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Have you ever ridden a Confente?

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Have you ever ridden a Confente?

Old 09-22-22, 12:03 PM
  #51  
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My custom 83 Davidson Signature, although it does not have as much windows at the lugs, has lug and dropout/stay end work that is very similar to these Confentes.
What that say is, the quality of work and attention to details these US builders had in the late 70's and early 80's were shared amongst each other..... Truly was the golden age for American builders......
​​​​​​It's a bit harder to see the details on my bike as it is painted by Bill Davidson in a quite dark ox blood color. Unlike these Confentes that were painted in light bright multiple colors that visually pop, which also contributes greatly to their aesthetics.

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Old 09-22-22, 01:16 PM
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Originally Posted by repechage
I

so, rolling back the clock, before the "James Dean" effect, there was this Italian charging way beyond what others were and with a full order book. Plenty of other builders to this day, "why not me?"

an Italian melodic name helps.
a sense of style and how to recognize it.
y.

The late Dario Pegoretti perhaps carrying on this style?
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Old 09-22-22, 01:17 PM
  #53  
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Originally Posted by Drillium Dude
Nope, but this is pretty much the same thing and the ride is freakin' amazing:





DD



LOL - i just dug this photo out in response to another thread today !


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Old 09-22-22, 01:56 PM
  #54  
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Originally Posted by DMC707
LOL - i just dug this photo out in response to another thread today !


The house has that OJ Simpson Brentwood manor appearance, now torn down.
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Old 09-22-22, 02:06 PM
  #55  
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Originally Posted by steelbikeguy
The last item that I've got is a page from a Bicycling magazine article about track bikes....



Steve in Peoria
Do you have the second page so we can see how the bikes compared?
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Old 09-22-22, 02:09 PM
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Originally Posted by seypat
Do you have the second page so we can see how the bikes compared?
Found It.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-d-espana.html
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Old 09-22-22, 02:20 PM
  #57  
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Originally Posted by seypat
Do you have the second page so we can see how the bikes compared?
well, it's a good deal more than a second page, but it's a good article.
Here 'ya go...

Bicycling magazine, July 1975
Super Track Bike Road Test
("road" test?? That doesn't seem correct)

p24


p26


p27


page 28 was posted above

p29
The Panasonic bike and all of the great weight-weeny modifications are a favorite of mine!


p30


Steve in Peoria
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Old 09-22-22, 02:35 PM
  #58  
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Originally Posted by steelbikeguy
Photos of a Confente-built Masi, number M5.
There are a number of photos, so they will be spread over 3 posts.
The photos are mostly from the 2018 Classic Rendezvous gathering.


head tube


back of head tube


lower head tube lug


lower head tube lug and fork crown


crank and BB


Steve in Peoria
I saw that bike in about April 1975 at the Carlsbad works. Those images miss a bunch of details- a tour de force. I was hoping to find it one day, Peter Gilbert was the guy at the right place and time.
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Old 09-22-22, 03:03 PM
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Originally Posted by repechage
I saw that bike in about April 1975 at the Carlsbad works. Those images miss a bunch of details- a tour de force. I was hoping to find it one day,
It was a busy day for me.. trying to get shots of all of the bikes being displayed. So much cool stuff, so many sexy bike bits! Sad to miss any of those bits, but worse to miss a bike completely (and I'm sure I missed a few). I did get an attaboy from Peter Weigle and Dale Brown, so I count it as a success.

Originally Posted by repechage
Peter Gilbert was the guy at the right place and time.
Bike shows like this are great for folks like me, allowing us to glimpse some of the bikes that have been preserved in someone's house. I suspect that it's good for the owners too, as it gives them a chance to show off their cool stuff and justify the resources spent on keeping the bikes away from the ravages of time and entropy.

I do wonder how many great bikes are stashed away and never surface at all. Will they eventually end up on the market when the owner is no longer able to care for the bikes (and maybe themselves)? Have they already arranged for ownership to transfer to someone else?
Ultimately, the question is: who's got a Baylis in the 60cm to 62cm range to sell to me? Unfortunately, I'd want to ride it, and I'm not sure how many of his bikes actually get ridden.

