Where Are Masi Bikes Manufactured? | From Italy To Asia

Ask ten riders where Masi bikes are made and you will hear three different replies: Italy, the United States, and Taiwan or China. All three answers carry some truth, which is why the question can feel confusing when you stand in a shop staring at a new frame. This guide walks through how Masi production changed over time, where current lines come from, and how to read the labels on your own bike. So when someone asks where are masi bikes manufactured, the best reply starts with a short history lesson.

Where Are Masi Bikes Manufactured? Brand History And Current Hubs

To answer where Masi bikes are manufactured, it helps to follow the timeline. Faliero Masi started building frames in Sesto Fiorentino, near Florence, in the 1920s before moving his shop to the Velodromo Vigorelli in Milan. Those early steel frames carried handmade details and went under some of the most famous racers of the mid twentieth century.

In the early 1970s the brand name and rights for the United States market were sold to American investors, and a new factory opened in Carlsbad, California. Faliero and his team helped set up that plant, which meant riders could buy Masi frames that were still handbuilt but now carried a made in USA stamp instead of an Italian one.

Today the corporate home for Masi Bicycles sits in Vista, California, under Haro Bikes. Design, product management, and branding work from that base, while mass production of complete bikes takes place offshore through long term manufacturing partners in Asia, mainly in Taiwan and China.

Era	Primary Manufacturing Location	Notes On Typical Frames
1920s–1950s	Sesto Fiorentino, Italy	Faliero Masi builds custom steel frames in a small workshop.
1950s–early 1970s	Velodromo Vigorelli, Milan, Italy	Racing frames for stars like Coppi and Merckx, all Italian built.
Early 1970s–mid 1980s	Carlsbad, California, USA	US factory produces steel road frames under the Masi name.
Late 1970s–1980s	Milan, Italy (Masi family)	Italian frames continue, often sold under Milano or 3V labels in the US.
1990s–2000s	Asia with US design input	Growing use of Taiwanese and Chinese factories for alloy and steel frames.
2010s–present	Taiwan and China	Mainline alloy, carbon, and steel models produced by contract builders.
Ongoing small batch work	Italy and US custom builders	Limited runs and custom frames linked to the Masi legacy.

Masi itself states that the story starts in a small workshop in Sesto Fiorentino and later at the track in Milan, while the brand now presents itself as a California based company with worldwide distribution. You can see that story on the official Masi brand history page, which also marks the move into modern production.

Masi Bike Manufacturing Locations By Era And Model Type

Modern Masi bikes come from several factories, yet nearly all sit within a clear pattern. Design and geometry choices run through the California office. Large production runs happen in Asia, through partners with long experience building frames for many well known brands. Small projects tied to the original Italian workshop live under slightly different labels and reach a narrower audience.

Italian Roots And Classic Steel Frames

The classic Masi image still centres on Italian road and track frames in slim steel tubing with chrome lugs. Those frames were made either in the original Sesto Fiorentino workshop or in the later Milan shop inside the Vigorelli velodrome. Riders hunting for one of those bikes often look for stamps on the bottom bracket shell, engravings on lugs, and era specific decals.

California Factories And Early American Production

The Carlsbad era brought Masi production into Southern California. Faliero moved with two assistants to train workers and to apply the same fit and finish that riders expected from the Italian shop. Many collectors treat these early American frames as a distinct chapter, with their own serial ranges and small details that separate them from both Italian and Asian runs.

Haro Ownership And Asian Manufacturing

In the modern era the Masi brand falls under Haro Bikes, another California company based in Vista. Haro focuses on design, marketing, and range planning for both BMX and Masi road, gravel, and commuter lines. Assembly and frame production take place mainly through contract builders in Taiwan and China.

Industry sources describe how firms such as Kenstone have assembled bikes for Haro and Masi in their factories in those countries. Trade coverage of Kenstone factories in Taiwan and China shows how many established brands rely on the same pool of experienced partners for welding and finishing high volume frames.

