Can you help me ID this new find?
 

Just got my hands on what appears to be a vintage Italian bike. I'm more of a MTB rider, so I'm a bit out of my element in the road world. I'm hoping one or more of you folks could help me figure out what I've acquired. Intention is to restore it and use for light road riding with other road riding buddies.

Headtube logo says "Mascheroni Milano", downtube says "Lupo", stickers on the seat tube say "U.Mascheroni" with what look like Olympic rings and one sticker that says "Cicli Lupo Milano" (is shield shaped with a german shepherd head in the middle). Frame is red in color, has a "175" stamped on bottom of BB, no other markings.

Components are all Campy Nuovo Record (everything from the hubs, shifters, derailleurs, brakes, brake levers, crankset, etc). Stamp on Campy chainring is a "C" in a diamond. Stamp on rear derailleur says "Patent 72".

Tried many combos of the above words and can't seem to find anything about it at all. I'll try to get a pic up if that would help.

Yes, pics! Sounds cool though.

alright, here are some pics.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1107754...eat=directlink

interesting! more pics of the frame details would be nice, but still might not allow me to ID it: never heard of this brand or maker (but somebody else may have). "Lupo" means "Wolf", but that sure does look like a German Shepard/Alsatian dog.

There doesn't appear to be any braze-on fittings, so it's proably early 1970s. There's no visible tubing decal either. What size seat post does it take? Are there five helical ridges on the inside, at the bottom of the fork's steerer tube? This will tell us the level of the frame, if nothing else.

Yes, I can help. Umberto "Lupo" Mascheroni was a frame maker and bike builder. He had a shop in Milan; he was also affiliated with Legnano, and the Birra Dreher racing team. He built bikes for the like of the DeVlaeminck brothers, Ole Ritter and more. In 1972, I went to Milan as a 16 year old, and called the Legnano factory--I wanted to buy a Legnano, a high end bike being sold near me in NYC at the time. What the lady who answered the phone did was give me an address. It was Umberto's shop; I had a custom made, full Campagnolo Nuovo Record bike made for $350. I still have it; it is serial #221, made in July of 1972. I ride it all the time. I was smart enough as a kid to pick up extra sets of decals from Umberto; my bike has been painted twice since then. Now it is a piece of history!

Pics?

Great info!

There's more information out there if one seeks it out; google Umberto Mascheroni, Lupo, etc. and see what pops up. Brush up on your Italian, though...:)

Pics? Don't have any, but will get them shortly--like this weekend.

The bike came with "sew-up" tires, Campy low flange 32 spoke hubs. Changed those out in 1976 or so for Weinmann concave rims (anyone remember those?) on Campy low flange; I built the wheels and they are absolutely bullet proof. I have thousands of miles on those and rarely have they needed a truing. I switched to a Weyless seatpost in the late 70s as well. The bike was repainted in 1976 by a place in Washington DC whose name escapes me. It was painted and had some braze-ons added in 1987 by Assenmacher in Swartz Creek, Michigan. Long before it was trendy (and that trend passed a long time ago) I had the parts black anodized; when new, it was sweet looking and way ahead of its time. I once had Weyless hubs, but one day the bonding separated (they were three piece) and instantly sheared off 36 spoke heads at once. I went back to Campy.

The bike has a very short wheelbase with little rake to the fork; it rides like a sports car. I ride around the Amish area of central Michigan, and just love the old bike. It was superb transportation for me throughout high school and college. Now it lives at my summer home.

I always wonder if there are other Lupos in the USA. I'll take some pix and post early next week.

Dear mdsalemi, fantastic history! I confirm everything with some details in addition.
I'm another Lupo cycle owner. It was my true racing cycle. My Lupo frame is serial #212 by may'72 built . I understand that mine was built 9 units before your. Are You male or female? I remember at that time a beatiful american girl whom Lupo released a cycle. Was you?
The framer/welder was Mr. Gilardi coming from Bianchi and Legnano brands after their racing team abandoned.
Mr. Umberto Mascheroni Mr. Gilardi and Mr. Umberto Marnati were collegues in Legnano Professional teams and technicians of Mr. Coppi, Baldini and a lot of Champions across 1950-60.
Lupo Mascheroni, along with Umberto Marnati , another great mechanic , and the masseur Italo Villa, made ​​a trio of the highest level . No coincidence that the first two Binda followed with the National Tour , while Villa was just going to massage the muscles of a certain Kubler .
Lupo Mascheroni, one of the many students of Faliero Masi ( another example is Ernesto Colnago ) , was good-natured , easygoing and confidant to Legnano . In race he was concerned with bicycles , running out for new talent . An observer before its time. Marnati , however , was a big frame builder (that is then built in his name bicycles ) , in short, a workshop . After the Legnano era Lupo Mascheroni he open his workshop placed in via Baldinucci (Bovisa area) an old popular quarter in North side of Milan. The shop is still existing but actually became "Centro Carni Bovisa".
On end of '72 birra Dreher professional abandoned cycling, Lupo continues build bikes for same team and riders but changing jersey sponsor into Brooklin chewing gum. For team Brooklin the cycles was branded "Gios Torino" following sponsoring agreement.
Now my cycle is marked Marnati Daniele son of Umberto (is dead 2006) after refurbishing and painting done on 2001 because Mr. Lupo died on '95.
Daniele Marnati is '63 Years old and still working producing top level cycling in carbon steel frames in his workshop placed in Milan Via Delfico close to Ghisolfa bridge and not far from the old workshop of Mr. Lupo Mascheroni.
There is another very interesting history regarding Mr. Drali. But it's another history!