Steve in Peoria
(but I did enjoy 75 miles today on my Raleigh International that Brian applied a light clear coat to)
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Old 09-22-22, 03:57 PM
  #60  
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This thread reminds me of a few years ago when a Della Santa was for sale online at my local Goodwill thrift store. I didn't find out about it until a day after the auction ended, and @Johnny Ace swooped in and picked it up for a song. Just a month later Roland Della Santa (built frames for Greg LeMond) passed away. I think Johnny made a killing selling it.
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Old 09-22-22, 04:04 PM
  #61  
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Originally Posted by steelbikeguy
It was a busy day for me.. trying to get shots of all of the bikes being displayed. So much cool stuff, so many sexy bike bits! Sad to miss any of those bits, but worse to miss a bike completely (and I'm sure I missed a few). I did get an attaboy from Peter Weigle and Dale Brown, so I count it as a success.


Bike shows like this are great for folks like me, allowing us to glimpse some of the bikes that have been preserved in someone's house. I suspect that it's good for the owners too, as it gives them a chance to show off their cool stuff and justify the resources spent on keeping the bikes away from the ravages of time and entropy.

I do wonder how many great bikes are stashed away and never surface at all. Will they eventually end up on the market when the owner is no longer able to care for the bikes (and maybe themselves)? Have they already arranged for ownership to transfer to someone else?
Ultimately, the question is: who's got a Baylis in the 60cm to 62cm range to sell to me? Unfortunately, I'd want to ride it, and I'm not sure how many of his bikes actually get ridden.

Steve in Peoria
(but I did enjoy 75 miles today on my Raleigh International that Brian applied a light clear coat to)
on that white/ yellow Masi- the seat lug was investment cast BUT the forward extension tang of the seat tube was welded in place with the graduated holes. This was a Mario thing.
that interestingly he did not include in the IC seat lug design for Masi, there is a triangular window at the back.
the seat stay bridge has two deep slots milled in it not all the way side to side and not full depth, was made from rod.
the dropouts were drilled.
one of only three that I know of with vertical dropouts, washer or disc brazed on the inside faces to get then the typical thickness.
the seat stay caps are laminated and the top layer drilled in three places. Some of this you can see some not. I really studied that bike when I saw it at the plant.

so first use of the IC lug here.

the production use would start about mid year.


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Old 09-23-22, 11:13 AM
  #62  
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Did Boyer have more than one?
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Old 09-23-22, 11:26 AM
  #63  
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Originally Posted by embankmentlb

Did Boyer have more than one?
yes. Three
roadbike
climbing
time trial

originally there were colored stripes on the top of the crown to designate

I should add that this was when they were all painted as LeJeune. ( dreadful paint effort in my view)

they were repainted as Confente bikes later, at least two of them.
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Old 09-23-22, 12:38 PM
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Originally Posted by repechage
they were repainted as Confente bikes later, at least two of them.
Here is one of those bikes as shown at the Auburn show.

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Old 09-23-22, 12:43 PM
  #65  
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Originally Posted by repechage
yes. Three
roadbike
climbing
time trial

originally there were colored stripes on the top of the crown to designate

I should add that this was when they were all painted as LeJeune. ( dreadful paint effort in my view)

they were repainted as Confente bikes later, at least two of them.
That should be four per Jim Cunningham of CyclArt who was "working with Mario" when they were ordered and did the paint schemes. Cunningham's words below from CR archives:

"I added the small stripes on the headtube and seattube. I also suggested different decal colors to identify the intended purpose of the frame geometry. There were two normal road frames with yellow decals, one for climbing stages with blue decals and one for time trial with gold and black."

One of these appeared at Auburn. The card claimed original finish. You can draw your own conclusions.

Pic below is of frames as painted by CyclArt.


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Old 09-23-22, 02:47 PM
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Originally Posted by CV-6
That should be four per Jim Cunningham of CyclArt who was "working with Mario" when they were ordered and did the paint schemes. Cunningham's words below from CR archives:

"I added the small stripes on the headtube and seattube. I also suggested different decal colors to identify the intended purpose of the frame geometry. There were two normal road frames with yellow decals, one for climbing stages with blue decals and one for time trial with gold and black."

One of these appeared at Auburn. The card claimed original finish. You can draw your own conclusions.

Pic below is of frames as painted by CyclArt.


it was the original "confente" finish...
I agree with you, what was shown at the Auburn event was a respray, restoration, whatever but not original.
And those dimestore foil paper stars...
brought back memories of first grade and teacher's comments on graded class work.

too bad LeJeune had moved away from the sans serif white block lettering by this point.
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Old 09-23-22, 10:32 PM
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Originally Posted by repechage;22657377[b
]it was the original "confente" finish..[/b].
I agree with you, what was shown at the Auburn event was a respray, restoration, whatever but not original.
And those dimestore foil paper stars...
brought back memories of first grade and teacher's comments on graded class work.

too bad LeJeune had moved away from the sans serif white block lettering by this point.
Is it the original Confente finish? The frame in the Coors race is white. It may not be the same frame. I have seen an older photo of a frame finished as the Auburn frame is finished. But again, is it the same frame? Was the white Confente the climbing frame and perhaps the Auburn frame one of the road frames?

