Just when I thought neon fades had been consigned to the dustbin of history, I saw this:
Now, as you well know, I have nothing against purple and green standing side by side. In fact, it's my favorite color combination. But not in this shade of green.
Too bad it's on such a good bike: a Medici. About 30 years ago, Gian Simonetti and Mike Howard left Masi USA to start the brand. Not surprisingly, Medicis were very similar in design and in finishing details to the USA-made Masis which, according to some purists snobs, weren't quite as nice as the bikes Signor Masi built when he was in Italy.
I knew people who had both US- and Italian-made Masis, as well as Medicis. Truthfully, nobody could quite explain what the differences were between them, and I couldn't tell by riding them. Then again, those people might argue that I didn't spend enough time riding those bikes.
I'd be curious about the one in the photo, though. The early Medicis--including the ones I rode--were made from Columbus SL tubing. On the other hand, the frame in the photo was made from Tange Prestige tubing, which means that it was probably made in the early or mid-1990's.
As far as I can tell, the Medici marquee no longer exists. i guess the Medicis, like all dynasties, had to end some time!
Ah, yes. Today's the first day of Spring. At least, that's what the calendar says. And, according to Punxsutawney Phil, the season should be well under way by now.
However, riding to work today looked more like this--minus the scenery, of course:
At least the snow is on the sides of the street, not in the roadway. I'm grateful for small things.
The other day, I saw this bike parked near the Brooklyn Navy Yard:
It's a Hawthorne Flyer from, I'm guessing, the 1930's or '40's.
Along with the head logo, it has some other interesting features:
The chainring was, for me, oddly reminiscent of one you'd find on a Specilaties TA "Cyclotouriste", or other cranksets patterned after it.
Gotta love this fender:
And this rear reflector is, as far as I can tell, glass, like others from the period:
The seat, with its steel pan and springs, is the exact opposite of a Brooks Professional or B-17. I'm guessing that the seat had padding, or at least a covering. It may have been leather, or possibly cloth. But I can't imagine riding that seat in its current state!
Not everything on the bike is original. This front wheel looks like it came off a Raleigh three-speed. And, of course, the chainguard is missing.
Still, it is quite a find. I hope that it finds a good home!
