1960's Masi special pista #2.

If Italy was considered the world capital for racing bicycles perhaps it is due to artisans such as Faliero Masi, who is now legendary. Faliero Masi was "il sarto", ("the tailor"). Since 1949, at the shop under the equally legendary Vigorelli velodrome in Milan, on via Arona, his welding torch was responsible for writing many memorable pages in the history of cycling. . Faliero built many custom bicycles for champions: Fausto Coppi, Fiorenzo Magni, Louison Bobet, Miguel Poblet, Rik Van Looy, Jacques Anquetil, Felice Gimondi, Vittorio Adorni (with a Masi bike he won the world championship in Imola in 1968) and Eddy Merckx. Born in Sesto Fiorentino on May 11, 1908, Faliero Masi learned the art of building custom race bikes at the "Compostini" workshop in Sesto Fiorentino. It is with Cicli Compostini that Masi began to race, participating in two Giro d'Itala (1931 and 1932). His only prominent victory was the “Coppa Zucchi” of 1933. He continued to race until 1946. After ending his professional career, Faliero successfully embarked on a career as a framebuidler. First in his native Sesto Fiorentino and then in Milan where he moved in 1949 at the the insistence and pressure of well-known sprinter Aldo Bini from Prato. Among Bini's victories were two editions of the Giro di Lombardia (1935 and 1942). The first workshop wasn on Via Michelino da Besozzo, a few months later he transferred to the curve under the Vigorelli where the workshop stands today. Faliero had a maniacal passion for every phase of the construction of a bicycle, built by hand, one by one. The success of the Masi brand is known worldwide: each of his bicycles is unique and are considered a jewel by fans. . . Renowned bicycle artisan, Faliero Masi passed away on Tuesday, January 4th 2000. His world-famous atelier under the curve of Milano's Vigorelli Velodrome had created some of the greatest racing bikes of the 20th Century. Masi built bikes for many of cycling greatest champions. Masi was predominantly a "Servizio Corse", building less than 1000 frames per year, mostly for trade teams and racers. Notable Masi bikes were the Superias ridden by Rik Van Looy's "Red Guard" in the '50's and '60's and the Faema bikes Eddy Merckx rode from 1969-1972. With the worldwide bike boom of the '70's, Masi's creations like the elegant Gran Criterium became famous around the globe. Eventually, Faliero Masi sold the rights to his name to an American company, who made Masi bikes in Southern California. One of Masi's important contributions to bicycle design was his early use of oversize tubes in his early '80's Volumetrica design. The steel bikes, which were light for the time had innovative internal lugs. Masi Volumetrica's were used successfully in many international races by the Leningrad Lokomotiv / USSR team of Alexender Kuznetsov. After Faliero passed away the torch was handed over to his son Alberto. aswell as the title of king of the Italian craftsmen of framebuilding. his son Alberto who still continues the mission of the family with the same care and passion inherited from his father. The Masi brand is a brand that in the world of cycling means care, attention, almost obsessive thoroughness; still building bikes one by one, without overdoing it but always giving attention to even the smallest and trivial of details. (ed. note: as noted in the previous blog entry the Masi name was sold in 1972. Alberto Masi, is still building underneath the Vigorelli, sells his bikes under the "Milano" name. In the USA, Alberto Masi's bike can be acquired through Milano Sport. . The Masi bicycles are unique because each is a made to measure, custom, frame for a client. Numbered pieces. Collectible bicycles, difficult to reproduce. Alberto is a kind of tailor, Stradivari's cycling, a Paganini (ed note: celebrated violin virtuosi) who leaves to go into the art of framebuilding, alone in his originality. Cycling fans are willing to do anything to possess it. "There are people," Alberto explains in a recent interview, "which make great sacrifices to have one one day...". WINNING magazine likened Masi to a cult, like Ferrari or Rolls Royce. Technique and experience: this is the secret that still makes Alberto Masi, master craftsman of the two wheels, grow. Small objects of worship which always make up the great two wheel world of the Masi archipelago. Today Alberto Masi is 65 years. He began to frequent the workshop of his father Faliero at 8 years old. At 16 he debuted as the official mechanic of Fausto Coppi at the Giro d'Italia. In 1982 he built the "Volumetrica", the first race bike with oversized and ovalized tubing. Today Alberto Masi produces about 500 frames, of which 200 are complete bicycles. . . 51cm center center 53cm center top 55cm top tube