Originally Posted by
cudak888
Even I'll say this is a bit harsh on Mario's work, as he did what he could to distinguish himself within the aforementioned limitations of lugged diamond frames. Distinctive treatments on his Bocama lugs, milled dropouts, above-average paint jobs, beautiful stay caps - an excellent blend of understated, tasteful elegance. Sure, the period may have been lacking in innovation, but he definitely put the work in to distinguish himself, and for that his frames genuinely deserve praise.
To be clear though: They deserve praise, not a cult.
Nevertheless, I completely agree with your assessment of Italian and many Italian-inspired US made frames of the time. Not that I wouldn't complain about owning any of them, but the price premiums continue to make no sense. I've ridden a 1980's Colnago Super and the fit, finish, and ride quality was no better or worse than any comparative 1980's Basso, but the price difference could be double or triple that for the Colnago. Sure, the early '70s Supers look great, but where's the justification for ridiculous pricing for the 1980's model that's more common, less likely to be in rough shape thanks to more pedestrian stickers than transfers, and barely any oh-so-sexy pantographing?
Not to mention how many other brands of the era came out of contract builders like Billato, making much of the production stuff more or less the same thing with different lug details and stay caps.
Then there are brands like Guerciotti - if I'm not mistaken, all of them are contract jobs - where so many 1970's and 1980's factory seconds have been thrown on the market that you really don't know what you are in for - especially if it's solid bright red or electric blue.
-Kurt
Of all the 80's bikes I've ridden (not that many), the best riding one was my dearly departed Concorde Aquila, which was contract built out of one of those productions houses like the Billato Bros. It just had a certain something about it that made the ride great. While the wheels were wrecked in the same crash that killed the frame, I've built up wheels with the same brand/model hubs and rims to ride on my replacements, and they just don't ride as nice. My Colnago is a lot prettier (to me) though. That may have influenced my opinion somewhat about valuing ride and aesthetics as 2 separate things.
Someday, I'll ride a beautiful frame that also rides like a dream and obsess about its builder (don't currently have the budget for custom or really nice stuff), but, if my current favorite ride is by some anonymous builder at a shop I can't identify, it makes me think that the value (to me) in the really fancy stuff (that I appreciate from a distance) is how pretty/well finished they are or how good of a story they have. That could also be because, after getting hit, I do almost all my rides on the trainer these days where ride quality isn't part of the equation. Doesn't mean I wouldn't love to try a bike by a really well regarded builder, especially one that is made specifically to my measurements/goals, but right now I'm happy looking at those things from afar.