Hi Dom thanks very much for the bike. I must say its the nicest bike I've seen in a very long time The finish is second to none, I really like the tube profile and the way the decals are placed all around the frame, so subtle especially on the Fork. It really has a lovely shape complementing the frame. The cable routing is perfect. I thought there might be cable rub off the frame with the euro setup for the brakes but no. It just works. The Frame badge, very nice. The finish kit works superbly, especially the front mech. The new Shimano front mech’s are normally tricky to get right in my experience, this bike is spot on. I really like the placement of all the bosses for carrier and mudguards, definitely a 4 season bike. Perfect for Ireland.
The wheels are lovely.

Now to the ride, My partner, Niamh is comparing the Mason to a Carbon Cannondale Synapse. She is very comfortable on that bike. From the first spin she complemented the planted feel and She flew around the bends which goes to show the confidence she had in it straight away. On the club spin today, everyone was in admiration of it. It’s her favourite bike.

The bike excelled at everything. Long days in the flat lands chatting to my mates and I kind of forgot about the bike, no niggles, no twitchy-ness, just there, doing it's thing. Same can be said of climbing, until you decide to race your mates for the summit, then suddenly, it accelerates like stink, gone is the steady long distance feel, it just wants to go! As for descending, I am quite a confident descender, but this thing corners beautifully, pick a line and it holds it, get it wrong and overcook it, the bike seems to forgive.

I am truly impressed with the bike.

Not every day in Mallorca was hot and sunny, the photo attached was taken on a day of torrential rain, a day when I gave up riding after an hour or so when I realised that the streams I appeared to be riding in were covering not just the tyre but the rim as well. I can have that pretty much any day at home! It was however a nice chance to test the brakes, again, nothing exciting, they just get on a do the job as well as they do in the dry.

My thoughts thus far on the bike are that it is an eminently capable bike that just gets on a does it job with no fuss whatsoever. I barely notice it a lot of the time. It's comfy and efficient, it stops as well in the wet as the dry. Only when you want to turn the wick up does it suddenly let you know that deep down it wants to (as you say) make progress.

It's rides great by the way. Initially the saddle was too far back but once sorted it's perfection. So accurate around the bends even in the wet - that was something I noticed today hanging on the wheel! everyone on the ride today was complementing the bike which I have to say is unusual in my cycling circles - often cynical race face types (and a cat 1 whippet which always livens the rides!) when it comes to others bikes, especially non carbon ;-) The wheels were remarked upon as well. I took the bike to my LBS (Stonehenge cycles) and the mechanics there who were very interested in finally seeing a Mason in the flesh also added it to their list of bikes they'd like, complementing it's understated-ness yet lovely finish and again, the wheels.

well 2 days of commuting (104 miles) and it's become my reason go to work :)
Without exception a superb ride. I really didn't notice the bike all that much which says just how good it is at doing what it was designed to do. Our route took in local city streets, some A and B roads, some cycle path and some unpaved tow path. Fitted with 30mm Strada Bianca's i just sailed along not really noticing anything other than the company, contry side and views. Happy to troll along at 30kph or stomp along at 50kph made no differnece - balanced poised, stable but quick to change direction if needed. Anyone who wants a do-it-all bike should really look no further than a Definition.

The only thing I think it needs is an "anti dust coating" :).

A bit more feedback for you on the bike. Did a 60 mile loop yesterday from Sheffield to Holmfirth, then back along the TdF stage 2 route from last year. Real mix of road surfaces from super-smooth-resurfaced-for-the-tour to crappy Yorkshire back roads, and gradients from 50mph descents (complete with longboards - goodness knows how fast it would have been without!) to the 30% corner on Jenkin Rd which just about broke some of the pros on the tour. Bike was just amazingly comfy with tyres at 80psi, with sharp and confidence-inspiring handling. Holme Moss into a raging headwind, both up and the hairy descent were interesting. Brakes are truly amazing - always a bit of spare power and the modulation is just great.

No doubt you’re still shifting them as fast as the Italians can make them,

Last summer, I built up a Definition frameset with the Tour of Flanders in mind. I rode the sportive on Saturday (just the short one, but with all of the famous cobbled bergs) and I’m delighted to say that the bike was all that I had hoped it would be.

Minor changes from what you might call a ‘standard’ spec are a Middleburn 46/30 chainset, which, paired with an 11/32 cassette gives an epically low bottom gear, which turned out to be ideal for the slippery cobbled hills. It also has a set of Hunt ‘Gravel Disc’ wheels shod with Schwalbe S-One tyres. I thought the wheels would be a little bit tougher, but more or less the same weight, and Schwalbe say that the S-Ones are designed for the Tour of Flanders. I ran them at 60 psi and they definitely gripped where others did not.

So, a great ride on a great bike. Di2 was impeccable, no problems, no punctures and the bike is still running like a watch.

My Definition is on the road at last. What a superb combination of handling, ride, and performance! Comfort is excellent even on Berkshire’s extensive network of potholes (linked by gravel, skog, and the occasional ribbon of tarmac). It’s built up with SRAM Force 1...

