lowlife1975

can finally put a big fat cross through a 'carlsbad built masi' on my list of bikes to collect. this one is a 1974 carlsbad built gran criterium, serial MC 58 / 341. so one of the first four hundred carlsbad GC's to be produced. not sure if the paint is original, although the finish is very nice... so if anyone did respray it, they did a hell of a job. the single yellow panel gives the bike a nice pop and i love the exclusion of the gran criterium decals. i think it gives the bike a simple elegant look, very much like the masi track bikes of the day. the twin plate crowns are absolutely bomb! i'm very pleased that this bike sports them. it makes it feel rolls royce to me.

everything is period correct campagnolo nuovo record from 73-75. wheels are Mavic Mod E clinchers, polished (a true labor of love), laced to high flange record hubs with a Suntour 5sp freewheel, and riding on Challenge Criterium 320tpi tires. the only thing non period is the San Marco rolls saddle. couldn't find a unicanitor and i disliked the look of the brooks pro that i tried on. i rather like the comfort and racy look of the rolls saddle, and its white, which is how i usually like to roll. it will probably stay. no rat traps for me as i still ride clipless on all my CV bikes.

i added a few yellow highlights where i could to give a little more pop to match the yellow head tube. very subtle effects but i think they work. i got the idea from ray dobbins site of course, where all his bikes are perfectly finished.

no ride impressions yet other than a few miles around the neighborhood, but i got the position/ set up dialed in, despite the frame being a couple cm's larger. (slammed the stem all the way down and moved the saddle up a bit.) it feels good and if what i hear about carlsbad masis are true, i'm sure its going to ride beautifully.

a few pics for you all to enjoy!

[IMG] IMG_9793 by evifenocvt, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG] IMG_9805 by evifenocvt, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG] IMG_9798 by evifenocvt, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG] IMG_9827 by evifenocvt, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG] IMG_9807 by evifenocvt, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG] IMG_9806 by evifenocvt, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG] IMG_9836 by [IMG] IMG_9829 by evifenocvt, on Flickr[/IMG]evifenocvt, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG] IMG_9824 by evifenocvt, on Flickr[/IMG]

well biked

That is an absolutely beautiful bicycle. Congratulations!

PeregrineA1 

Very, very sweet!

I can say no more.

Drummerboy1975

Beautiful! Well done and crongrats.

rootboy 

Oh yeah! Super.

repechage

I am pretty sure its a respray, those top tube cable guides are a later designed bit, and Masi California did not adopt them till the mid 80's. But some of the bikes did get a contrasting head tube, a very few, along with a few also receiving MASI only on the down tube. The shifter bosses are quite a bit farther down the tube than was found on the few bikes that did get those braze ons, The paint work does appear of a high standard. Much approval on the appearance. Hopefully you will enjoy the bike, I rode mine today.

There are a few critics of the Masi style of road bike, while it was called a Gran Criterium, it was really an all around road bike, at least compared to what was considered a Criterium bike in Southern California when this bike was new.

Otis

A small nit. The yellow fills on the bolt ends were used when the excess threads were filed off, leaving an un-plated end. You need to go the distance and file the threads, not just dab them with paint.

I'm sure you will dig the bike though. They are pretty great rides.

poprad

Absolutely stunning. I love the yellow accents, they really set off that head tube, which would be too much alone. You did a great job with the details, congrats on a beautiful ride.

Would it be rude to suggest yellow details on the hub flange cutout edges?

rivas7200

WOW! I am digging that color scheme. Awesome job.

hagen2456

Very nice bike!

Do you have any idea what make the fork crown is? It's similar to the one on my c. 1969 Crescent, only on that one the forks are round!

Ultraslide

That is an exceptional bicycle. Congrats on a fantastic restoration!

lowlife1975

thanks for all the kind comments!

repechage- thanks for confirmation on the respray, i was pretty sure it was myself, but your pointing out the top tube cable guides and position of the shifter braze on is spot on in comparison to other early 70's masi gc's. fortunately i'm not a stickler about original paint, so long as the current paint is up to par.

otis- yes, agreed that faliero filed down the edges before dabbing the yellow but that is a little too much work for me. i'll dab the finished ends just for the accent because.... i'm no faliero. haha

poprad- i was considering accenting the hi flange cut outs and alternating yellow and dark blue to match the chainstay decal, and still may do it. but i was eager to get the bike up and ready for the road. i did something similar on a chainring but it more less got dirty after a few rides and loss it color pop. i still might do the center of the stem/ handlebar bolt though.

hagen- no idea where masi sourced their twin plate fork crowns, but i do love em.

leaping_gnome

I think Masi's source for the twin plate fork crown was Mario Confente - meaning they were house-built. As I understand it they were assembled and brazed there in the shop. Beautiful bike!

Rabid Koala

I want one.

repechage

The twin plate crown was a Masi purchased item, it is a two part casting. the lower plate is just that with a short extension at the tube ports on the underside. The upper part has spigots that extend into the fork blades and some additional material around the steerer. The design is seen way back, Ganna used the same or one very similar decades earlier.
I have been told Fischer cast the parts, but I do not have confirmation of that, they did cast the bottom bracket shell and other common Carlsbad crown.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/coventr...rites/?view=lg

You might find it on that flickr page, if you scroll down enough and avoid the other eye candy, or maybe not.

It shows up on Itaian Masis in 1973. It was work to make, it was raw, took a lot of filing to clean up and the lower plate could float when flowing brass, Carlsbad dropped it in 1974 sometime as a production element. So, well under 500 units got the crown. It was used in Italy in 1974 too, but there does not appear to be a hard cut off. I consider it very Cool. I also like how it modifies the behavior of the fork.

Citoyen du Monde

I have a pair of 1968 De Rosa frames that were built for pros (one with Chiorda decals built for a pro on the Salvarani team, the other built for a rider on the Faema team who lived across town from Ugo in Cusano). They both have twin plate fork crowns and like your bike use round fork blades.

BlueDevil63 

Very, very nice. I love the detailing.

oldbobcat

Absolutely lovely.

My size, too, but my '80 Rancho Santa Fe suits me just fine.

KonAaron Snake 

Well worth the effort, that's superb.

gomango

What a beautiful bicycle.

A treat to ride on a nice summer day, no doubt.

Also near the top of the list for me as well.

I found a 1974 Gran Criterium right under my nose here in St. Paul.

Hanging on a hook a half mile from our house.

Has a little tag on it that simply reads, "save for Grady."

leaping_gnome

Thanks for the info, repechage! Anyone have a picture of the raw casting by chance?

Jim

Italuminium

Stunning bike!

miamijim

This would cool:

hagen2456

Interesting. Thanks a lot!

photogravity

That is quite the headturner! Nicely done atmo.