Ah, Milan’s Vigorelli velodrome... The world’s most famous cycling track, stadium to some of the biggest rock’n’roll acts in the music biz, and the roof top to Faliero Masi’s famed shop. And although, sadly, Signorello Masi is no longer with us (he passed away in January of 2000), his son Alberto continues his father’s frame building tradition of building a tiny, select number of frames each year, in the same small shop under Milano’s velodromo.

The legendary frame builder Faliero Masi built his impeccable reputation on his ability to custom fit and build “tailored” bikes for discriminating professional riders. Fausto Coppi, rode a Masi (though it was painted & decaled to look like a Bianchi). Louison Bobet, rode a Masi (though it was painted & decaled to look like a Stella). Jaques Anquetil, rode a Masi (though it was painted & decaled to look like a Gitane). Tom Simpson, rode a Masi (though it was painted and decaled to look like a Peugeot). Eddy Merckx, rode a Masi (though it was painted & decaled to look like a Faema). Greg LeMond, rode a Masi (though it was painted and decaled to look like a Bottecchia). Miguel Indurain, rode a Masi (though it was painted & decaled to look like a Pinarello)... The list goes on and on, and yet none of these frames ever bore the Masi name -as Faliero never sponsored a single pro team.

Tom Simpson wasn’t the only Brit to ride a Masi either, as it is a little known fact that Sir Edmond Hillary first scaled Mt. Everest on a Masi (though it was painted, decaled & tarped to look like a Eureka Draw-Tite tent). Even more astounding was the Norwegian, Thor Heyerdahl, who sailed from Peru to Polynesia on a Masi (though it was painted, decaled & lashed to look like a Kon Tiki raft). But definitely, Faliero’s grandest accomplishment was American Buzz Aldrin’s trip to the moon on a Masi (though it was painted, decaled & heavily Bondoed to look like the Apollo 11 space capsule).

The man was just that good... And to think Masi achieved all this without a PR budget!   I doff my cycling cap to you Faliero -Euro Freddie.

<INDEX                                                     OCTOBER - 2002                                          NEXT>