Just a quick update on what my Definition and I have been up to…

Somehow the Definition, which was supposed to be a quickish bike for winter audax events, became the bike I go to for, well, pretty much everything, really.  We toured in France with a mahoosive saddlebag.  We rode audaxes up to 400km.  We pootled round the local lanes.

My big event this year was the Wild Atlantic Way, a very hilly 2100km audax with a time limit of 7 days and 7 hours.  I’d been intending to ride my carbon bike on this.  After all, I’d used it on the 1400km London-Edinburgh-London and many 600km events.  I rode the carbon bike on a 600km audax in late May, but it left me feeling seriously beaten up, compared with my rides on the Definition.  So the Definition was my mount for the Wild Atlantic Way, the longest event I’ve ever attempted.

It performed brilliantly.  The relatively fat tubeless tyres gave a plush ride on Ireland’s lunar roads, the disc brakes allowed confident descending, and the handling inspired confidence, even when I was totally shattered.  And it was totally reliable.  My slightly peculiar SRAM 1x11 build also proved its worth — making decisionmaking on gears easier on the road and eliminating a potential mechanical snag.

I’ve really bonded with this bike…

Its an unusual situation to be able to give direct feedback to the designer of your bike, so I'm taking the opportunity. sorry if its long-winded - ignore at will. please feel free to use anything as a testimonial, providing it reflects the gist of the feedback, or if you want a quote I'm happy to give one.

The bike is extraordinary - I've not ridden anything like it before, or rather I have, but never in one bike. Up to 20mph its stiff and responsive. I climb out of the saddle and it seems to encourage that. The wheels are the perfect match, with the whole setup being stiff, without ever being harsh. I'm heavy for a cyclist, but I didn't get any flex from the wheels and the telltale skimming of the disc brakes never happened even at full pressure. But on the flat or low incline, when you press on to 25 mph and up to 40 downhill, the forks take over - the bike wasn't set up right for me and I've never ridden it before and yet I've never felt so secure on a bike. Its a weird feeling - it doesn't feel like its on rails, just utterly stable and very fast. You expect it to feel sluggish because of the way it looks and the stability but it never does - you could take a nap at high speed and yet if you see a pothole, swerve without ever losing your cool. In fact I hit some big potholes at high speed down the hill in Redhill - I thought I was in trouble but the bike just carried on.

Its all down to the forks and then the geometry that lets them take the lead at the right point. I guess its all intentional but it is a strange and remarkable experience, nonetheless.

Garmin way-finding is very random and it always throws in a bit of unpaved road. I did a mile of rough track, with huge potholes and even some small dropoffs and the bike soaked it up like it was nothing. Yet on the flat tarmac, it goes like a rocket. Maybe it was the tailwind but there were sections it felt like I was being pushed along. I could genuinely sell both my race bike and cyclocross and be happy with just this bike.

Sorry, bit of a delay for this as we were away for the weekend but managed to get out for a short ride on Sunday afternoon.

As mentioned before my road bike experience is very limited but ultimately the bike is everything I hoped it would be from a ride perspective and in certain areas it goes far beyond my expectations.

Also, after going through a fair few very expensive mtb frames over the years, the quality of the finish on the frame really is exceptional, from the paint finish to the choice/design of decal. The bike looks stunning and gets away from the awful 'stick on as many logos as possible' approach the big manufacturers go for. The cable routing details are a masterstroke, as are the location of the guard mounts. It even attracted favourable comments from my wife which, for all the various mountain bikes that have rolled through the door over the years, is unheard of!

In short it is a joy to ride and a huge credit to the hours you've undoubtedly spent refining the design.

Anyway, looking forward to many more miles on the bike, that's for sure, just got to sort my dodgy calf muscle out first which I pulled towards the back of last week; sods law eh!?

Just a quick note to say I've built up my Definition and done a couple of rides on it. What a machine! My list of requirements was pretty demanding: one bike to replace two: a steel audax bike (comfortable, practical but a bit heavy and flexy) the other a carbon fibre road bike (light and fun but no good for winter rides or touring). Well, so far I've done a short blast over the local hillclimb, and a long and slow all-night ride - you've somehow made a bike that seems equally at home doing both.

It's no lightweight but it has a strange affect, you get to places without noticing, the buzz and stress from the road surface don't fatigue, they're not there. Every other bike has a sweet spot, this one doesn't demand you to do anything, it just does exactly what you want.

Despite this supple ride it has handling which surpasses anything I've got in the garage (s-works Venge, wilier zero 7, foil). It not only turns better it is rock solid over bumps. I don't know how that happens, it's fast turning but stable, you can pick a line and hold perfect arcs rather than having to adjust it.

It handles so well. It really puts some of the big bike companies to shame and makes you wonder why other bikes aren't better too and why they all seem to make the same sort of bikes.

Morning Dom

Hope you are well
I finally got the Definition finished this weekend and can happily say that it was well worth the wait. I am well renowned at work for buying bikes that look to be perfect on paper and then selling them a week later when they come up short… Therefore swinging my leg over a new steed always fills me with a little trepidation lol.

