Subscribed, I anticipate this being interesting

He does seem like a cool guy. I got the MASI/Haro book a few years ago and it had a nice handwritten note inside, but not signed. I had a hunch he had included it.

Any updates on this? New ads are being posted daily on craigslist. Has anyone else gone to look or buy anything?

I have seen same ad and was wondering if this might be actual Kirkbride collection. Sounds like it is.

I also answered the ad and was also screened by Mike, a few days later received a call from Mr. Kirkbride. We had a nice chat while he explained the history of several of the bikes. I had inquired about a couple of the smaller road frames, as most of the frames pictured are larger track bikes, and much too tall for me. According to Mr. Kirkbride, the smaller frames were built for his son when he wasn't so tall, those frames were small wheel frames, 24 inch/650 wheels.
So unfortunately none of the bikes were a good fit for me, but it was really nice speaking to the man himself. I wished I was closer and could have made the trip over to meet with him in person, he's a very pleasant guy and I would have loved to hear more stories from his career.