My lupo serial number #53 .
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=519803

Aukro and eBay auction gallery - eBayPhotoGallery.com

Lupo bike owner inquiry
 

I am assisting a close friend in his effort to establish a fair value for his Lupo Bike. Like others on this forum, he had it custom made to ride in Europe and when he returned to the states. He resides in Oxford, Michigan. He is interested to sell the bike to a friend who also resides in Michigan. I can get the serial # and images if anyone is interested and responds on this forum.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Lupo Bicycle--value??
 

Hi--my Lupo was custom made for me by Lupo himself, Umberto Mascheroni, in his small shop in Milano in the summer of 1972. As delivered, it had all Campy Nuovo Record gear, Cinelli handlebars, 32x4 wheels low flange hubs, with sew-ups. It was built as a road racer with a very short wheelbase. Over the years I've modified it. When 27x1 100psi tires became available, I switched to Weinmann concave rims. I have a Weyless seat post, and now a gel seat. Last year I found a vintage Suntour cog, NOS, and went to a 14-36 rear cog which required changing the Campy changer to a GT model. Thus, instead of a vintage road racer as built, it is now a mostly vintage tourer...

I'd take a look at similarly equipped Frejus and Legnano bikes of the era comparable to your friends to determine a value.

Can't get much closer to live C&V than this thread!

Lupo Mascheroni Historical Bike
 

Sorry mdsalemi,
despite their glorious background, at that time (1970-1975) Frejus and Legnano were commercial brand producing serial/industrial popular bikes not comparable with Lupo.
Lupo was one of best artisan in the world manufacturing professional racing bikes at the state of the art for professional team (Dreher and Brooklin) and for riders like Patrick Sercu, Roger De Vlademink (Paris-Roubaix, Milano-Sanremo winner) or bikes for Ole Ritter recordman of km/1hour.
You can compare to Lupo other brand just like Pogliaghi, Masi, De Rosa, Colnago, Marnati, Guerciotti, Drali, Pinarello, Rossin, Ciocc etc..... Main part of them are no more existing.
Just a little story.
Lupo (wolf in english) was a nickname associated to Mr. Mascheroni.
In Italian there is a saying: hungry like a wolf.
During the Second World War Mr Mascheroni had been imprisoned in the German concentration camps and had suffered much hunger. Since then, he had remained an atavistic hunger, so that during the great racing stages (Tour de France or Giro d'Italia or Vuelta) he usually ate 2-3 sacks of food per stage and much more than the riders ate.
From this the Wolf's nickname.
Despite this, he remains slim ever being a good amateur biker.
Sport he practiced until the accident that led to premature death after a long agony.
Your sincerely

Bimbogigi,

I would respectfully disagree with you. While Frejus and Legnano were "commercial brands" made in a factory, they were only (at least those models sold in the USA) extremely high end. The Legnano Super Corsa that my brother purchased in New York City in 1972 was quite similar to my Lupo purchased later that year. Of course there were probably other Legnano models, but in the USA it was one of the costliest and best equipped bikes you could find. You can ignore the components, as both Lupo and Legnano had full Campagnolo Nuovo Record. The Legnano had 36H high flange hubs, X4. The Lupo had 32H low flange hubs, x3. The difference was mainly for weight, I'd imagine. The seat posts were Campagnolo, both. The Lupo had Cinelli stem and bars, while the Legnano had TTT; whose to say one was better than the other? Both were high end. So really, all the parts and components were nearly the same functionally and cost wise, but different because the bikes were built for different purposes. So, the main difference is the frame. At that time I doubt that there were robotics employed at the Legnano factory, thus the frame was essentially hand made--just like my Lupo. They differered vastly in geometry however, the Lupo having a straight fork while the Legnano had a large rake. The wheelbase on the Lupo was very short, the Legnano more conventional. The Legnano came with extremely lightweight plastic fenders. The biggest difference in the frames was the tubing: Lupo had Columbus, the Legnano Reynolds 531. They still discuss the merits of both, but both had their fans and both were only featured on high-end bikes. So, while the Legnano Super Corsa was factory made it was a very high end bike. Yes, the Lupo was custom for me, and handmade by the master himself. But the bikes were not quite as different as one might imagine. Fun fact: when fitting me for a bike, Lupo himself gave me Roger DeVlaemink's bike to test and ride (had his name on it!!)

Over the years, my brother's bike was eventually stolen. I've kept mine up all these years and ride it all the time...

As a huge Lupo fan and collector I would be highly interested in seeing your frame / bike. For me Lupo Mascheroni and Luigi Gilardi were the dreamteam of the 1960-80s equipping the best teams (GBC, Legnano, Dreher, Brooklyn) and riders during that time. I have around 6 Lupo Gilardis ranging from 1967 (Bianchi era) to 1978. I have an archive of about 25 Lupos with framenumbers and details. I might can help you identifying the year. Yours should be a 1971 from what I read.

bimbogigi
Could you show your fantastic Lupo too? I would be very happy to see yours. Can you say something more about being there in the 1970s? I would love to hear the story about Drali too. :)

This is my 1973 original Lupo from Brooklyn era and with star-pattern. As Michael already said, rides like a sportscar. (I will try to upload it somewhere, because I am not allowed as a new member to upload pictures. :( )
Greets from a Lupo nerd.

Picture Assistance
 

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...22fe29d30d.jpg

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8bfe4061e7.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4e271be3d0.jpg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1cf10c0778.jpg

(Mascheroni's "...1973 original Lupo from Brooklyn era and with star-pattern.")