I wasn’t feeling that great this weekend having had a sickness bug, but I was determined to get out for the Definitions maiden voyage and had signed up to a local Sportive ‘the Igloo’ by local events company Dark and White that we work with. What doesn’t kill you and all that…

From the off the Definition felt very familiar which is always reassuring. I think that may be partly due to me having had a few Racelights in my time but I think most other buyers will feel the same. Everything about it felt right and it didn’t have any quirks to the handling at all. In fact it just flew everywhere! It was held back slightly by my increasingly empty legs as I hadn’t really eaten anything for 2 days and hadn’t risked anything that morning or during the ride. I’m sure you wont mind me comparing it to the 4S which is probably my benchmark do it all Alloy framed bike. I was a little worried that I would miss the speed of the 4S but the Defintion didn’t disappoint on that front, offering similar blistering pace but with a much more comfortable ride (which was the only downfall of the 4S). Downhill it was confidence inspiring and uphill there wasn’t any flex to be felt. Matched with the HUNT Aerolite wheels with 28mm tubeless tyres the way it rolled on the flat and downhill was like nothing I have experienced before, I’m a large tyre, tubeless convert! So far then all round total ‘grail bike’!

Next I plan on going to see my mate at Alpkit to get some custom black and possibly pink stitch.. frame and bar luggage made. Then I am going to get myself off on some mini weekend adventures utilizing white roads and trails as I think it can easily handle some light off-road action.

Anyway cheers again for designing the bike I have been after for some time but nobody made until now! J

All best
Matt

I have been on a over 3 week trip with my Mason and now I am back home.
First I want to thank Mason Cycles for that amazing bike! You cant image what routes I had to ride. I never thought that would be possible with a roadbike. But this Mason is like a roadbike, crossbike, mountainbike in one :-D and so comfortable that also after 3 weeks I have no problems with my body (besides the legs ;-)

Hi Dom—Finally got to put a reasonable ride into the bike. All the hype is real. What an amazing ride. Granted, I’m coming from a nearly 30 year old steel bike—but a very nice and sporty one—but the Resolution is like a different kind of vehicle altogether. I can’t wait to take it up Baker—which has ramps of 17 or 18 percent, or so they say—but it was a joy to ride on shorter local hills today. I love having the slightly longer chainstays and the bigger tires are a revelation. I also see what your friend in the Rockies meant when he said the bike made him want to ride longer—there is something about it that really just feels good.

Hopefully the weather will change in the coming week to permit longer rides, but I’m glad to have gotten in one on the only nice day in a long time.

I’ve attached a pic—perhaps a Mason bike’s first glimpse of Pacific Ocean waters? Feel free to social media it!

Cheers, 

Chris

Hi Dominic and Callum,

I have finally finished my bike after making a 150 GBP mistake by destroying a thread in the lever by force fitting a wrongly sized brake hose. Anyway that's the price for learning :)

I'm really happy with the result and as you can see in the attached image I have used very much the same finishing as in your full bikes. I have installed sram rival 1 and the combination of 1x11 and hydraulic brakes are excellent for my commute.

I have done the first 100 km, and it is a pleasure to ride, extremely responsive and I can really feel the bike in the turns.

Thanks for your assistance during the build!

Enjoy the weekend,

Jacob

I just rode the bike to work after receiving the parts for it last night!

I enjoyed the ride a lot, and it looks so beautiful. Felt very planted and stable, but still responsive enough. It's a little on the heavier than the previous bikes I have rode, but none of them have disc brakes and run 28c tyres. The combination with the tubeless tyres and hunt wheels gave a very smooth and supple ride, definitely much different from my last aluminium bike many years ago.

Just a short note to say thank you for the Definition frameset safely delivered and now expertly built up by Dave Gale at Chaingang Cycles in Hereford. Dave says he's met Dom a few times in the past as he's a Kinesis dealer, and was so impressed with the Definition that he wants a dealership!

As someone who runs his own architectural practice, I've spent a lifetime sweating the details and I know the amount of thinking time this needs. I can see and appreciate the amount of thought that has gone into the design of this frame. It really is impressive and I'm really pleased to own it (and hopefully more …).

I've just returned from my first shakedown ride and I'm even more impressed. Having spent 8 years with a titanium Van Nicholas, I knocked 5 minutes off my 65 minute training loop (with 300m of climbing) and that was without really trying and with a few emergency stops to bed in the disc pads.

Hi Dom and Co,

I thought you would like an update on my Definition - I quickly found that the XT setup was under-geared - a reflection on just how fast this bike is compared to my previous one (where the XT was just fine) and so, after 1000 miles or so, I decided that the frame really demanded the best, and, with full eTap Hydro becoming available, that was what it had to be!

Again built to the highest standard by Chaingang Cycles in Hereford, we've also fitted a Sugino OX901D Compact Plus+ 46/30 chainset, Ultegra 8000 11-34 cassette, 140mm XT rotors, 28c Schwalbe Durano Raceguards and a full contingent of Mason multiport blanks!

Without pedals, weight is now 9.35kg. Really loving it all, thanks again,

Tim

Hi Tom and Dom,

Daniel and I thought you may like this photo. Mason bikes, Hunt Wheels and Hunt kit after an epic on the pave of Paris- Roubaix. 

We can both honestly say that bikes, wheels and clothing all performed flawlessly over the most gruelling roads in cycling. 

