An Amusement & Diversion for The Genteel Cyclist. Daily.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Masi see, Masi do


You, constant reader, are well aware of our unhealthy and irrational fixation on the new line of Masi Speciales, especially the stock fixie known informally as "the messenger bike," since it's not the right geometry for the track. (It's TIGG-welded steel from Taiwan, after all -- not exactly straight from the braziers of Milano. But we DO love the orange-blue-white paint scheme, surpassed only by scarlet, black, and white, and it looks just perfect with classic track drops.)

Anyway, we read in BRAIN the other day that Masi is rolling out a line of commuter bikes and "caffe racers." From what we gather, the Speciale Soulville is built along the lines of the Bianchi Milano, with fenders and arc bars, and plenty of exciting lines. That's it in the photo there. Like! Like! Like!

But the "caffe racer" is shown in some geared configurations like these, over at bike commuter, and they remind us of the hybrid city bike -- you remember, those mountain bike frames built around 700c wheels, the apogee of which was the Trek Antelope 8000. In a word, yuck.

To further complicate the matter, Masi Guy shows off a singlespeed commuter with a raked fork and a flip-flop hub. So, somebody please do our homework for us, and clarify this awkward situation!

Seems to us that the "caffe racer" should actually be called "the commuter," the Soulville should be the "caffe racer," and the "commuter" should be called the Speciale Fixed/SS. Someone tell Masi they need an editor, and have them give us a call. (We're available. We're loyal. We're fully housetrained.)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

sign me up for a test ride on the soulville. that's a sweet looking ride. anyone in town selling these?

Unknown said...

I've long figured you would show disdain my for bike, and now I know: "Trek Antelope 8000. In a word, yuck."

OK, I'm over it.

Pinchie said...

Well, speaking from experience-- i have a Trek Antelope myself in the garage. Not terrible, just annoying... aluminum, biopace gears (I hear they're back! Awesome... not.) crap trigger shifters, one inch headtube, vertical dropouts... a lot of minor details that add up to kind of a sucky bike.

also the bike that is almost singlehandedly responsible for turning Trek into a mass-production GM-like company, the largest after Giant.

i keep it around to poach parts, bone none are worth poaching, so I have no one to blame but myself

Tim Jackson said...

Ok, the SoulVille was a runaway hit at the show in Vegas. No foolin', it wil llikely be the best selling bike in the entire range of bikes. How cool is that?

The Caffe Racer series is sweet! Where most hybrid bikes are just tall mountain bikes, we took a road platform and simply stretched it out for a slightly longer wheelbase to accommodate fender clearance and wider tires. The handling is very road feeling and not at all sluggish. Promise.

As for the naming of stuff.. back off! That's all me and I'm not giving up my job... ever... EVER!

Caffe Racer series is a double meaning; Cafe Racer motorcycles were the inspiration for the look and feel of the bikes- since they are agile and sporty. "Caffe" is the Italian spelling for "coffee". "Solo" means a single shot of espresso and "Doppio" is a double shot.

SoulVille is based off the root word of "soul", as in the bike has tons of it. No really, it does.

"Commuter" is named that because I reckon most bikes will be used for that. With the rack and fender mounts and the very simple elegance and stripped down cool factor... it's a commuter's dream. Yes, it is.

Thanks for the praise. SoulVille was/ is a very fun project and you can expect some major growth around that platform.

Yes, we really are that cool. (At least my mom says I am.)