spudly

Hi all: I recently acquired this circa 1972 (the fork might have a date stamp, but haven't pulled it yet) Masi GC. It's had a rough life - the PO had ultimately used it as a commuter with a rack - and has significant areas of rust, but seems structurally sound. The fork crown had quite a bit of rust, but generally cleaned up fairly well. The Bob Hovey site says these "faux" twin plate crowns were cut from a single crown. Was that really the case? Did these crowns perform any differently from the Fischer crowns or true twin plates?

This bike is on the larger side for me. I generally ride around a 54cm or so top tube, but this is around 56cm or very slightly larger (M58 stamped on the BB). With an 80cm stem it fits me well though, and it rides wonderfully! I have a CA twin plate in pretty nice condition that I have never fully built up because I always assumed it would be too big. It's a Masi 59cm, which means 57cm or a little larger on both the seat and top tubes. Can I expect this to ride the same as the Italian one? Also, if would a similar Masi in a smaller size (54 or so) feel noticeably different?

Thanks for any thoughts or info. Would also love to see pics of your GCs.

The bike as acquired.

After some cleaning.

AdventureManCO 

Gonna be watching this one!

repechage

Lot of Questions, reasonable but a lot was packed in your post.


The Faux Twinplate as they have become called, for my money were cut on a lathe with a cut-off tool.

I do not have one.

I do have a number of the others. The twin plate as seen on contemporary and later Italian and Early Carlsbad bikes does flex fore and aft more than the Fischer sand cast crown or later Investment cast.

So, a tad smoother until it exaggerates a washboard surface, road and speed dependent. I like them.

They Look Cool too.

Regarding size and handling- This gets a bit tricky. As you probably know, Masi measure a bit "small"- the size stamp on the frame references to the Tippy Top of the seat tube lug, maybe before they finished filing it.

the Masi 55 frames and smaller Carlsbad era and Milano, start to have a slacker head angle.

This changes in the San Marcos era bikes and again for the later Henry James lugged machines.

A Masi "55" will have ABOUT a 55cm top tube center to center, a "56" 558mm or so.

A "57", just over 560mm.

Most, but not all have a top tube that rises to the head tube, 5-8mm is pretty common.

By design?

By error?

Maybe both.

The fork rake varies too, this is on account as to how the parabolic curve was induced, the forks were brazed up with straight legs and the curve raked in after.

That could vary. Faliero was said to crank in a bit extra, on twin plate forks that can be witnessed by the legs walking a bit forward from the steerer turning axis.

repechage

I would urge to ditch the splash tape.

All of the "all bright red" tires I associate with indoor trainer tire set ups, not suggested for road use.

spudly

When I told the PO that the first thing I was going to do was put a shorter stem for a test ride, he said that I would have to change the bar tape. I didn't say anything except that that would be OK. Like most forum members, I really hate splash tape, but that tape, especially in conjunction with that front tire, were especially egregious. And, for test purposes I also put on some Mavic Open Pros (rear can be seen in 2cnd pic). Aside from yellow tape that will match the cutout color, I'm not sure how I'm going to build it up. Perhaps Campy nine speed as the rear was stretched to 130mm. Anyway, first I'm going to take it apart and clean up/touch up the rusted areas.

So would a 54 ride significantly differently from a 56/57? If so, I might look to trade the larger (57) one.

repechage

I wrote a reply but even though it was not a quick reply, after submitting it vaporized.
maybe I will come back to it.

billytwosheds 

Seems like something worthy of discussion. Wish I had more to add but, by golly, I'll pay attention.

Also: What's up with the undersized Merckx in the corner?

styggno1

I have not ridden the bike that I have with a "faux twin plate" enough to be able to compare it with anything. But here are some bad pics - mobile cameras has evolved since 2010.

At the Vigorelli shop, 2010, ordering my Masi "concoction" frame. Alberto said it was his very last fork crown with this design. Take that statement for what it is worth - but he said it at the time.





When I got it home - with a very sloppy paint job (the only thing I have to complain about).

repechage

@Stygnno1 - truth be told, the paint finish varied. There was a bit of slap dash that today is not tolerated as much.
those chain stays have been the “last set” a number of times, still cool however.
there was an image online of a young Merckx with a bike with them, prior to a time trial.

I would expect worthwhile to receive a bike for you prior to Alberto retiring.
last I was aware, the Vigorelli refurb still had Simone waiting to move back in.

styggno1

Trying not to get in to too much thread drift here but he never said the chain stays were in shortage. They can be made as many as there are demand for. Fork crowns on the other hand are not that easily made. This was in 2010 as I wrote and slap dash paint finish was not tolerated then either. Had it been any other bike I would have returned it and demanded a better job. As it played out I was content and still is.

It was that picture that made me order the chainstays...



Back to the OP topic. Faux twin plate crowns.

repechage

It was another client who was told, “ the last ones”. Marketing.

here is a Carlsbad twin plate crown.
I have an Italian bike with one also- on that the lower plate drifted during brazing and is not parallel to the top. These parts also appeared to have variations in thickness.

spudly

Wow, cool bike! (A one-off?) And, from what little I can see, the paint - at least the color - looks pretty nice. Can you post a full pic or two?

spudly

Saw the Merckx some time ago when I was buying a track bike from a nice guy in Boston (hey Marty in JP!) who's a talented artist but makes his day to day living refurbishing/selling bikes. It's way too small for me and probably anyone much over 5', but I bought it for very little for wall (floor?) art.

styggno1

Since you speak about colour and the Merckx pic is in black and white I presume you mean my bike. The others here are probably sick of it by now so I post a link to my flickr album if you are more interested. The pictures are from 2010 and of the built up bike in 2015. I have to take new ones...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/453061...57624536225450