Keep on doing your stuff, it works!

Kind regards

Stephen

Hi Dom,

I’ve just seen your email for the new BOKEH, It looks very nice. It prompted me to drop you a line to let you know how pleased my wife is with the Mason Definition I bought her almost a year a go now - your sizing was spot on. We took the opportunity to cycle to our French home in the Dordogne at the beginning of August. The racks are now off and its great just hooning around the quiet roads around Sarlat. We had many admiring comments and discussions with other riders on the way down - fast disk endurance bikes are not that common in France. 

Anyway, I just wanted to say how pleased we are with it I love my Tripster, which is even more fun on 650b wheels, but I now feel a Resolution coming on…….50th birthday in September and large hints have been dropped! Fingers crossed. :)

Cheers,

Simon.

Simon has just ordered a Bokeh and says this...

If I love it half as much as my Definition, I’ll be a happy bike type.

Took it on it’s longest ride yet on the 4Shires Sportive out of Moreton-in-Marsh on Sunday. The course is, basically, brutal with 2500m of rise. I even managed to ride out and back so just shy of 200k for the day. The bike held up better than me by the end ;) It was always a good ride, with 25mm Schwalbe tubeless… The 30mm s-ones are the ultimate tyre on this bike though I feel.

Said I’d send some photos at some point, and I’ve finally got the bits where I’m super happy, see attached. My cunning plan is that, for me, SRAM eTap Force will have to break cover (could be years off!) ... And I’ll run the Bokeh as a XT di2 1x11 (with flat mounts, no hacks!)

Keep up the brilliant work. The bikes, and the way you present yourselves through the brand is inspiring.

I am loving the bike! Not really sure if I still need my 'best' summer bike as well - I haven't ridden that since getting the definition.

With all the shiny review I’ve read about Definition, I have no hesitation on taking my Definition on uncharted route in its maiden ride. The destination was Jatiluhur Dam, about 100 km ride south of Jakarta throughout potholed tarmac, gravel, dirt, single track and mud swamp. Boy, how the bike swallow all the challenges with no hesitation – the ride reminiscent of the sublimed feel of a steel or Ti frame, but felt stiffer and more reactive. It hold the peloton pace effortless, climbed with gusto and when presented with uneven surface, it danced along her CX/gravelbike counterparts. The best part was, after 100km of this bone shattering route, I felt fresh  with no sign of sore.

Finally finished. Dura-Ace, FSA K-Force Light and Deda Superleggera build, 8kg dead without pedals according to the bathroom scales. Feels very quick, despite the limitations of the rider.

I had similar worries to a lot of people with buying a new frame based on one or two reviews, but having seen it in the flesh at the Birmingham Cycle Show I was pretty much sold. Also in common with pretty much everyone else, I needn't have worried. As comfortable as it is just cruising along, you end up attacking climbs and sprinting for signs just because it's so much fun. I'm not altogether sure what I expected, but what I got was one of the most enjoyable bikes I've ever ridden.

On my ride home I come to a really steep downhill which goes across a cross road and give way lines. I'm not suggesting that rim blocks don't stop the bike but I'm battling to stop the wheels locking up and it can become a bit bottom clenching at times. With the disc brakes on my Definition (RS785 build hydro with icetech rotors) I feel in control all the way down and can carry more speed into the descent.
The definition has been flawless so far (apart from a small creak but I think that is pedal related, not the bike). It's done commutes, hit deep potholes, canal tow paths, long sportives without issue. I'm still building myself up so I am exploring mine and the bikes potential.

I promise I'll post pictures of the my custom build. I've chosen white bar tape so I want to wait until next time I replace that to show the bike in all it's glory.

Excited to see what Mason will be releasing in the future, although you've made your current bikes so good, you've almost negated the need to replace them!!

Dear Cal and Dom

Here's a picture of my Definition at Makapuu Lookout, looking out towards Waimanalo Bay and Rabbit Island. 

I'm liking the bike more and more each day. It's particularly brilliant on descents, probably as a result of the geometry and the wider tires. It has received lots of compliments from people who see it.

The picture is a little large, but feel free to resize, crop, etc. if you want to use it. The yellow decal at the top of the seat tube is the Honolulu bicycle license, required to be displayed on pain of confiscation by a police officer if you're stopped for some reason and it's not there. I haven't actually known it to happen, but who needs extra risk. 

Aloha, Peter Wolff

Nathan Wake - Definition Ultegra/Hydro Element Grey

I took my old bike out over the weekend for the first time since getting the Definition - I am sure you hear this all the time but talk about chalk and cheese! I stopped three times to check that the brakes weren't stuck on, it felt like I was riding through treacle, especially when the gradient went up! I think I'll take it with me to France so I have something to ride and then sell it when I get home as I just don't see me using it anymore!

Nara Definition 48cm

New Bike Yay! And my god, she glides! Thank you Dom and Cal @mason_cycles for putting up with me & my size related requests! But she fits like a glove...

Hi Dom :)

Been out on the Definition again after redoing the cabling and fitting the mudguards. Such a lovely ride. Think this will be the final build spec, at least until Campagnolo make the Record EPS v3 available with hydraulic disc brakes.

