Antonio Mondonico has passed away, RIP
06-14-23, 11:14 PM
#1
Stop reading my posts!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 12,603
Mentioned: 90 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1452 Post(s)
Liked 1,072 Times
in
794 Posts
Antonio Mondonico has passed away, RIP
Legendary framebuilder Antonio Mondonico dies
It is my sad duty to report that legendary framebuilder and good friend Antonio Mondonico passed away Friday, June 9, in Como, Italy.
Like his father and grandfather, Antonio pursued the craft of hand-building steel bicycle frames. Antonio's frames were works of art that had a ride and feel that made riding them a joy. Antonio was more than a gifted artist, he was a kind and gentle man.
Here are two of the great ones at the 1991 Milan bike show. On the left is Antonio Mondonico and on the right is Faliero Masi.
Likes For unworthy1:
06-15-23, 01:07 AM
#2
Junior Member
He built wonderful frames. They will live on and continue to bring joy and happiness. Thats a nice legacy.
Last edited by Steel1; 06-15-23 at 08:05 AM.
06-15-23, 02:07 AM
#3
Veteran, Pacifist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 13,347
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Mentioned: 284 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3907 Post(s)
Liked 4,859 Times
in
2,241 Posts
He visited a small shop in Santa Clara, CA taking orders one Saturday - about 30+years ago. Had an assistant with him. I happened into the shop picking up a repaired Centurion. First time I had seen people measured for a custom frame, he was quick. Hung around for 30min or so listening to the frame & tube discussion, but it was all sorta new and beyond my interest at that time. I had a bike, 3X5, it worked well & took me anywhere the legs could go. I cannot remember the prices mentioned, but it was not so expensive. Opportunity passed me by so quickly, I didn't know I had missed it. But the custom frame 'seed' had been planted.
RIP
RIP
__________________
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Last edited by Wildwood; 06-15-23 at 02:12 AM.
Likes For Wildwood:
06-15-23, 02:11 AM
#4
Steel is real
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Not far from Paris
Posts: 1,979
Bikes: 1992Giant Tourer,1992MeridaAlbon,1996Scapin,1998KonaKilaueua,1993Peugeot Prestige,1991RaleighTeamZ(to be upgraded),1998 Jamis Dragon,1992CTWallis(to be built),1998VettaTeam(to be built),1995Coppi(to be built),1993Grandis(to be built)
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 671 Post(s)
Liked 988 Times
in
657 Posts
May he rip 
, one of the greatest italian frame builders
, one of the greatest italian frame builders
Likes For georges1:
Likes For nomadmax:
06-15-23, 06:46 AM
#6
Full Member
Join Date: Jan 2023
Posts: 473
Bikes: Two Peter Mooney customs, a 1980 Trek 510 townie, a Marin Stelvio set up for TTs.
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 230 Post(s)
Liked 299 Times
in
163 Posts
Damn! That's upsetting even if it is inevitable. I do hope some young folk with taste are still inspired to pick up an Oxy-Acetylene rig and braze up pretty frames even if that's not the way of the industry. The more master builders die, the more angry I am with the general direction of mainstream biking.
06-15-23, 07:42 AM
#7
The Huffmeister
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: The Le Grande HQ
Posts: 2,771
Bikes: '79 Trek 938, '86 Jim Merz Allez SE, '90 Miyata 1000, '68 PX-10, '80 PXN-10, '73 Super Course, '87 Guerciotti, '83 Trek 600, '80 Huffy Le Grande
Mentioned: 45 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1243 Post(s)
Liked 3,598 Times
in
1,431 Posts
Damn! That's upsetting even if it is inevitable. I do hope some young folk with taste are still inspired to pick up an Oxy-Acetylene rig and braze up pretty frames even if that's not the way of the industry. The more master builders die, the more angry I am with the general direction of mainstream biking.
RIP, Mondonico.
__________________
There were 135 Confentes, but only one...Huffente!
There were 135 Confentes, but only one...Huffente!
06-15-23, 08:17 AM
#8
aged to perfection
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: PacNW
Posts: 1,851
Bikes: Dinucci Allez 2.0, Richard Sachs, Alex Singer, Serotta, Masi GC, Raleigh Pro Mk.1, Hetchins, etc
Mentioned: 24 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 851 Post(s)
Liked 1,278 Times
in
674 Posts
thanks for posting this sad news. He left a mark on the sport.
/markp
/markp
Likes For mpetry912:
06-15-23, 12:38 PM
#9
Stop reading my posts!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 12,603
Mentioned: 90 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1452 Post(s)
Liked 1,072 Times
in
794 Posts
if you click around the interwebs there are additional tributes to him (in English and Italian) almost every one makes mention of what a kind and gracious person he was, in addition to his clear skills in the craft and art of frame building.
