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Score! Grail Bike: Tomassini

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Score! Grail Bike: Tomassini

Old 11-27-12, 04:44 PM
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Score! Grail Bike: Tomassini

This is a good one. I restored a 1967 Triumph cruiser, and it came out looking near mint. I put a sign on it and rode it to the bookstore.

https://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...y/P6070001.jpg

I ended up selling it to a really nice Italian guy for 200.00 to send to Seattle for his 67 year old mom. He reports that she loves it, and now rides it every day to the grocery store. It reminds her of the bike she had as a kid. He reports that her depression has lifted.

How cool is that? (score!)

So when he picks up the bike , he goes: "Oh BTW I have This old Tomassini frame I might just give you to restore. I bought it as a trainer, it's got stickers on it that I can't get off, etc. I don't ride it anymore..

(I'm thinking probably a beat up old fixie)

So anyway, I dutifully follow up a couple months later.

We go down into the basement, turns out it's an entire BIKE. He goes "Yeah I bought it in Italy from a wierd guy in a scooter shop. (I dig that) .

..."Back in my 20's I thought I was the next Ivan Basso, or whoever... I used to go on the local 'Sausage and Beer rides' . Meaning that was their recovery day. But still, these guys would HAMMER down cobble roads , OMG it was insane! "

He also told me; "Yeah, this bike's been crashed twice, just soft crashes, like bushes. No big deal, don't worry. The frame is fine. One time, though, I crashed into the mud hole in a pig pen. That was amusing".

He now has a gorgeous Marinoni that looks more "sport toury" , judging from its frame geometry.

We walk outside and his beautiful and totally buff racer wife (who he obviously met at a race) makes a comment about the alignment of the derailleur cage or something. Her bike is an incredibly ripping fast Bianchi aluminum ... "Oh honey!, are you sure that cage is okay? "

(I forget what she actually said, but it solidified in my mind that this woman probably hauls ass. )

"Yeah I haven't ridden in 27 months since my daughter was born. I'm afraid to!"

I don't blame him, this town is incredibly bike-antagonistic.

Then the baby sitter walks out with his daughter who starts conversing with him in Italian. This was just too much... The kid is bouncy, happy , calls him Papa, of course. I notice she is not overweight.

We shake hands, I thank him profusely, as I wheel the bike away he goes:

"Ciao, Bella! (waves to the bike)

I almost started crying.

Since I got this bike I've put some time into it, and he said in a recent email that his wife saw me going down the road on it.

You can't miss this bike, I mean its...yellow.


58 CM 80's Tomassini racer. FREE. Plus extra set of decent Mavics in perfect tune.

I have no idea what model this is yet. Anybody know?

I don't really care, because it took like 30 seconds to get it to fit and it's freaking orgasmic to ride.

Gipiemme sidepulls, Campy Crankset, (I think it's NR, too lazy to get up and look right now) Fir wheels, Campy derailleur (a 9 speed toned down to 7) . The shift levers are to- die- for. Santes. They are index and they don't miss.

The stem is Sintessi, kinda 80's and dorky looking, but fits fine for now. Since this pic was taken I put a Fizik Orion saddle on it.

Tubing is Columbus SL. Campy drops, of course.

https://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...PA200001-1.jpg

https://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...PA200002-1.jpg

https://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...PA200003-1.jpg

https://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...PA200005-1.jpg

https://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...PA200006-1.jpg

https://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...y/PA200009.jpg

https://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...y/PA200007.jpg

Last edited by IknowURider; 11-27-12 at 05:18 PM.
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Old 11-27-12, 04:56 PM
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Wow, what a nice story and an even nicer gesture from that guy. It's really hard to find people that generous any more.
I'd say that you ought to send him a really nice bottle of wine or something!


Cool looking bike, btw.

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Old 11-27-12, 04:58 PM
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Wow, great story and happy endings all-around!

That is one seriously nice bike - and for free! Pass the champagne on that deal.

Sorry, but I don't know what bike that is. You should get alot of miles of enjoyment on it though...
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Old 11-27-12, 05:00 PM
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Wow - As I read your story, I wasn't expecting that ^ either!
Great score IknowU! Congrats on your grail bike!
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Old 11-27-12, 05:01 PM
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That's an eclectic mix of components there! Still, it somehow strikes a sort of mash up balance...how's it ride?
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Old 11-27-12, 05:04 PM
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Originally Posted by KvltBryce
Wow, what a nice story and an even nicer gesture from that guy. It's really hard to find people that generous any more.
I'd say that you ought to send him a really nice bottle of wine or something!


Cool looking bike, btw.