3T cockpit with Brooks bar tape, Selle Italia saddle on KCNC light alloy seatpost, Campagnolo Chorus with TRP Spyre SLC brakes. Weight is 8.4kg including pedals, bottle cage & mudguards.

Remembered to take some pictures as well, attaching them to this email. Hope you're having a great Sunday.

Cheers!
-Mo

Photo attached of Definition. Have done 225k in the last week. It rides great. No brake rub, comfortable and only 1 kg heavier than my S-Works Roubaix. Great bike. Put white bar tape on originally, but changed to black this morning. Looks great now.

Pretty standard 105 Hydro. Compact with 11/32 cassette. 3T Carbon bars, Planet X super light stem & brooks saddle. Changing to one of your seat posts when it arrive, as S-Works fitted in first picture creaks. Ok with alloy post

Have now fitted the Mason seat pin, and a Specialized Romin saddle that I had to see what that's like. I have 2 S-Works Roubaix's with that saddle on. An SL from 2009 & a later SL3 . The Mason feels as comfortable as the SL and just as responsive! And only 1kg heavier. So overall the Definition is great. Will fit mudguards soon and use whenever the weather is not so good & on longer rides. Will look at the Strava page.

Well here is a quick pic...still need to swap out the stem now that I have the length figured.

The build is Ultegra Di2 as you can see.  The wheels are the Hunt 50s tubeless with Schwalbe 30s on there running at 60F/65R.

Ritchey bars and post, stem at some point.

The bike is very nice actually although it sure is hard to keep weight down with Di and discs.  Its 'weight creep'. 19.5 lbs with pedals so that is 1 pound heavier than my handmade steel bike with SRAM Force and some pretty light wheels, non disc of course. 

A few rides in so far and I like the seated position quite well.  I have come to realise I do well with a 72.5-73* ST angle as it allows me to get bigger butt and back muscles in play.  I guess that goes back to 25 years of riding mountain bikes! The bike does handle really well. It is about the fastest descending thing I have been on for a road bike.  Even on the hoods it feels stable albeit intensely fast downhill and some of that speed carrying ability I have to attribute to those wheels.

What made me get off the steel bike I have now was a desire to add a bit of 'pace' to my ride, especially on the flats. I also wanted to run a bigger than 28c tire and that really means disc brakes and some decent room for the tires. A 420mm CS with 73mm of drop is what my road bike is now and at 6'2", that extra rear 'trail' feels pretty nice and still turns fast enough.

I was skeptical about Aluminium as a frame material and I have to say that the Definition is not harsh at all.  Quite nice that. I also was hoping to defray some of the weight hit of disc brakes by moving from steel to Aluminium and I imagine that helped a bit...1/2 pound or so to my favour.  

SO how has it worked out so far?  Still too early to know the Strava numbers, but a few things are immediately noticeable and I think will stand true over time.

• I gained some punchiness in the frame for sure, especially out of the saddle, and a lot of it is not at the BB, but more down through the front end.  I bet this thing will be seriously fast on rolling and flatter routes.
• I lost that lovely 'alive' feel that steel has and I already miss it. Aluminum is pretty wooden. Even carbon is that way to me. Not unresponsive, just not 'involved in the pedaling process' feeling. A recent week spent on a Pinarello carbon was the same but a bit different.
• I gained a big helping of solid steering and cornering.  Man this thing is DIRECT!  It is almost scary how fast I can go around corners...but...
• It does not work with the road like my steel bike does, it just kind of Chuck Norris' it.
• I have less road buzz, like on chip seal roads.  Not sure how much is the bigger tire at lower pressure and how much is the carbon wheel...or the frame material.  Not sure.  Steel does 'ring' like a bell where Ti is just so muted and lovely that way. In any case it is very 'quiet' in that high freq sense of vibration.
• Bigger road tires simply rock.  I knew they would.  I already was running Conti 25s on wide rims to get a 29mm tire profile and at 80R/75F, they were pretty nice.  This is better still.  Not sure where the cap is on the upper end of that ultimate sized road tire for enthusiasts...maybe 32mm but i doubt much more.
• Discs are pretty cool for the road but I already knew that from my gravel bikes. Not a real big deal to have them, but it uncouples the rim from being a braking surface and then wheeeee....all kinds of good things happen.
• Di2 is amazing but a bit robotic....not sure but I might actually prefer mechanical.
• I do get some rotor rub in the rear when standing and really giving it the gas...the new ones with through axles would stop that, but it's not a big deal.
• It is a really good looking bike too.

Lots more riding to come but I have to wonder if I will not move back to steel although Ti for a road frame keeps calling my name....high buy-in though, for a custom one, and getting Ti right is tricky.  There is something about that steel 'zing' that is very rewarding, even when comfort is not the focus.  I think Jan Heine is on to something with his work on steel frames and 'planing' and even if it is not always faster, it just feels very symbiotic to my body's efforts...hard to quantify and express that.

If steel were only not so heavy...ah...hard to have it all!

Anyway, thanks for the lovely frame.  It really is very, very well done, even if it turns out to not be my ultimate dance partner.

