I would like to notify the public that we have had a problem with a person out of Switzerland claiming he is a representative of Tommasini and selling fake Tommasini Track frames / Tommasini Gorilla Track frames on ebay. His name on ebay is mozzy66 / his real name is Thomas.

PLEASE NOTE - THESE ARE NOT REAL TOMMASINI FRAMES. We do not make frames for him and he is not affiliated with Tommasini in any way.

To ensure you are purchasing an authentic Tommasini frame, please purchase through an authorized dealer for your area, a list of authorized dealers can be found on our website. In addition, you can see the frames we produce on our websites www.ridetommasini.com and www.tommasini.com - as you will see, there is not a Tommasini Track frame or Gorilla Track frame shown. We are working on creating a new steel track frame for the US market only but it will be Tommasini quality, currently all of our frame models are road frames but they are available in track or cyclocross geometry.

Also - please note that legitimate Tommasini dealers will NEVER SELL ON EBAY. We do not allow it. If someone claims they have a new frame for sale on ebay or any other site, that should be a red flag and if you buy it there is a very good chance you are buying a fake.

If you are buying a new or older Tommasini frame and are unsure of it's authenticity, please feel free to contact me.

If we send you a pic and serial number you can you confirm, or is there something on your website for a self service check - e.g list of serial numbers, some criteria for verifying authenticity.

Your Evol is hot... wow

So what if some guy has a new Tommasini frame then decides he doens't want it and ebays it? That's a fake? Come on.

Read the post.

i've seen some of that guys bids before. i've always noticed his prices are pretty high.

Or you're dealing with someone dumb enough to buy an expensive frame before figuring out what he wants... I would avoid it either way at this point.

Mozzy66 has been contacted regarding this dispute and should be along soon to give his side of the story.

Hi everybody, my name is Thomas Schreier, aka mozzy66 on ebay, I live in Zurich Switzerland. I manage and build up my bicycle business along my money job since 5 years and I love it. I was kindly contacted by Jon from bikeforums about the accusations placed here by Tina Indalecio from Tommasini USA.

These are the facts:

I talk to Alessandro Malentacchi from the Tommasini family in Grosseto on the phone regularly. I was on the phone with him this morning and we had a heated debate about this very serious accusation placed here in public towards me. We are all pretty upset, especially me.

I bouhgt and sold a big chunk of the Tommasini stock in vintage steel frames and bicycles over a good period of time. After 3 years of a most gratifying development of our collaboration, I asked Tommasini whether they were interested in developing a frame where I outlined the requirements according to my experience as a bicycle dealer specialized in steel frames and with some connections to the local velo and courier scene here in Zurich. The goal was a relatively low cost track frame, something they did not have in their program, to help them extend their market and fill gaps in their production. Tommasini agreed to produce some small steel frame series exclusively with me. The first series was a TIG welded track frame, named Gorilla, where we used some obsolete Columbus tubing Tommasini had in his warehouse. For the other series Tommasini only produced a couple of samples, they are nicely chromed road frames branded Gorilla, carrying their T head badge on the stearing tube.

All these activities have obviously become a needle in the eye of Tommasini USA. Who really wants to know about my and other Tommasini frames, go back to the source and call Tommasini in Grosseto Italy (0039 056 445 50 06), ask for Barbara Tommasini, she is fluent in English, she will be able to clarify the situation.

Tina Indalecio’s statement is a defamation, trying to endamage my reputation as a dealer of steelframes manufactured in Italy. I offer Tommasini frames amongst other products and brands. I work directly with Tommasini in Italy, our collaboration is based on a twosided appreciation. Unfortunately, Tommasini Italy sold the rights to their brand to Tommasini USA, so Tommasini USA have them in a difficult position I guess.

Tommasini USA is creating a big fuss about a couple of frames that american customers bought from me rather than from them (which is normal in the age of ebay and all the stores on www). They actually recieve calls from people (and I guess amongst those also requests from retailers) who want to buy that type of frame because it is nice - and Tommasini USA has to say sorry, no, we don’t have that frame. But why not, everybody wants it, they are replied. So there we go: This is actually what I was suggesting Tommasini in the first place: make something fun, explore new land, reach new custumers.

I am working on building up my business as a small niche bicycle distributer (Gorilla Bicycles), working directly with a couple of the finest Italian bicycle manufacturers - and do you think I would take that risk and throw away 5 years of hard work for a couple of fake frames? With the internet today and the bicycle community being so well informed and connected, this would be a very short sighted enterprise.

Last but not least: The Tommasini produce very beautiful steel frames, perfect in detail and finish. I know how much dedication it takes to being able to offer a product at such a high standard. The Tommasini manufacturers are honest, fun and professional people, that cultivate their craftsmanship on a very high level. They have my highest respect and appreciation. They are amongst the few who resisted the Chinese take over and still exclusively produce in Europe.

For any further information please contact me at thomas@gorillabicycles.com.

That was a lot of reading, thank you for your time and interest.

Well, upon BF invitation, he showed up and presented his side of the story. Not sure what the subsequent fuss is about.

What fun!

Now I would like to see Tommasini USA's reply. If mozzy's side of the story is even mostly true, then the Tommasini lady certainly looks to have been disingenuous at best and fraudulent at worst, claiming that mozzy is selling "fake" frames rather than clarifying that he does not have the right to market in the US (which even if true, the nature of ebay makes awfully fuzzy).

Well, if they're not going to air their dirty laundry in front of us, they could at least have the common decency to eventually reveal the conclusion to us.

(grumble, grumble . . . . I was all comfortable and bright-eyed with anticipation too, waiting for the fireworks.)

Of course, mozzy could also just be clear about the progeny of his frames in his ebay ads, saying that his frames are/were produced by Tommasini Italy and are explicitly not authorized or warrantied by Tommasini's USA licensee.

He could, but it doesn't change the fact that Tommasini USA made fraudulent statements here. The licensing dispute is between Gorilla Bicycles and Tommasini USA, and in my opinion is not "need to know" information for an eBay auction. It doesn't change the fact that Schrieder is selling legitimate Tommasini products one way or another, and it doesn't give Tommasini USA the right to lie to all of us in an attempt to ruin his reputation. The point about the USA warranty is valid, but typically eBay auctions are without warranty anyway.

I think BF needs to be a little bit more careful before stickying threads without looking at both sides of the story. They have essentially aided in slandering a seller's reputation now. It would only be fair to Gorilla Bicycles for BF to post a new sticky saying "hey, we might have been wrong" instead of just letting this thread fizzle out and die.

For what it is worth, it was a moderator who contacted Mozzy66 regarding this issue (see my first post in this thread) to ensure that both sides of this were heard. BikeForums would rather not get in the middle of this dispute.

As long as he's actually getting the frames from Tommasini I don't see the issue.

No surprise there; someone with that name not understanding legalities. (maybe better a P&R topic)

where the heck is the response from tommasini USA?

yeah, let's hear it.

lmao T. USA taking forever. mozzy was pretty convincing

My understanding from Mozzy's post was that Tommasini USA owns the brand name so they way I see it Tommasini USA has a very valid point.

The prices on the US site are certainly unreal compared to what they cost in Europe. I mean Sintesi w/ Air Fork: $2,322 - that cannot be frame only, can it?

The brand name in the US or worldwide? The frames aren't being marketed in the US, they are being sold from Europe.

It doesn't sound like a counterfeit frame to me (in fact, it sounds more "Tommasini" than the Tommasini USA frames).

If in fact they are made by the Tommasini people in Italy I'd like to hear the TommasiniUSA folks address the issue of them being poor quality.