PEDALIN’ IT ALL OVER TOWN

R&T CALLED IT “the lightest, most compact and most economical Maserati we have ever tested.”

This and the following images from R&T, April 1974. 

It was fifty years ago, and the U.S. was caught up in a petroleum shortage and a 55-mph speed limit. Undaunted, though, R&T identified that Alfieri Maserati, a family member, operated a bicycle operation entirely separate from the Modena car factory. 

Indeed, R&T noted, “The line of bikes sold here is far more extensive than the limited selection of Maserati cars we get: 13 models in all (although the designation MT-13 is superstitiously avoided), ranging from a 24-in. junior model (the MT-14) at a mere $115 to the exotic MT-1 racing bike, available only on special order for $800.”

“The MT-3 we tested,” R&T said, “third most expensive in the line at $545, is a pretty exotic thing itself, exuding quality in all its fittings in a way that certainly reminds us of the excellent Maserati Bora.”

The obligatory late-afternoon beauty shot. 

Lightweight Frame. “Its frame,” R&T recounted, “is of the strong double-butted, lugged Columbus tubing; this is thicker at the ends near the joints than along the main portion of its length, for maximum strength with lightness.”

“Lightness, by the way,” R&T continued, “is something one pays dearly for in a 2-wheeler, and the MT-3 weighed in at a mere 20.5 lb on Cycle World’s scales (the ones we normally use at Orange County Raceway aren’t quite precise enough for such a machine)—showing that one had indeed got something for his $545, in an inverse sort of way.”

Campagnolo Running Gear. R&T recognized Campagnolo as “a name we all know from the beautiful wheels seen on beautiful Italian cars….” In fact, Wife Dottie’s Fiat 124 Sports Coupe sported them.

“One beef, though,” R&T recounted, “the Campagnolo name appears over 40 times on this machine and one is reminded a bit of the over-badgery of certain Japanese cars. By contrast, however, the name Maserati appears only twice.” 

Close-Ratio Dual-Chain-Sprocket Five-Speed Derailleur. “Our MT-3,” R&T noted, “was set up as a sprint machine with quite short-legged gearing compared with what is available. Its chain sprockets have 42 and 52 teeth for low and high range respectively, and on our bike the 5-speed derailleur (Anglicized in the U.S. to ‘derailer’) at the rear wheel had close-ratio sprockets of 13, 15, 17, 19, and 21 teeth.”

Above, the 2-speed drive sprocket; below, the 5-speed rear derailleur.  

“As would be expected,” R&T recounted, “the MT-3 with this gearing did quite well in the quarter-mile.” 

Indeed, how many R&T test cars achieve their top speed in a mere 14.0 seconds?

“And it probably would have done even better had we been more practiced at operating the derailleur mechanism. We tried various combinations of gears—and, particularly in running the Speeds in Gears test, found that there is a certain overlapping of ratios with this set of sprockets.”

Shift levers, part of Campagnolo’s awareness campaign.  

Curiously, this overlapping oddity was avoided years later when Innes Ireland and I evaluated the Kenworth W900 Aerodyne’s 13-speed: Briefly, it had Low, a basic four (each with Low and High), and each High with an overdrive. Its Speeds in Gears were 5, 8, 11, 14, 19, 26, 30, 35, 41, 48, 55, 65, and 75 mph.

Chassis and Tires. “If the drivetrain seemed a bit perplexing to our usual automotive fare,” R&T conceded, “the chassis was simplicity itself. In the Data Panel, you will not find any reference to coil springs, anti-roll bars and the like, only ‘forks.’ But the forks do have something to do with how a bike rides. That curve at the lower end of the front fork is short and to the point in this racing machine; on a more sedate touring model it is likely to start higher and arc farther forward, obviously given a softer ride at the expense of road feel. 

Obligatory cornering shot. 

R&T continued, “Tires are always a matter of interest on a high-performance vehicle, and on the MT-3 as on most racing machines they are strictly special purpose. Called ‘sew-up,’ they are tubeless and sewn together into a cross-sectional tube. They are tiny, extremely light and fragile. The tread is shallow, meaning they would have little rain traction (but then who rides in the rain?), and they leak steadily. That’s why the MT-3 has a tire pump as standard equipment.”

Peeling out. 

Braking. “As we have pointed out from time to time, Detroit engineers refer mistakenly to ‘manual’ brakes on their cars; but the MT-3 truly does have manual brakes. Furthermore, front and rear brakes are operated separately and thus—at long last—one actually has control over the front-rear proportioning and can decide whether the fronts or rears will lock first.”

Above, front brakes; Below, example of their overly zealous application.

Handlebars. R&T wrote, “not being accustomed to racing bikes we at first objected to the dropped bars, finding them uncomfortable. But bicycle experts defend them staunchly, maintain that one gets used to them quickly and call up considerable medical evidence in their favor. As a parallel, we are reminded that most little old ladies don’t like our arms-out driving position either.”

Well, that just about sums it up, doesn’t it?

A closing photo makes a statement of its own. ds

© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2024