Michael 'grannygear' Troy

Hi Cal and Dom, 

Thank you very much for all the hard work - the Definition 105 Hydro arrived all well about two weeks ago. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to ride it much as the temperatures plummeted here in Switzerland but I found a few gaps in the rain to take it for a spin.

Coming from a fairly aggressive position I am still getting used to the slightly higher front end (my back will no doubt thank me), but it is a great ride. Very comfortable and sure-footed without being boring. It is stiff and the climbing is very lively for the weight (this is no exotic build), but extremely smooth over rough surfaces - I was told to expect this, but it still surprised me. I hope that we can hold off the snow for a bit longer so I can get many more miles in before the winter settles in.

All the best, 

Matej Janecek

As I pulled up to my house after my first ride with the Vittoria's, I had a huge smile on my face! Such a fun bike to ride! Fast on the flats, and when you point it downhill it drops like a bomb! I think I had 3 Strava personal records on downhills on that ride and I wasn't really even trying. O.K. sure, it doesn't climb quite as well as my 18.5 pound CAAD 9.....yet, but that's nothing a set of Hunt Carbon gravel wheels wouldn't fix. Also, my decision to put the SRAM Force 1 on the bike was dead on. It took me a few rides to get used to the double tap shifting method, but I love the simplicity and gear range of the 44 front and 10-42 back. My one small critic of the SRAM groupo is the pointy shifter hoods. On my old Ultegra I would often rest my hands on top of the hoods, not doing that with these. They are nice to grab when you pop out of the saddle for that quick acceleration though. Also the disc brakes work so well I don't think I can ever go back. I guess in my ham fisted way I'm just trying to say that I love the bike and want to thank you guys for making something that makes me so happy.  When I'm not on the bike, I'm thinking about the next time I will be.

Another ride, and I love my Mason even more. You asked for some pictures, here are a few. I'll have you know I definitely blew a personal record on Strava to stop and take one of these! 

Finally got the build done. Have managed a few short rides in the last couple of weeks (work pressures have put paid to anything more sadly). I already love it though. It’s precisely what I was looking for, for attacking the Devon lanes and the lanes and bridle paths in Hampshire where my girlfriend lives. It’s so nice to throw it in the back of the car and know that I’ll be covered for 90% of the riding we might decide to do.
 
Final spec:
Ultegra Di2/Hydro (compact/11-32)
Pacenti SL25 rims on Hope Pro 2 Evo rear (11sp freewheel) and PD-8 dynamo front
Continental Grandsport Race 28 (coming up as 30mm on these rims)
Hope 6 bolt 140mm discs, front and rear
Canyon VCLS suspension post
Zipp Service Course SL stem
Specialized Romin Evo Expert saddle
Salsa Cowbell 3 bars
Di2 R600 climbing switch
Speedplay Roubaix pedals
 
Couple of pics attached.
 
Thanks for making it and the after sales support!
See you out on the road perhaps.
 
Cheers
Mark

Other than me being a clumsy tw*t it's bloody lovely. Started training for my ride to Czech now. Was pretty savage weather this morning so got soaked.. need some guards now. I'm waiting for my new rotors to turn up so I can fit my new carbon wheels with some lovely tan wall tyres. Then I'll send the pics over. Fit is perfect, handling is bang tidy too. Front wheel seems to have way more grip than my caad10, also the traction on the rear wheel when climbing is spot on. Every other bike I have had spins up on wet climbs, but you seem to be able to crank it with your weight over the bars and it just keeps steaming on up. 

Laurie. 

Hello! Happy new year! Bokeh looks very nice! Keep riding on my Definition …I really love this bike it is very manoeuvrable. Today -10 in Moscow, I skip only few days when was -25 -30. If interested I use use Deda Zero 100 handlebar and stem, Ultegra Di2 system 52/36, Mavic Ksyrium allroad, lizard skins 3.2 tape, Selle Italia gel flow man saddle, time mx pedals. Thanks to you and Dominic for wonderful frame!!!

I few delays and side-tracks along the way but 'bluey' has been on the road for about a week now.

Crisp and confident are the words that come to mind describing the ride - I'm very happy!

As you can see, the final selection of parts is a bit of a mix - based on form, function, cost and what was in my parts box. I'll be fitting some guards and maybe a rack but I've been lucky - it's not rained yet.

Thanks for all your help along the way! I look forward to many years of fast, comfortable riding :)

Regards,

Hey Cal!

Ok, I'm taking some break time to give you my first feedback. I wanted to do it before, but I just couldn't. This job takes time out of my cycling... too bad.

First of all, excellent packaging, I know, I've been in the transportation business for over 20 years, and I know exactly how cargo is treated. There is a reason we never bring clients to container unloadings ;-)

So, it turned out as beautiful as expected and it only got prettier with the sunlight.

I took it to a real fitting, as after my first experience I half ruined my left knee.

Now, down to business. I'm not an expert as I've only ridden my cheap road bike before and a very very expensive Giant Defy, carbon everything, with Ultegra Di-2 on a rental day. And, it beat them both, hands down. So Fast. I love the tyres, although I'll probably take a little air out next time. So, fast, precise and light. I know carbon is lighter but the Giant didn't feel lighter than this one.

