Basso Ascot with Columbus MS tubing
11-15-18, 05:45 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Basso Ascot with Columbus MS tubing
Basso Ascot. Beautiful, classic Italian road racing bike with very rare Columbus MS tubing and Dura Ace components. 62cm
This is a rare one, with only Colnago, Merckx and Somec (I believe) making frames from this fascinating MS tube set, not many bikes were ever made available. The basic idea was that each tube was subject to different forces depending where on the bike the tube was located. So, a different shape was designed to resist these forces. Sounds pretty extreme, but the bike looks like a normal racing bike, and these different shaped tubes are only evident on close inspection.
The frame is very stiff and is set up with a quick geometry. Very responsive. But most of all the Dura Ace indexed (SIS) shifters are a revelation. Their extremely accurate shifting is super direct and accurate. Dura Ace brakes and hubs complete that set, but the crank is an period-correct Mavic Starfish. It's shiny, it's different, it's beautiful. Polished Campagnolo Aero seat post and Ritchey stem / bars complete the frame. Wheels are the bombproof Mavic GP4 with nearly new Continental tubulars.
The condition is excellent. There are 20 years of chips and scratches, but that is being picky. Paint is rich and glossy.
New price: $949 or best offer. I really am motivated to sell before end of year.
I've seen more than one on ebay going for double that. Would really like to sell it locally, but will soon put on ebay for more, or part out.
I am in Connecticut, and will not be shipping, but am willing to drive a fair amount to help distant (New England) buyers.
This is a rare one, with only Colnago, Merckx and Somec (I believe) making frames from this fascinating MS tube set, not many bikes were ever made available. The basic idea was that each tube was subject to different forces depending where on the bike the tube was located. So, a different shape was designed to resist these forces. Sounds pretty extreme, but the bike looks like a normal racing bike, and these different shaped tubes are only evident on close inspection.
The frame is very stiff and is set up with a quick geometry. Very responsive. But most of all the Dura Ace indexed (SIS) shifters are a revelation. Their extremely accurate shifting is super direct and accurate. Dura Ace brakes and hubs complete that set, but the crank is an period-correct Mavic Starfish. It's shiny, it's different, it's beautiful. Polished Campagnolo Aero seat post and Ritchey stem / bars complete the frame. Wheels are the bombproof Mavic GP4 with nearly new Continental tubulars.
The condition is excellent. There are 20 years of chips and scratches, but that is being picky. Paint is rich and glossy.
New price: $949 or best offer. I really am motivated to sell before end of year.
I've seen more than one on ebay going for double that. Would really like to sell it locally, but will soon put on ebay for more, or part out.
I am in Connecticut, and will not be shipping, but am willing to drive a fair amount to help distant (New England) buyers.
Last edited by sofaman; 11-16-18 at 12:02 PM.
11-15-18, 07:23 PM
#2
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Bikes: '87 Centurion Ironman Expert, '88 Basso Loto, '89 Panasonic MC-5500, '92 Vitus 992
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Nice bike, but I don't see STI in the pictures, did you mean indexed down-tube shifters?
11-16-18, 06:34 AM
#3
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Bikes: '65 Frejus TDF, '73 Bottecchia Giro d'Italia, '83 Colnago Superissimo, '84 Trek 610, '84 Trek 760, '88 Pinarello Veneto, '88 De Rosa Pro, '89 Pinarello Montello, '94 Burley Duet, 97 Specialized RockHopper, 2010 Langster, Tern Link D8
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63 ctc?
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11-18-18, 04:31 PM
#6
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Very nice glad it is too big although I would love to try out a MS frame.
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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
11-18-18, 08:22 PM
#8
Member
Thread Starter
That's a nice list of bikes you have there. I had a Gazalle Champion Mondial that I sold once I tried the Basso. The Gazelle, with it's Campy Nuovo Record was like a touring bike compared to the livelier Ascot. It rides very nicely.
11-29-18, 02:46 PM
#9
Girardenghista
My favorite tubeset. I am just finishing up my second Somec Leader MS. I will add, however, that there were a number of brands who built from MS, including Tommasini (Diamante) and Bianchi. All fairly rare.
IMHO, you should strip this down and sort out an account on Bikeflights. List it on eBay and you'll get close to that amount just for the frame. Depends on how willing you are to wait for the right buyer. Bikeflights makes shipping a frame about $40 with FedEx. Nice system they have there...
IMHO, you should strip this down and sort out an account on Bikeflights. List it on eBay and you'll get close to that amount just for the frame. Depends on how willing you are to wait for the right buyer. Bikeflights makes shipping a frame about $40 with FedEx. Nice system they have there...
12-16-18, 11:05 AM
#11
Member
Thread Starter
My favorite tubeset. I am just finishing up my second Somec Leader MS. I will add, however, that there were a number of brands who built from MS, including Tommasini (Diamante) and Bianchi. All fairly rare.
IMHO, you should strip this down and sort out an account on Bikeflights. List it on eBay and you'll get close to that amount just for the frame. Depends on how willing you are to wait for the right buyer. Bikeflights makes shipping a frame about $40 with FedEx. Nice system they have there...
IMHO, you should strip this down and sort out an account on Bikeflights. List it on eBay and you'll get close to that amount just for the frame. Depends on how willing you are to wait for the right buyer. Bikeflights makes shipping a frame about $40 with FedEx. Nice system they have there...
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