[Back]      Dave Moulton former bicycle framebuilder. Page 5, part 2.  
     

Early Custom Frames Built in California

I left Masi's employ in December 1981 and started building custom frames (and recording frame numbers) in January 1982. The next two custom frames shown here were built in 1981 but the numbers were not recorded. This one was built in August 1981. There was no engraving on this one, but there is no doubt as to its authenticity because I remember this particular paint job. The oval panel decals are one of a kind and were specially made to recreate the style I used in England.

My thanks to Terry McClintock from San Francisco for this picture.
 

  
 

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Update 7/11/05

This is the original paint on this frame built in January 1981. The contrasting head tube, and the panels on the seat and down tubes is typical of English frames of that era.

My thanks to Ken Meyers from Orange County, California for the pictures. Ken has owned this bike from new.

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Left: Henry James lugs, hand cut to the shape you see here. You will only find these lugs on these very early frames.

Fork crown, imported from Italy by English Company Saba. An elegant, slim line, light weight crown that I used on most of the custom (Professional Road.) frames that followed.

Right: Masi had a decal with multi-national flags. I remember cutting the British flag. (Union Jack.) from that decal and adding it to the World Championship Rainbow Band decals I had brought with me from England.

   

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Above: No engraving on the bottom bracket or fork crown and no model decal on the chainstay distinguishes these 1981 frames.

Above: Seatstay Caps and Reynolds 531 decal.
 

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Update 3/3/05
 
This 57cm. Criterium was originally built for The 1983 Interbike Show in Las Vegas.
 
Only 34 of these built; 74 head angle with shorter fork rake. Note the oversize seat stays and adapted track fork crown with  round/oval/round fork blades. Designed to give more lateral stiffness for out of the saddle sprinting.
 

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Criterium Frame Detail.
Top right: Concave seatstay cap made by cutting a piece from an off-cut of frame tubing. Chrome plated for effect.
Lower left: Chrome head lug detail, and chrome arrow heads at the entrance of the internal brake cable tunnel.

This frame has the original paint finish which is gray with a red pearl added to the clear coat

My thanks to the bike's current owner Angel Garcia, for these pictures.

     
   

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Update: 8/5/05

Here is another 1983 Criterium built a few months before the one previously shown. The size on this one was 20 inches. (There were a few frames built in inches rather than centimeters at the request of the customer.)

  
 

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My thanks to Gary Yama for the pictures. He is from the Bay Area, and has owned this custom frame from new. This is the original paint.
     

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