I wish I could ride it more this Sunday, but the city was full with security and blocks because of the new Panama Canal inauguration. So, I couldn't do the only cat4 climb in the city yet. Next Sunday I'll do either that or aim for my first 100km.

Just one more thing. If it wasn't for you, Dom and the dedication to the client, I wouldn't have gone thru the waiting period. I would have gone for the Cannondale Synapse which was my plan B.  But I got into the whole concept the company and I wanted to have something special. I normally compromise to buy "stuff". So, thank you for the experience, the whole experience of including a client in the process, and not just saying "wait a bit longer, you'll get your bike".

Now, as you probably know by now, I'm over 40 but I have the capacity of asking questions of a 9 year old. Nobody else rides in the office, other than my fiancee, but, well, I can't keep talking to her about bikes for over 4 hours a day. And now she has the TDF coming. So I have to limit my exposure ;-)

So, is there a Mason riders forum? I can see we all share the ideal of open road, exploring and visiting places in two wheels. And also, I love the technical part of it. I read the blog of course.

I'll tweet some more pics eventually, I wasn't so inspired the other days, and I only put that one with the shape, because the bike is not "velominati" enough yet and the photos weren't good anyway. Pedals and bottle cages are on the way.

cheers!!!

Javier

Just an update. Everything perfect. I got 2 long rides in, and the saddle is winning the battle, so my butt is adjusting. So, no issues there, or any other issues for the matter. I really enjoy sprinting and climbing. And now I discovered that I can descent much faster than I thought possible. The tyres, geometry and brakes make a tremendous difference. So if surface is smooth I really enjoy it.

You know, I can't believe pro climbers are not demanding disc breaks in races. Especially the ones that descend really well. But in general, all of them. I know grupettos normally push it in the descend as well. Anyway, discs will be back there. You can't stop progress for long.

Hi Dominic and Callum,

I have finally finished my bike after making a 150 GBP mistake by destroying a thread in the lever by force fitting a wrongly sized brake hose. Anyway that's the price for learning :)

I'm really happy with the result and as you can see in the attached image I have used very much the same finishing as in your full bikes. I have installed Sram Rival 1 and the combination of 1x11 and hydraulic brakes are excellent for my commute.

I have done the first 100 km, and it is a pleasure to ride, extremely responsive and I can really feel the bike in the turns.

Thanks for your assistance during the build!

Enjoy the weekend,

Jacob

Mason performed superbly on the Audax as you'd expect ;-)
 
Here is a brief ride report & photo if you want to use them ... can you sign it Ian, Bristol. Ta. 

Longest ride on my Mason last weekend when I rode the Barry's Jaegar Bomb 300 km Audax event from Keynsham. 

An undulating ride taking in many areas of the West Country inc. the Cotswolds, Salisbury Plain, Wye Valley, Somerset levels and the Mendips. The steepest climbs were saved until the final section with both Shipham & Charterhouse taking us onto the Mendips. 

The Definition proved to be a comfortable ride for the longer distance without compromising speed. 

I completed the ride in 14 hours [ time in the saddle was 12 hrs 33 mins ]. 

Hi finally finished an ridden a few times
Definition with full Sram force hydro group hope bottom bracket Deda Superleggero bar stem and post Fabric saddle,tape and bottles Hunt Aero Light Disk wheels Schwalbe One tubeless
Cracking !!

Hi Dom

Here are some pictures of the bike

Looks very similar to a standard 105 build but I wanted GP4s, carbon fabric saddle and Aerolight wheels so its a bit lighter

Love the bike, did 90 miles in the dales on Tuesday and it performed flawlessly

Regards

Dan

Hey Dom.

I’m loving it! it represents everything I’ve wanted in a bike and for that I must applaud you.
The feeling of a fast modern (carbon equivalent) bike with the looks of a ‘real’ bike. I don’t go in for 
the look of carbon bikes too over thought & fussy in my opinion.

Just following up on a previous email with further praise after a fantastic ride around the zugsptize crossing the border from Germany to Austria and back again.

‘The duchess’ as I fondly call her really does belong in the mountains!

All the best

Hi Dom and Team Mason,

I just thought I would update you on my progress with my Definition. 

After a couple of rides I got the seat position set perfectly and the bike now feels a part of me and handles beautifully. I've been putting some decent miles in at the weekends and I've found a good 25 mile loop that I can fit in around work during the week which has a mix of tarmac, rough roads, dirt paths and gravel, the bike handles all surfaces perfectly.

I've housed my bike in the front room and it gives me as much pleasure looking at it as is does riding it. After a short stay in the garage, to make way for the Christmas tree, it's now back where it belongs taking pride of place in the house. 

I've ventured out of Suffolk and have ridden around Essex, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire and will be hitting the hills/mountains of Tuscany for a week in May.

The only slight negative was it took me three weeks to realise that I hadn't got the Schwalbe tubeless tyre upgrade. It's not a problem as the Continental tyres run well and I haven't had a puncture yet despite going out in all weathers and riding on some really rough roads.

I've given my old bike to my son and I'm riding my Definition as it was designed for and giving it the full 4 seasons treatment. I'm really pleased with the bike you made for me and I'm 100% happy with how it rides. When I finally get up to date with technology I'll sign up to Instagram and send you some pictures.

