This is the original Italian Masi Gran Criterium vintage bicycle from 1973. The frame and fork have lots of stunning pantographs. The bike is equipped with blue pantographed Campagnolo Nuovo Record parts.
Gran Criterium was the top of the line model by Masi!
Hand built in Italy.
About Masi:
Masi bikes, or Masi cicli, was founded by Faliero Masi in 1950. Masi had been a professional Italian rider since the 1930s, and had therefore unique experience with classic steel bicycles. He had his own way of fitting the racing bikes to their riders, and Masi got a nickname, 'the tailor', as the word was spread about him. He got to build bikes for Jacques Anquetil and Fausto Coppi, but by the time the Masi vintage bicycles got really popular, many of the racing stars at that time where already under contracts with other companies. For Masi this meant that their classic bicycles got less promotion than they aimed for. In 1972 Masi moved his classic bicycle brand from Italy to the U.S. From this time on, Masis son, Alberto, also worked for the company. The mix of the classic Italian bicycle design and the American impulses and production methods led to some very distinct bicycles, which can now be described as collectables. In the 1980s it first looked like the show was over for the classic Masi bicycles, and the company returned back to Italy. This was not the case though: in 1981 Masi produced a bike called 3V Volumetrica, which was in every way futuristic. So up to date that it is still in production!
