Medici Rider
 

Hello,
I would like to know if there is any Medici fan in this forum! I really love the Medici Pro Strada and I own one,size 49, and ride it for more than 15 years. So long that I just recently got another one size 51 that fit me better but I still attached to the old one!!! The bike is not really fit me but I fit to the bike!

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3357/3...a7003546_b.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5324/7...f80c61d2_b.jpg!

Gasp

Hello,

Welcome to the C&V forum ! Nice bicycles. I owned a Medici a number of years ago. I like them and would not hesitate to get another if the right one comes along ! I'm sure you'll find other Medici fans here.

Cheers,
Joe

Some more pics.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7267/7...8e0d3a29_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7257/7...18c033af_b.jpg

Hi Joe,
Thanks. I wish you will find a right one. I'm actually building a third Medici for a friend in Vietnam. That will be the first one ever get into that country. Most people there only know vintage french bike.

"Perhaps God wills that this war, which began in the blood of my brother and of myself, should be ended by any means. My desire is that by my life or my death, my misfortune or my prosperity, I may contribute to the welfare of our city..."
-Lorenzo de' Medici

beautiful bikes especially that green one. I have never owned or even touched a Medici but i would certainly like to atleast take one for a ride. My understanding is they area somewhat underrated but well built great riding bike.

Thanks. The medici is somehow an italian breed lugged steel frame that still affordable.

Really nice looking bikes, that green one is outstanding.

Columbus Fork.



http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8149/7...292f3b1b_b.jpg

I think they're fine bikes & never heard any bad things about them...only good! I used to ride w/ the family that made Medici's in & around the hills above the SF bay area (Woodside). Many of the riders in our group rode Medici's. One fellow I went to high school with had a green one just like the one pictured above, but w/o the yellow tires. I always lusted after it. Once in awhile Gianni, the main man, would come up from the LA area (I think) & ride w/ his brothers & the group. Biking was a complete family affair w/ them. We used to meet at Carlo's, his brother's house, b4 the weekend ride. A strong rider back then at 65 years of age. I learned a lot about riding from him. His other two older brothers were usually present as well. They each had their own Medici & I see them occasionally on the same bikes. Carlo had a real nice red & white Campy outfitted model w/ Delta brakes...IIRC.

Very nice looking indeed. I might have to start looking a little harder for one !

Ciao !

Joe

Hello all,

Mr.Uyle is helping me to build my Medici. Here in VIetnam, I beleive there are some colnagos but it will be the first Medici in Vietnam.

Welcome, folks, to the forum.

Not mine, but spotted in the wild...... the blue and yellow on the right.... looks like the same half-step gearing as your green one, with a 26t granny for hills. I think I learned that there was a Masi-Medici connection....
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8423/7...62efc4f6_o.jpg

If the original poster likes the green one less in riding, check the fork length, axle to crown race. I bet it is longer and the head angle is more slack as a result. Later Medici bought out forks from Tange.
I own one, and it is a good bike. Medici does not get the notice that translates into decent resale value. The only one I know of that sold for a good price was one auctioned off by Ray Dobbins and it went to France, benefitting from being very well detailed and RED.
The history of the company from its origin to the end is a novel itself.

A Medici Pro Strada was my first road bike. It was a Tange tube model, I replaced it with a Columbus tube model a couple years later. Both beautiful bikes that rode great, although the Tange model was little too whippy for me when sprinting. A friend of mine rode a tiny pink 49cm Pro Strada for years. I always check the Medici threads in hopes to see one of my old rides. Medici's were very common in the San Diego & L.A. areas when I was racing in the late 80's.

Hi Lugnut,
Thanks for the interesting story. Since the company is defunct, information regarding Medici is scarce.

Your Welcome. The last name was Simonetti. A couple of local bike shops carried the Medici line back in the 90's. You'd always run into Carlo at one of them. He was a permanent fixture...lol! I didn't know they stopped production of them though, as I fell away from riding for awhile. You have yourself a piece of Medici history. Don't know that the link has anything to do w/ bicycles, but I thought I'd throw it in.

Medici was the name Bill Recht came up with when he learned he could not buy Masi in the USA. His Medici bicycle company had two primary employees, Gian Simonetti and Mike Howard. Both who had worked at Masi in Carlsbad California.
The pair with some additional help here and there, ran the production.
In the late late 80's or early 90's the Medici name could no longer be used. The whys of this are not completely clear but Mr. Recht got into some legal trouble and it might have something to do with it.
Simonetti then used his name and there was also Simo cycles as follow on enterprises.
Mr. Howard got into legal trouble separately and was not available to weld up the bikes while serving his sentence.
With no primary builder, Simonetti closed up shop in due course.

Yes, I am (slowly) building up a 62cm Pro Strada. I have also been building a spreadsheet of Medici serial number info. I would love to have details about your two Pro Stradas. Bigger pix would be nice as well. It looks like your green one is older - simpler decals and perhaps Confente brake housing guides, but I can't tell for sure. Do you know the age of either of your bikes with any certainty?

Skip

Such a small world. I have a friend who is friends with Carlo, and met him in MA, where he now lives? My friend is an avid rider, but modern bikes (though he appreciates my vintage bikes). Anyway, my friend is moving to TX, and Carlo has told my friend that he has an old Italian custom bike that he is going to send him. Can't wait to see what it is!

I knew he moved when I saw his house up for sale but had no idea he moved to the East Coast. Sometimes he would host party's at his house. The placed would be packed...a very popular guy. He loved to be the lead man out w/ about 40 riders behind him. I never saw him falter on long rides, he hung tight. He wasn't nuts about hillclimbing though. Carlo probably had more than 1 bike, although his primary ride was the red/wht Medici. He's a tall man & if I remember right, it was at least a 60 cm bike? Occasionally you see him riding another one. I'd think a man so into riding & racing would have more than 1 bike though. Your friend might in for kool bike...

They are really nice looking bikes and I came very close to picking one up, but after reading the very long "discussion" on the CR board I changed my mind. I wouldn't judge anyone for riding one, but the karma behind the brand is seriously messed up.

I have my Medici long before that discussion and the story behind that discussion does not affect how I like the bike. Maybe the story is too confusing to me.