I learned that besides the Mondonico and Torelli brands he did build a lot of Guerciotti and (news to me) Colnagos...I would bet there were some other marques as well.
I learned that besides the Mondonico and Torelli brands he did build a lot of Guerciotti and (news to me) Colnagos...I would bet there were some other marques as well.
06-15-23, 03:31 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: PDX
Posts: 13,112
Bikes: Merz x 5 + Specialized Merz Allez x 2, Strawberry/Newlands/DiNucci/Ti x3, Gordon, Fuso/Moulton x2, Bornstein, Paisley,1958-74 Paramounts x3, 3rensho, 74 Moto TC, 73-78 Raleigh Pro's x5, Marinoni x2, 1960 Cinelli SC, 1980 Bianchi SC, PX-10 X 2
Mentioned: 269 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4527 Post(s)
Liked 6,421 Times
in
3,697 Posts
Likes For merziac:
06-15-23, 03:49 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 3,470
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 881 Post(s)
Liked 2,307 Times
in
1,291 Posts
This is sad that we are seeing a passing of the artists that built bikes that I could only dream of back in the seventies and eighties. I just had a friend / customer stop by my shop . He is much younger than me and we are built the same - thin build , long legs , and just over 6' tall...both cyclists. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's and is having a rough go of it . It was hard to see but I enjoyed our chat . I asked about his cycling and unfortunately if anything , he will be on an ebike. He does stationary bike but that's it. I knew he had a very expensive bike that he had custom made for him back in the late eighties but I couldn't remember the builder's name. He told me it is a Mondonico!! He is trying to sell it but the bike shop told him it would be hard to sell because it is a 62cm ......hmm.
Yea, I told him to text me a picture of it.
Yea, I told him to text me a picture of it.
Likes For Kabuki12:
06-16-23, 03:01 PM
#12
feros ferio
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Posts: 21,809
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1395 Post(s)
Liked 1,336 Times
in
842 Posts
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
Likes For John E:
06-16-23, 03:26 PM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 3,470
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 881 Post(s)
Liked 2,307 Times
in
1,291 Posts
[iQUOTE=John E;22925717]That's about the right frame size for my younger son. [/QUOTE]
I will let you know if anything comes of it. Like I say, he has a lot on his plate right now. I am going to check in with him in a couple of weeks. He said he would send me some pictures. I think he said it is C-Record components and Shimano brakes. He didn’t like the Campagnolo brakes so he changed them. It sounds like a very nice bike and from what I have seen of Mondonico bikes , they are very nice. This would’ve been before the frames were contracted out. It would be kind of cool to have something from one of the legends like this .
[/QUOTE]I will let you know if anything comes of it. Like I say, he has a lot on his plate right now. I am going to check in with him in a couple of weeks. He said he would send me some pictures. I think he said it is C-Record components and Shimano brakes. He didn’t like the Campagnolo brakes so he changed them. It sounds like a very nice bike and from what I have seen of Mondonico bikes , they are very nice. This would’ve been before the frames were contracted out. It would be kind of cool to have something from one of the legends like this .
06-17-23, 07:30 AM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Central Virginia
Posts: 4,787
Bikes: Numerous
Mentioned: 150 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1678 Post(s)
Liked 3,109 Times
in
918 Posts
Sad to see another of the greats pass on. I have come close to getting a Mondonico on a couple of occasions but yet to scratch that itch. A couple of years ago I emailed Colnago for some info on my C40 and got a reply from a Mondonico. Mauro maybe, son or grandson?
__________________
N = '96 Colnago C40, '04 Wilier Alpe D'Huez, '10 Colnago EPS, '85 Merckx Pro, '89 Merckx Century, '86 Tommasini Professional, '04 Teschner Aero FX Pro, '05 Alan Carbon Cross, '86 De Rosa Professional, '82 Colnago Super, '95 Gios Compact Pro, '95 Carrera Zeus, '84 Basso Gap, ‘89 Cinelli Supercorsa, ‘83 Bianchi Specialissima, ‘VO Randonneur, Ritchey Breakaway Steel, '84 Paletti Super Prestige, Heron Randonneur
N = '96 Colnago C40, '04 Wilier Alpe D'Huez, '10 Colnago EPS, '85 Merckx Pro, '89 Merckx Century, '86 Tommasini Professional, '04 Teschner Aero FX Pro, '05 Alan Carbon Cross, '86 De Rosa Professional, '82 Colnago Super, '95 Gios Compact Pro, '95 Carrera Zeus, '84 Basso Gap, ‘89 Cinelli Supercorsa, ‘83 Bianchi Specialissima, ‘VO Randonneur, Ritchey Breakaway Steel, '84 Paletti Super Prestige, Heron Randonneur