Thanks, man! Yeah the bottle of wine is on the list. We talked about what a hassle it can be to sell a high end bike. I mentioned that it took me six months to sell my Trek 2200. And I dealt with multiple A-holes. He goes: "Yeah it's the road cycling mentality. Sometimes you just have to be generous...." And he lives in a modest house.
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Old 11-27-12, 05:07 PM
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Thanks man!
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Old 11-27-12, 05:12 PM
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@ Bentlink: Yeah I know it is a bit of a frankenbike. But it's the best riding steel frame I've owned (I have a stable of mid range Fuji, Panasonic, a pug, a Moto, a Raleigh supercourse , all "rescues", that sort of thing) . The 1999 Trek 2200 (bought new, ouch) was ripping fast but what a bone shaker, good riddance!
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Old 11-27-12, 05:22 PM
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Wow nice bike awsomer story, people like that seems to disappear
if he wants to get rid of is Marinoi let me know
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Old 11-27-12, 05:23 PM
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Fun story.

Beautiful bicycle.

Send the serial number to Barb at:

info@tommasini.it

She should be able to fill in the blanks for you.

Looks like a Prestige to me though.

...and they are very nice riding bicycles.
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Old 11-27-12, 05:26 PM
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Your lucky day & nice score. It looks fast w/ that geometry...! Any future plans?
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Old 11-27-12, 05:28 PM
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Another note: I am somewhat superstitious and sometimes will pass on a frame because I get a "vibe" from its "energy".

Wierd things happen now when I ride this bike (And trust me I ride mellow at first, I even put cushy 28C's on it for now to get used to it. been riding since 1972. First bike was an Atala at age 10, go figure)

...Motorists seem to incoherently pull out in front of me more. I have started using strange hand- gestures in retaliation, that don't involve middle fingers or anything , it's more of a forearm and bicep thing... Confusing.
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Old 11-27-12, 05:41 PM
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To all, Yes I will send the serial to Barb, thanks! I think this one will fit the bill for the longer rides here in the CT hills. It's comfortable enough, and climbs just as well as the Trek I had. I don't race, but the cool thing about this one is that it feels like it's not gonna explode. Like you could almost do cyclocross with it. The frame has balls.

I agree that "guys like that tend to disappear." How true! The fact that this bike was bought on Italian soil and then imported was just too much...
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Old 11-27-12, 06:35 PM
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Originally Posted by IknowURider
Thanks, man! Yeah the bottle of wine is on the list.
Just make sure it's a very nice Italian wine!
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Old 11-27-12, 07:04 PM
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I've got no idea how people stumble on these deals. It is probably one of the more simple tommasini frames I've seen but that isn't a bad thing. I quite like it. Make sure you join the tommasini lounge.

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Old 11-27-12, 07:28 PM
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Holy cow! Lucky, awesome score there!
Tommasini makes a supremely good riding frame.
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Old 11-27-12, 07:54 PM
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Originally Posted by thirdgenbird
I've got no idea how people stumble on these deals. It is probably one of the more simple tommasini frames I've seen but that isn't a bad thing. I quite like it. Make sure you join the tommasini lounge.
Tomassini Lounge? Is that a new thing here? I have to check. I think I was blessed by this man because, quite frankly, I restored a nice bike for his mom, (two days of my life ) and I am seen often in the saddle around here, which gains trust, so people know it won't be flipped for a bag of heroin or something. Plus, I'm a really nice guy
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Old 11-27-12, 08:12 PM
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Awesome story and great looking bike. I have to say a classic stem like a Cinelli would do a lot for the looks, but it's all good if it fits the way it is. Enjoy.
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Old 11-27-12, 08:12 PM
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Originally Posted by IknowURider
Tomassini Lounge? Is that a new thing here? I have to check. I think I was blessed by this man because, quite frankly, I restored a nice bike for his mom, (two days of my life ) and I am seen often in the saddle around here, which gains trust, so people know it won't be flipped for a bag of heroin or something. Plus, I'm a really nice guy
Don't get too excited, it is a pretty simple place:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...mmasini+lounge
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Old 11-27-12, 10:03 PM
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Originally Posted by IknowURider
...So anyway, I dutifully follow up a couple months later.
MONTHS?


Anyhow...Schwing!
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Old 11-27-12, 11:08 PM
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Yes - it needs to be posted in the Tomassini Lounge thread to be with all it's brothers.

It really is a 'hard to miss' yellow. Very nice story. Lovely bike. What a wonderful find.
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Old 03-11-13, 06:42 AM
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Wow!
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Old 03-11-13, 11:53 AM
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Originally Posted by OldRaleighLady
Wow!
Yah, any updates stem etC?
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Old 04-01-13, 09:08 PM
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Beautiful bike!
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Old 04-01-13, 11:34 PM
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I just saw this. Congrats on your good fortune. It's cool when karma comes around relatively quickly like that. You made his Mom happy, so he made you happy.
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