A 2-Year Review of My Mason Resolution Roadbike

Back a couple of yours ago, I was browsing the web, looking for a great new frame with which I can build up my "dream road bike". I am putting that in quotes, because that dream is quite fluent, and what constitutes my dream road bike, did change quite a bit.
I came across plenty of reviews and articles of people recommending a Mason Resolution. They made it out to be the perfect steel road bike. So this quite resonated with me and hence I took the 1'600 GBP plunge into a high-end steel frame. Jokes on me though, because just a couple of weeks after I had gotten my frame, Mason released an updated version of the Resolution - the Resolution 3. Not a huge upgrade, but it stung quite a bit nonetheless.

I got the frame-only option since I was really keen on making this bike perfect for me. What was that you may ask? Well I wanted to have a relatively comfortable and durable road bike. One I could commute with, take on the train, and go on long rides - all without having to worry about bumping it around too much. Here are the specs around the bike:

• Spec: Frame only
• Material: Steel
• Weight: ca. 2100g
• Price: 1600 GBP, now around 1750

Of course what a custom build makes possible is to create a bike that is truely your own. And therefore I have added plenty of little custom details to the bike so it feels truely unique. For one are some custom titanium bolts and bottle cages from AliExpress - great to get some bling on your bike.

For ride quality I have opted to go with some Elitewheels ENT Drive 1.0, the second edition was not released yet back in the day. And I have to say, the bike truely rides like a dream. The materials, the way its put together, both the frame and the complete build come together in a very comfortable, yet stiff ride experience. Its not a bike meant for racing - so its not harsh like a Canyon Aeroad or a Specialized Tarmac, but it also does not feel like one of your vintage Peugeot road bikes, meaning it does not feel like a wet noodle when going around corners or climbing out of the saddle. It is just pleasant to go on longer rides with.

Aesthetically I just love this bike too. The deep blue color - or Lens Blue as Mason calles it - is so beautiful in the reflection of the sunlight. It give a great tint of dark blue that is just lovely to see. In combination with the Elitewheels Wheelset in 50mm, it makes the bike look quite racey and low and I like that quite a bit.

What is not quite perfect about this bike - at least in the size I got it, a 50cm or XS. I am 172cm tall and there is quite some toe-overlap with a 170mm crankset. If I track-stand for instance, that can get a bit annoying as, my toes touch the tires quite a bit. Its quite difficult to get a smaller SRAM crankset and I did make some subpar experiences with AliExpress cranksets in the past. Therefore, this is something I could definitely improve upon.

As you can see from the pictures, I am getting reeeeally close to the absolute edge with my tire choice. I wanted this bike to be super comfortable for long rides, but 35mm 700c wheels are maximum of what I am comfortable running. And this is a bit of a predicament for me. I dont have unlimited space in my appartment and I have surely run out of space for extra bikes. So if I want a bike that truely does it all - long tours, commuting, gravel and road - I kind of need a bike that handles larger tires, and this unfortunately not it. So while the bike is really, really great as a road bike, the official "Allroad"-title stretches it a bit far.
But as long as you keep that in mind, and you want a great quality steel road bike, this is one hell of an option for you!

As for me...the search continues. I took great interest in some other more versitile steel bikes out there. For one the Fairlight Secan, but also the Mason Exposure. Both look extremely nice and are kind of built to handle it all. Hence, you can definitely hang around, because this year - there will be a new bike build series! Until that time has come - have a great week - bye bye!