SpeedofLite 

PDF version attached below.

52telecaster

ty!

SpeedofLite 

yw!

steelbikeguy

It's always fun to read the articles from back then. I'm not sure that it qualifies as a road test though.... did the author even discuss how it rode? It was a nice review of the Masi history. I was surprised to see that they used both Reynolds and Columbus tubing; I would have thought that they might be loyal to Columbus.

Steve in Peoria

SpeedofLite 

Yeah, I've been a bit disappointed too. Bicycling! appears to be still getting its legs as a publication and doing their best to stretch their budget in 1971.
I think they are still using "off the street" experienced riders for writing these road tests in 1971, but it's difficult to believe this is what the experienced rider would want to read, even in 1971.
Also, there doesn't seem to be an established format yet for reporting these road tests.
But I'm just a math and science guy, so what do I know about marketing or the publication business?
Anyway, it's bound to get better in the years ahead. We have quite a few until we run out of C & V timeline space.

Salamandrine 

Another awesome blast from the past! As a long time Masi owner, I enjoyed this. Interesting perspective since this was written just before the big sellout and move to California.

Undoubtedly I'm in the minority on this, but I feel that road test type ride reviews discussing the subjective feel of a bike are often kind of dumb. Much of what gets discussed in that sort of review has more to do with the tires, wheels, set up and sizing than the frame itself. OTOH, the article does claim to be a "road test", and it's true that there really isn't much of one. FWIW Masis were always noted for being responsive and intuitive handling, but not twitchy. I suspect they were already using 73.5º parallel geometry and neutral trail that was standard in California Masis.

To me, what makes/made Masi special was that patented ovalized chaintay with no indents. That they did mention. It seems like no big deal now, but it think it really did stiffen up the BB area, and made them very responsive despite being quite light.

FWIW Masi always used 531 preferentially. Columbus was a custom spec.

steelbikeguy

I tend to agree. How many times have we read a road test where the author waxes on about how the bike disappears beneath him, it responds to his every pedal stroke, anticipates his urge to turn, etc. Or, as the cliche goes, "it's laterally stiff but vertically compliant".
Granted, if I was stuck with having to come up with a novel and creative way to describe the ride of every bike rolling out of the factories, I'd probably burn out and fall back on the standard descriptions too.

For what it's worth, one of the earliest copies of Bicycling that I managed to keep is the October 1975 issue. It has an article on the Windsor Pro. While it doesn't call it a road test/review, it does contain the following text: "The light weight, short wheelbase and fairly stiff frame make it an eager and responsive machine. Yet its ride is not harsh, thanks to the small flange hubs and four-cross spoke lacing."

In defense of the author, he does use the bike in a time trial and goes into further detail of the bike's ride. I'll attach the article below.

Steve in Peoria

SpeedofLite 

Much, much better!

repechage

In 1971, it was probably for some bikes the luck of finding one to photograph and a willing owner to share.

Love the misinformation… the Bottom bracket shell is Swiss, but available to others as the same, (Cinelli) or with slight variations, chainstay spigot points either oriented top to bottom or side to side. The lugs are formed steel by DuBois, ref 32.
Yes, Masi used Reynolds and or Columbus. (when they arrived at Carlsbad, the production frames got Reynolds, the Columbus was extra ($25) and special order initially.
The word at the race starting line in the 70's was the Columbus was better due to the beefier fork sections.

georges1

How ever more than that Reynolds has over the years developed a number of steel alloys, most notably Reynolds 531, which has a high strength and can be made into strong, but lightweight tubes for bicycle frames. Before the introduction of more exotic materials such as aluminium, titanium or composites, Reynolds was considered the dominant maker of high end materials for bicycle frames, with 27 winners of the Tour de France winning the race riding on Reynolds tubing. Columbus better than Reynolds ? I don't think so and has Columbus won 27 Tour de France ?

50PlusCycling

The Masi Gran Criterium was “the” bike I most wanted. Back when I was 14, my local bike store had a new one on display, the price tag was $1800, which was a fair amount of money in those days.

GhostRider62

I have not been able to tell whether my Masi GC is a 1971 or 1972. It looks exactly like the one in the article. It has a long wheelbase for a criterium bike, around 103 cm, Rides pretty good for an old bike

repechage

wheelbase scales to the frame size. Fork rake varies a bit due to the way it was induced.
for 1971 to 1972- small details can point-
the 1971 bikes I have seen had a small nib under the seat lug to locate a Silca pump, only the very large frames did not- too long for the new Silca frame fit pump.
fork crowns varied a bit, reference Bob Hovey's Masi site.
down tube decals varies a bit- later 1971 bikes received what are sometimes called the crosshairs downtube transfer- thin black lines dividing up the graphic.
very likely that there is a date stamp on the fork steerer with month and year indicated.

earlier 1971 bikes used the launch graphics set, later received the revised set that essentially was unchanged aside from the notes above for over a decade.

GhostRider62

Thank you. It says MC62 on the BB shell, IIRC. It seems to ride like a 60 or 61. I actually did some touring and commuting on it back in the 80s and 90s. I bought it used in the late 70's.

Drillium Dude 

(I'm reading this assuming you're working your way through your extensive back-catalog and will be posting more features from it in the future): I look forward to the (July, perhaps?) 1980 Colnago Super road-test review - it might surprise a few people. Long ago I cut it out of the mag, and had it kicking around for decades; somewhere along the way it disappeared.

Had the Ciocc San Cristobal review in similar removed-from-magazine format, but that's now gone as well

Thanks for posting these blasts from the past

DD

SpeedofLite 

Ha! You mean this one? https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ago-super.html
And this one? https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...981-ciocc.html

Sounds like you might be missing your copies. Here are links to pdf versions good for the next week or so:
COLNAGO Super: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XbC...ew?usp=sharing
CIÖCC San Cristobal: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JyU...ew?usp=sharing

I've pretty much posted all of the Road Test/Bike Reviews from Bicycling and Bike World from all of their issues that are 30 yrs old and greater.
I'm now working on those published in Bicycle Guide of the same age.
I'll try to keep that 30 yr separation from the present day as long as I keep doing these.

If you ever wonder whether I've already posted a magazine's review about a bike you remember, just use the Advanced Search of C&V.
Fill in both Search by Keywords and Search by User function boxes, then select the Search Now button at the bottom.
In the Search by Keywords section: Dropdown box = Search Titles Only; Keyword(s) = Make, or Make Model (eg. Colnago, Colnago Super)
In the Search by User section: Dropdown box = Find Posts by User; User = SpeedofLite

Drillium Dude 

Yes - that's the one

Thanks for the links! Downloaded both, so I'm all set - I should print them out, too.

Been 40-some years since I've read a lot of those old Bicycling mags, so the Search Function notes are appreciated, too; I'll just plug in some famous makers, and see what pops up. Much obliged!

DD

repechage

Masi frame measure small, they are measured to the tip top of the seat lug,perhaps even before final filing.

repechage

Before Reynolds there was Accels and Pollack.
Reynolds stayed with the same basic formula in the classic and vintage era. Columbus was more of a chrome alloy, the higher chrome content made it a bit less forgiving to braze.
Tube wall and physical dimension properties made some prefer one to the other.
Sizeable difference? No. Marketing? Yes.
Reynolds got with the program and made "continental" oval fork blades later.

And if one takes a race bike tubing decal as gospel... Truth, it does not really matter, geometry is much more important. That is personal preference.