Keep being Progressive.

Thank you.

Tony.

Hey Dom

I thought I'd share with you the bike as it's nearly thousand miles on the Definition and it is  been simply a joy to ride, whether it be counting the miles away on a long ride or up in the hills stood up or sat down spinning away its as comfortable as anything I've ridden in all conditions but that shouldn't be surprised considering the plaudits you've got for your bikes. The one thing that I've been most impressed with more than anything is how nimble and precise the bike is through the corners and the feeling you get from the bike, I've had plenty a smiles on my face that's for sure so thanks and keep up the great work.

All the best and thanks again

Still loving the bike, had to bleed the brakes once now, and also having issues with the rear mech wanting to head for the spokes again, just haven't had a spare evening to get the bike in the workstand and get it adjusted. Picture attached of the bike actually being ridden - I'm not normally into sportives,* but the Etape Loch Ness is one I've done a couple of times now, closed roads and super friendly. Once again the bike got a lot of comments, generally along the lines of "what is it", I do like the minimal branding especially from certain angles.
A bit of a surprise the other day when your e-mail newsletter came through! My bike! My photo! My name misspelled! (Not bothered in any way, mind).
I look forward to September and the new fork.
Many thanks for the support so far, and wishing you continued success, kind regards, Ben Wardill.

Hi, 

I've completed building up my Mason Definition frameset, with the following spec:
• Ultegra Hydro groupset
• Ritchey bar and stem
• Fabric scoop flat saddle
• Mason x Hunt wheels
• Continental 4 seasons tyres 28 mm

Went together reasonably well, although getting the cables routed, hydraulics bled, and mudguards installed took somewhat longer than I hoped. Possibly my mechanics skills were somewhat lacking, but is fully assembled and working now!

I'm really happy with the bike, not only does it look gorgeous, it rides brilliantly on the rough roads, and is stiff and responsive on the climbs. The disk brakes are very confidence inspiring and great fun on the descents. Mudguards fitted well, (thanks to your instructions!), and make such a difference to the clip-ons on my old bike. Finally a four seasons bike I look forward to riding!

I've got a couple of photos of the complete bike, (I've reduced the image size to email), of the completed bike before riding it, and of my first proper hilly ride with it in the Dales yesterday. (One looking up Swaledale, and the other of Wensleydale from Buttertubs pass). The photography themed naming and generally excellent looks made me make a effort to get some shots before it saw the road! 

Dom-  

Two words: "****ing Awesome"

Can't put into words how good that first ride was.... Won't stop smiling for weeks...

So worth the wait!

Ben

Andy Harris - Definition Ultegra/Hydro.

Seen here at the southern tip of Vancouver Island.

Loving the Definition ride on Lochside, Galloping Goose and west coast trails on the island

Stellar day on the Snowkings! Great tyres on mixed conditions, on a pretty decent bike too !-)

Bike is built and have been using it to commute. Boy is it super smooth soaking up the bumps that had my fillings rattling on my Dogma....and still averaging 30kph. Love it. Thanks

Hey Dom, Cal, 
Photo for you. Had the bike for about 9 months so far (so just getting into the 4th season!). Served me very well so far, all through the winter, very happy with it. A good wash and 28mm tyres and she's ready for the tour of Flanders next weekend. Think there's going to be a few Mason's there. Keep up the good work.

Alex

For weeks last year I was tormented by the question: Should I buy a new bike? For three weeks on holiday, the day began with the question and ended with it, wavering between final determination and subsequent common sense to save the money.

At some point, somewhere, the urge came from somewhere, and one year ago today I stood in front of the barn of MASON, near Brighton and picked up my new bike at 9:00 a.m. I rode the 550 kilometers home in three days.

On many of these kilometres it was cold, wet and dirty. I had to go through car washes twice to get the worst dirt off my new bike. On many of these kilometres it was sunny, there was a tailwind and it was wonderful to ride, especially on the cycle paths in Belgium.

Today, a year and 5206 kilometers on my bike later, I am sure that it was one of the best purchase decisions of my life. I am actually always happy when I can cycle, regardless of whether it is a rental bike or an old Klepper in the holiday apartment. But of course even more so when it rolls well.

Sure, I've been a freak when it comes to bikes since I was a young boy. I suspect that it has something to do with the independence of a bike: being able to go somewhere under your own steam where you would hardly be able to get to without help (car, public transport).

My Mason Definition is my aluminum bike, which I chose because I want to make rapid progress even in unfavorable conditions. "Make progress": So true. I only really noticed it when I got home. And I'm happy with every kilometer, how quietly it rolls, rides over everything stably, doesn't let itself get thrown off course and gets going. Of course a carbon racing bike rides even faster, but how close an aluminum frame comes to the riding experience and stubbornly and uncomplainingly masters all surfaces makes me happy every time.

Can things make you happy? No, probably not. Can things make life more beautiful and help you experience happy moments? I think so, and this bike is one of those things. (It now has mudguards, a black saddle, a lower handlebar and a shortened fork shaft. A racing bike for all occasions. :-))