The "real Masi" debate revisited...

The below is part of a reply to the question posed below, regarding an article written about what is or isn't a "real Masi";

"Let's be honest, Ernesto Colnago hasn't lifted a torch in decades, but his bikes are still works of art. Bikes with the name Bottechia, Coppi, Basso, etc are named after dead people now. They were created by a person and are still run by a person, just a different person. All of the bikes that we love from years past really have very little to do with the person who created them. (Tullio Campagnolo has been dead a long, long time. People still think the parts are pretty cool.) Faliero died in 1992. Does that mean that any bike created afterwards has to use a different name? Does it mean that the last bike he personally brazed was the last real Masi? How about bikes like Peugeot? They sure were popular and for good reason, but who knows the total number of incarnations they went through. Faliero was committed to building functional machines that did their job. He believed in the best materials and best craftsmen. The bikes being made now are not being made by one single person with a torch in one hand and an espresso in the other. That isn't how you make money anymore and it isn't very efficient either. The people making the bikes now are making the bikes to the precise specifications given to them and very well at that. I assure you that the quality of the bikes is on par with anybody else. Now, as for the country of origin, it should really tell the world something that Ernesto Colnago has himself gone to Taiwan to have some of his bikes made. Pinarello has been doing it for years. Cinelli, Cervelo, BMC (the Phonak bike) and countless others are going to Asian suppliers as well. Reality dictates that you have to go where you can get the best possible quality and price. Plus, these folks having been doing this for a long time in high numbers and quality. Carbon fiber fabrication is almost unanimously recognized as being ruled by the Asian suppliers. Honestly, with carbon fiber, it isn't enough to be cheap. The liability is so huge if something fails. You have to trust the supplier; I trust my suppliers.

I believe that he was partly playing Devil's Advocate with this article, opening debate and getting people to evaluate why they value what they value."

Really, not just because this pertains to the bikes I get the pleasure to sell, we ride bikes because we like the way they ride or look or make us feel. It really doesn't matter who makes it if it works. Now, I'm not trying to discredit a custom built frame. Having somebody measure you up and build something that is as unique as your fingerprint is special. Not all of us have that option, whether it is because of the money or impatience, etc. It is our intention to build a premium bike for a better price. I think that if you look at the bikes and give them a ride, you'll be more than just a little pleased.

Tim