The foil stars are indeed not what one would expect. But I guess at the time all it was going to be is a tool and was treated as such. Did Boyer pay for the frames or the team? Economics may have dictated the stars be done "on a budget".
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Old 09-24-22, 07:34 AM
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Old 09-24-22, 07:48 AM
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No but I saw three of them in the same room along with a Wizard once. They were indescribably beautiful they reminded me of the Fourth of July

For all I know I could be riding an early Confente, Wizard, Kellog, Bayliss, Medici, Stella or any other American Master or I could be riding a high school shop project.

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Old 09-24-22, 08:58 AM
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Originally Posted by CV-6
Is it the original Confente finish? The frame in the Coors race is white. It may not be the same frame. I have seen an older photo of a frame finished as the Auburn frame is finished. But again, is it the same frame? Was the white Confente the climbing frame and perhaps the Auburn frame one of the road frames?

The foil stars are indeed not what one would expect. But I guess at the time all it was going to be is a tool and was treated as such. Did Boyer pay for the frames or the team? Economics may have dictated the stars be done "on a budget".
by report long ago two received the paint as seen on the bike displayed at Auburn. Report based on a visit to Boyer's airport hangar bike shop.
no Idea what the other resprays the bikes received. One would have to ask Boyer, was mentioned a decade ago he was on FB.
I do not use that platform.

my hunch that Boyer bought the frames, why he retained control of them. There were no set standards regarding pro contracts. Obviously Boyer did not want team issued bike(s).
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Old 09-25-22, 05:07 PM
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Apple did not want to translate this easily, has some info that helps set the era and the attention Mario received from other American builders in 1977.

CONFENTE - FRAMETELLER
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Old 09-26-22, 02:05 AM
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Originally Posted by repechage
Apple did not want to translate this easily, has some info that helps set the era and the attention Mario received from other American builders in 1977.

CONFENTE - FRAMETELLER
My Chrome browser translated it very well as far as I can tell (except a bit about Confente building looms from 1968 to 1970). Very interesting information. Thanks for sharing.

To the point I made earlier about custom frames, the article quotes Confente himself thusly: "A frame must come out perfect from every point of view. You can't go wrong even half a centimeter. The riders would notice it immediately and my seriousness would go away. So maximum perfection. The frames must be precise. They must correspond to the measurements of the length of the legs, body and arms."

Of course, this must also be tempered with what Brian Baylis said about frame builders understanding things that the rest of us don't, so I'm sure there is much that I'm missing beyond this point.
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Old 09-26-22, 05:42 PM
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There have been several Confentes ridden at the Brian Baylis Birthday ride down in San Diego. Some in show condition and this one, a very well ridden and original Confente that see's a lot of use.

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Old 09-26-22, 06:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Manny66
There have been several Confentes ridden at the Brian Baylis Birthday ride down in San Diego. Some in show condition and this one, a very well ridden and original Confente that see's a lot of use.

Cool, and possibly repainted. The Columbus transfer was different back then, this design was a few years after Mario's passing, and never seen a Columbus fork transfer. No Pro-Strada chainstay graphics BUT some of the late bikes did not have them, the supply had run out.
The yellow is different, but that was per customer choice.
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Old 09-26-22, 06:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Andy_K
My Chrome browser translated it very well as far as I can tell (except a bit about Confente building looms from 1968 to 1970). Very interesting information. Thanks for sharing.

To the point I made earlier about custom frames, the article quotes Confente himself thusly: "A frame must come out perfect from every point of view. You can't go wrong even half a centimeter. The riders would notice it immediately and my seriousness would go away. So maximum perfection. The frames must be precise. They must correspond to the measurements of the length of the legs, body and arms."

Of course, this must also be tempered with what Brian Baylis said about frame builders understanding things that the rest of us don't, so I'm sure there is much that I'm missing beyond this point.
The building of looms is a translation I have seen before, not weaving looms at all, but bike frames.
Some French translations of frame builders translate to "cameraman" Do not know why.
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