Mark Gorski 59cm Vintage Murray / Masi / True Temper Suntour

twowheeldrew

Retro Newbie
For anyone who would like to own a piece of cycling / track racing history, there are few track bikes in the world with this pedigree and this one can be rode or displayed up to you: Auction and history of the bike is here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/192050809621

Thanks for letting me post this here.


This is a one of a kind, vintage and pedigreed Murray / Masi / True Temper track bike. The bike was originally one of about 100 custom bikes provided to the group of track cyclists chosen to participate in the 1988 Sundance Grand Prix of Cycling. This was a multiple race championship series that preceded the 1988 US Olympics. For these events, all riders were provided the same bicycle so no cyclist would have an equipment advantage. http://articles.mcall.com/1988-05-12/sp ... ark-gorski.

Sundance, Mavic, True Temper and Murray were the sponsors and providers of these bikes. The bike itself was in fact not a Murray frame, but actually a Masi / True Temper custom unit. Apparently, True Temper worked with Masi to craft a special frame for this purpose and Murray badged it to promote their consumer bicycles in the US.

This specific bike was ridden by US Nationals, Pan American Games and 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist Mark Gorski during this series of events where he and the others on the US team won the event. http://articles.latimes.com/1989-10-09/ ... ratch-race US Wins!


He also rode this bike at the NEC World Cycling Invitational in 1989 and the bike still bears the official number from that event today. Here is an article on the event:
http://articles.latimes.com/1989-10-06/ ... cling-team

The NEC Invitational is a unique eight-team tournament, featuring many of the world's top cyclists. They will be competing for $100,000 in prize money, the biggest purse ever offered for track races according to promoters. Unlike in most cycling events, the money will be awarded for team finish, much like a track meet, instead of to individual winners.

The U.S. roster is a familiar one, led by veteran sprinters Mark Gorski and Connie Paraskevin-Young, 1987 Pan American gold medalist Ken Carpenter and relative newcomers Janie Eickhoff, Craig Schommer and Jim Pollak. Eickhoff is strong in both sprints and distances. Schommer and Pollak were members of the 1989 world champion points team.

The field includes Soviet stars Viacheslav Ekimov, a 1988 Olympic gold medalist; Erika Salumyae, former world sprint champion; Galina Tsareva, six-time world champion, and Alexander Kiritchenko, 1988 Olympic gold medalist. Other outstanding cyclists are 1988 Olympic gold medalist Dan Frost of Denmark; 1989 world gold medalist Frederick Magne and rising distance star Catherine Marsal of France, and former world champion Martin Vinnicombe of Australia.

Gorsk rode this Murray in 1988 and 1989 along with other Murray badged bikes while riding for the 7-Eleven cycling team and while training for Olympic Gold in 1984 along with Silver Medal finisher Nelson Vails. You can see the Serotta built Murray Track Bikes in the attached bicycle promotion ad from 1984.

Specs:
• 1988 Murray / Masi / True Temper 59cm lugged steel track frame
• Full Suntour Superbe Pro component set including seatpost, hubs mounted to Mavic hoops, chainrings mounted to Mavic 165mm crankset.
• Suntour Superbe Pro pedals with Brevete traps Made In France
• Cinelli bars, stem and headset
• Cinelli leather saddle
• Christophe Equipe – Brevet pedal traps
• Non-original equipment includes Mavic clincher hoops (vs tubular), Michelin clincher tires, KMC track chain and a chain tensioners added later in the 2000s.

Includes autographed picture of the bike signed by Mark Gorski himself when the bike was utilized as part of a store velodrome display in St. Louis and an autographed version of the Murray bike ad from 1984 by Mark Gorski.

Mark Gorki is one of the most decorated American track cyclists with a near 20-year career including the following results and accolades:

• Five time U.S. National Sprint Champion (1978, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985)
• Member of the 1980, 1984 and 1988 Olympic Teams
• Silver Medal at 1987 Pan American Games (men’s individual sprint)
• Gold Medal 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles (1000 meter sprint )
• U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame Inductee (1995)
 
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