Classtime 

2 1/2 years ago, I broke down my Medici and put the parts directly in a box. Today, I spritzed some simple green on those parts and rinsed the grime off in hot water before I reassembled my Pro Strada and finished it off with some previously wrapped Bike Ribbon. I am so excited about riding it tomorrow I went through a bunch of old Medici threads and most of the pictures are gone. Let's see them.

repechage

Very nice - reasonably early but not Too early.
”Mario” top tube guides.
painted fork, ( and crown... possibly chrome tips?)
the interesting part are the chain stay graphics.
they are in the correct place, many of these had them too far forward where the Strada or most of it is covered by the big ring.

early bikes got the black text with the yellow drop shadow, later yellow text, black outline and drop shadow. ( leftover Confente inventory after he was locked out of his shop )
( my phone may not have enough resolution- the chainstay text without a drop shadow?)

Classtime 

The original owner told me he bought it in the "team" colors? I recall him saying Orange and blue. He gave me the original blue cable housing when I bought the bike. I could never find a picture of some thing like that. He had Simonetti paint it in this pearl white. I have no idea how OG cable housing fits through those cable guides. I got some vintage Campy housing from Bill Ron around the turn of the century attempting to keep it stock--no way. I somehow broke off one and I'm not sure if I'll have it rebraised or replace all three. '81 patent rear derailleur.

repechage

Those little guides are treacherous - the original housing is long out of production.
I have them on two bikes and have found old unlined housing the fits. A problem!
I saw one bike that was modified where a small “foot” was added to add some dimension.

respray makes sense- rare was the all paint crown. Then to simplify things they went all chrome. Only extra polishing then matches all paint- easier inventory- when the crown and tips are chrome the whole fork is in the tank.

Drillium Dude 

Serial 0217:



DD

Drillium Dude 

Classtime : what serial number is yours? White looks really good on this earlier frame with the predominantly black/yellow artwork.

Bet it rides sweet - I should know

DD

Classtime 

Size 59
Serial 0601
It is a really nice rider that makes it easier to have fewer bikes.
I used to see a guy on my commute who had a red one like yours friction shifting a 9 or 10 speed.

Drillium Dude 

You know, I think that's why I've decided to get the collection down to 4 bikes. I finally realized that the Medici is an all-day bike that could be my only bike if I somehow lost all the others.

DD

repechage

DD- didn’t you have a dark green one?
Yours has the “confente” chain stay graphics.
In review of mine, the fork rake provides for a smart amount of trail, not too much or too little.
one of the secrets. While brazed by Howard, lessons learned with Baylis most probably brought this about.

the chainstays on mine have no crimping and are barely ovalized- a 29 mm tire is Max with about 2.5 clear each side. That helps the stiffness a bit probably.
I almost sold mine off, but fortunately the prospective buyer kept changing his mind, with or without wheels, whole bike, frame and fork?
while he dallied on a terrific deal, I withdrew.
lots of characters out there!

these bikes may one day get their due. Until then, a bargain.

repechage

Hopefully a capture of an interesting frame set-
an early one, before the investment cast lugs using the Masi parts.
Well beyond market. Gian’s favorite color.

Drillium Dude 

I did; qcpmsame is the proud owner of that frame today. It was a tad too small for me, but it was still one of the best-handling bikes I'd ever ridden. When I found my California Burgandy in 58cm, I was pretty pleased. And I love the "just right" fork curvature on mine, too.

Btw, I am the second owner. The original owner bought the components in late 1979 and the frame in February of 1980. The components came mostly from Wright Bros. Cycles while the frame and a few sundry items came frome Pine Street Bike Shop, both right here in Seattle. WBC is still here, though relocated to Fremont while PSBS has long since departed the pattern.

I have all the receipts of the original build; perhaps this weekend I can get around to taking photos of those documents and uploading them to Flickr. And then here. We'll see. The previous owner also included a 1979 Medici brochure which called my decal set's seat tube bands "star bands". It's my understanding this was the original decal set before going to the rainbow stripe versions.

I love this bike; I mean, the ride is sublime.

DD

momoman

I bought a red Medici frameset a few years ago because I just had to have a shiny red bike! I think it's an 84 or 85. I put it together early last year as a Covid build when I started working from home and the frame was in the spare bedroom I was using for my home office. I used some Campy parts from my 70's Lygie, a few parts from some 80's bike I upgraded, and a new Velo Orange drillium crankset I bought because it was shiny and was vintage looking but has a 48/34 combo. I found a Medici pantographed stem on EBay and bought it but don't want to undo/redo my handlebar tape so it'll be awhile before I put that on.

For now, the bike is rideable, bit I'm going to change a few parts. I have an Ultra 6 Suntour freewheel on it but will look into fitting a 7 or 8 speed freewheel, but not sure what will fit on a vintage Campy high flange hub.


I used many spare parts I had but added some new parts. Added a Soma long cage to the Campy RD.

Changed the front wheel to a Campy high flange with tan sidewall tires. Will add a Campy high flange with silver anodized rims to the rear but need to have the wheel built.

qcpmsame 

“I did; qcpmsame is the proud owner of that frame today. It was a tad too small for me, but it was still one of the best-handling bikes I'd ever ridden. When I found my California Burgandy in 58cm, I was pretty pleased. And I love the "just right" fork curvature on mine, too.”

Still rocking’ the green Pro Strada Medici. I’ll try to post a pic later, kept the original paint, did some touch up of the larger blemishes. Mine has the small cable guides so getting housing, beyond the yellow that DD sent with the frame set, is difficult. My favorite LBS has a co-owner that is a C&V guy, he has a stash of the small diameter housing kept back. Got him to sell me enough to outfit the build.

Some sweet looking Meds here👍😃👍

Semper Fi,
Bill

repechage

Yes, the stars and bands were the original seat tube bands.
the later faux World Bands with Medici type floating above and below. Note the black key lines between the colors.
lots of bike companies were artful dodgers.

the lugs are decent until compared to the original patterns- no supervision during tooling and the folk who approved them did not know or care. Not all have and aesthetic eye.

Drillium Dude 

Heck, I like the lugs. A bit clunky-looking, but they inspire confidence because of their heft. Maybe they aren't thinned and have no subtlety but they're proportional and have clean windows and shorelines.

I even like the pinhole here on the lower head lug:



And if I needed to clean under my fingernails, I could use the bit of exposed edge of the lower head lug. Hand-made, man

DD

repechage

The shoreline shape is the part that every time when I see it, I want it to be different.

the seat lug is interesting where the ears are not the same top and bottom- that is ok.

actually I do not knock the plug and play aspect- not part of the program to make it a go.
when Mario was involved he was able to get the lugs cast with a thinner wall- do not know how that was achieved as the casting houses want a thicker wall, less scrap castings.

P!N20

If I had a Medici I'd be buying this saddle: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/22482759...0000&ch=osgood

Kabuki12

yes, it is quite comfy!

1982 Medici Pro Strada

MooneyBloke

Nice bike, but that up-tilt on the Concor is giving me virtual groin pains.

Haven't seen a Medici in the flesh since 1982 on an Ann Arbor group ride.