If you buy a current alloy, carbon, or mid tier steel Masi from a large retailer, the frame almost certainly came out of an Asian plant. The design, geometry chart, and component mix come from the Vista office, but the actual tubes, welds, and paint originate in Taiwan or China before bikes head to distributors around the globe.

While some riders worry that an Asian made frame means lower quality, the reality is that these plants handle high end work for many respected labels. Welding, heat treatment, and paint now follow tight processes, and brands like Masi still set the geometry and ride targets from home base.

Special Projects And Italian Connections Today

At the same time, the Masi family in Italy continues to build under its own branding, including Milano frames that share DNA with the classic bikes that made the name. Riders who care about that lineage often choose between a modern Masi from Vista and a Milano frame direct from Italy, since they sit within related stories but move through separate companies and factories.

How To Read Where Your Masi Bike Was Made

Brand history gives helpful context, yet the most reliable way to see where your specific bike was made is to read the frame itself. Labels, serial numbers, and paperwork tell you which factory handled the build, even when marketing blurbs stay vague.

Check The Country Of Origin Label

By law, complete bikes sold in markets such as the United States need a clear country of origin label. On a Masi this tag often sits on the underside of the down tube, on the seat tube near the bottom bracket, or sometimes near the rear dropout. Look for a small decal that reads made in Italy, made in USA, made in Taiwan, or made in China.

Use Serial Numbers And Catalogues

Serial numbers on the bottom bracket shell, rear dropouts, or head tube give strong clues. Different factories used distinct formats, so even a partial string can narrow down both location and era. Enthusiast sites host charts that match those formats to plants in Italy, California, Taiwan, or China.

Clue	What It Tells You	Where To Look
Country label	Final assembly country for the complete bike.	Seat tube, down tube, or rear stay decals.
Serial number	Factory code, batch, and production year.	Bottom bracket shell, dropout, or head tube.
Tubing decals	Type of steel, alloy, or carbon layup used.	Top tube or down tube near the head tube.
Catalog listing	Marketing claim on origin and frame material.	Brand website archives and printed catalogues.
Paint scheme	Era specific colours tied to certain factories.	Whole frame, fork crown, and head badge.
Component mix	Helps place the bike in a narrow year range.	Groupset model codes and wheel labels.
Seller or shop notes	Extra hints on where and when it was purchased.	Old receipts, invoices, or email threads.

Choosing A Masi Model With Manufacturing In Mind

Some riders focus on weight, tyre clearance, or drivetrain. Others care a lot about where a frame was welded and finished. If the manufacturing question sits near the top of your list, you can use that preference to narrow choices inside the range.

Riders who want a direct link to Italian craft tend to hunt for vintage frames or for Milano labeled bikes from the Masi family. Those frames cost more, often show older standards such as quill stems and narrow clearances, and ask for more care, yet they tap straight into the original story.

Riders who want modern features and widely available parts usually steer toward current Masi models made in Asia. These bikes benefit from large scale production, wide parts supply, and consistent geometry charts. They line up well with group rides, fondos, gravel events, and daily commuting without the quirks of old gear.

If you sit somewhere in between, consider recent steel models with classic looks but current fittings. Many of these frames still come from Taiwan or China, yet they blend round steel tubes, threaded bottom brackets, and level top tubes with disc brakes, wide tyres, and relaxed fit options. That mix suits riders who love the feel of steel but also want modern braking and wheel sizes.

When you visit a shop, try to ride two Masi models that interest you, regardless of where each frame was built. Pay attention to fit, steering feel, and comfort under efforts, then use the origin story as a tie breaker instead of the only filter.

In the end the right Masi for you depends on how you balance story, ride feel, and budget. Vintage Italian frames and Milano builds keep the old workshop spirit alive. Vista designed, Asia built models deliver current features and fit at reachable prices. Knowing where each option comes from lets you match your choice to the answer that feels right when you ask yourself, where are masi bikes manufactured.