playing with fire: Mondonico, Pegoretti

[mimitabby]

Today it's slow here at work and I was doing some serious web cruising.

Still looking for Steel, hopefully Italian. Then I make the mistake of writing to two of the outfits: one being: Smart cycles in Connecticut. They write back instantly with a frame they want me to look at: (Yes, I can have it in Orange)
It's made by Mondonico (one of 3 my size left EVER made by Antonio who is retired)


While wasting time I also found a website for a bike shop in Moab Utah



They sell Pegoretti bikes. These are the coolest looking bikes I've ever seen.
And both guys thought they could set me up with a frame that would fit me. He wrote to Dario
right away for a quote!!!

Good grief, what am I thinking, another sight-unseen sale? Do I trust the measurements that Eric Moen gave me and just buy a frame? and if i buy a frame, what bike shop in town is going to build it for me? They all like to do their own stuff and I'm not sure I could stand the sneering.

[DebW]

What a beautiful chrome fork on the Pegoretti. And how could you possibly turn down one of 3 Mondonico frames in your size EVER made by Antonio? If I tell you to buy both, then you'll feel like you're being conservative when you buy only one.

[mimitabby]

Deb, you're good.
The Pegoretti costs twice as much as the Mondonico (1k vs 2k, plus whatever
other !!! costs that i don't know about)
any thoughts on how to get it built up if i actually did it?

[mimitabby]

the chrome is on the Mondonico actually.

[DebW]

Get the complete specs on both frames (angles, tubing, trail, bb drop, etc.). See if one fits you better than the other.

Why not have the shop you buy the frame from build it up?

[mimitabby]

Well, here's why I probably wouldn't get the Pegoretti built by that shop:

Have Lee Bridgers build up your Pegoretti for an additional $3950. The build includes packing and shipping anywhere in the 48 states and our supremely upscale RoadMAX component group, based on Dura Ace shifting, cranks and brakes, an FSA K-Wing handlebar (options for more traditional bars are available), Moots stem and post, a choice of saddles and a handbuilt wheelset constructed from Mavic's best road rims, DT spokes and Chris King hubs color-matched to the frame. Custom kits designed to specifically match the performance and balance the fine art cosmetics of a specific frame are also available. Lee has decided that Pegoretti and Moots are the ONLY road frames worthy of this kind of attention.

!!!!
now we're into it 6 grand... at least!!!!
I don't want to spend THAT much

[DebW]

the chrome is on the Mondonico actually.

In that case, I'm absolutely in love with the Mondonico. You need that bike, and it's only 1K.

[mimitabby]

the Pegoretti guy hasn't sent me photos yet.
We'll just have to see.
and my DH hasn't gotten HIS bike yet, which was supposed to be done in early December. I don't want to initiate anything until he's safely on top of his new bike!

[Velobambina]

I love that Mondonico! Do they do custom work or is it all standard (non-WSD) sizing? I need either custom or WSD because of the reach issue. Of course, I'm not really in the market for a new ride and I think my next "dream" bike will be titanium.

Mimi--if you decide to get the frame and build it up, don't scrimp if you can afford it. I went with Campy Chorus (carbon compact crank) on my Luna Orbit and it was worth every dollar.

[Eden]

Anyone who sneers at building a new frame up for you isn't worth the time. The guy down the street from me did my build for the Hyak - no sneering involved. I'm sure he'd love a nice Italian steel frame to work on. Buliding up a bike isn't too terribly cheap though..... I put mostly Shimano 105 stuff on my Hyak and I already had the wheels and the brifters and it still cost about $900. To go Campy would be more than that.

A couple places I think would probably be sneer free
20/20 Cyles on Union Street (the one I had my bike built at)
Recycled Cycles - in the U District
Montlake Bicycle Shop - Montlake Blvd
Second Ascent - Ballard

[emily_in_nc]

Anyone who sneers at building a new frame up for you isn't worth the time. The guy down the street from me did my build for the Hyak - no sneering involved. I'm sure he'd love a nice Italian steel frame to work on. Buliding up a bike isn't too terribly cheap though..... I put mostly Shimano 105 stuff on my Hyak and I already had the wheels and the brifters and it still cost about $900. To go Campy would be more than that.

Yes indeedy - what she said. I bought a BARGAIN Aegis Swift frame and fork off eBay (never built, 1999 model) in late 2003 and had it built up in early 2004. I chose the Campy Chorus group, and at the time there were no compact cranksets made by Campy so I had to spring extra for the FSA carbon pro compact crankset. I already had pedals and saddle, so the rest was seatpost (nothing too fancy as the diameter was too small for carbon, and I needed setback so just went with a moderate aluminum model), handlebars (Salsa Pocos), stem, and Mavic Kysirum Elite wheelset. Cost for the build was $2450 -- and that was three years ago. Just a datapoint for you. She was a dream bike, but any time you build a bike from scratch, it's gonna cost you. It's worth it if the bike fits like a dream and is perfect for you!

My Aegis is very close to the purply color of the Mondonico. That's a gorgeous bike!

Emily

[Trek420]

mimitabby "It's made by Mondonico (one of 3 my size left EVER made by Antonio who is retired)"

Mimi, if you're a 47 cm I have one of these triplets Who here has the other one?

I love mine, get the Mondonico.

I guess like Rivs you'll find most who have them heard about it from someone who loves the bike.

[KnottedYet]

Waterford and Mondonico. (the Man himself measured Trek for this bike!)

I didn't get a good close-up, sorry Mimi, but I will tell you this is ONE GORGEOUS BIKE! And very light! and waaaaay too small for me, though I did try to ride it.

(dare I say it might even be as lovely as Flossie? )

[mimitabby]

Anyone who sneers at building a new frame up for you isn't worth the time. The guy down the street from me did my build for the Hyak - no sneering involved. I'm sure he'd love a nice Italian steel frame to work on. Buliding up a bike isn't too terribly cheap though..... I put mostly Shimano 105 stuff on my Hyak and I already had the wheels and the brifters and it still cost about $900. To go Campy would be more than that.

A couple places I think would probably be sneer free
20/20 Cyles on Union Street (the one I had my bike built at)
Recycled Cycles - in the U District
Montlake Bicycle Shop - Montlake Blvd
Second Ascent - Ballard

Thank you Eden. I am seriously considering that Mondonico.It's a WSD frame
and one of the last made by the old man who is retiring!
I didn't mean there were only 3 that he ever built, i meant there were only 3 left
apparently ... because this shop has all of them?

[Trek420]

Waterford and Mondonico. (the Man himself measured Trek for this bike!)

The master is retired but his son will carry on, the third generation Italian builder I think.

I met his son then too, cute!! (If you like that kinda thing, dark Italian men, into bikes...).

Fear not TE gals, there will be more!!

I chose the chrome fork, we went for the look of "classic old steel bike with fancy new stuff".

I've seen them with matching carbon front fork and rear triangle...sweet!

Most are shocked when they pick it up that it's steel.

Of the off bikes my size (47 cm) I've tried take your pick of:
slanting top tube
toe overlap
smaller wheels or
some combo of any two.

Antonio himself said "it will have a slanting top tube is that ok?"

Well, he spoke Italian so it may have been "Am I really building this marvel of Italian engineering for that chubby 50 year old?"

anyway look at her next to Flossie...if the top tube slants I don't see it, full size wheels and NO toe overlap.