Masi Speciale SoulVille. Available at City Bikes (in both colors) for $770.
Masi, famous for its racing bikes, appears to be reaching out to the everyday commuter.
Some online commentary about this model:
Masi Guy
Bicycle Retailer News
Bike Hugger
2008 Specs
Frame: Double-butted ChroMo steel w/ rack & fender mounts (14, 16, 18, 20)
Color(s): Gloss Black; Antique Beige
Chainring: Alloy 46T
Freewheel: Shimano 20T
Hub: Shimano Internal 8-spd
Chain: KMC Z610H
Pedals: Alloy cage / Kraton insert
Handlebar: Masi ARC 540
Saddle: Masi retro leather w/ springs
Wheels: Ritchey Girder XC
Tires: 40C Kenda Kourier
If you have any feedback about the Masi Speciale SoulVille, please leave a comment.
6 comments:
We (City Bikes) have the soulville in stock at $770, both colors. The pics don't show the nice leather saddle, and the stainless steel fenders, they're nice styly touches.
Also, look in the near future for 3-spd, single-spd, and step-thru variants.
Great blog, btw!
Thanks, Darren. I updated this post to let readers know that you have the SoulVille in stock. Whenever possible, I want to link to local bike shops on this blog.
I bought a Soulville with the Nexus 8 hub and have had trouble getting a comfortable position on the bike. My hunch is that I should have gotten the 20" (I have the 18"), although I'm a 5'-8 1/2" female and you wouldn't think I'd need their largest frame size. I do have long legs for my height, but not too out of the norm. Anyway, looking at the Masi marketing picture again, I see that they show the seat nearly level with the grips, but both fairly low on the bike. No way anyone but a very short person would be riding it with that low, badboy look to it. In order to get my grips level with the seat, I had to take off the stylish black level bar and put on a bar with a rise to it; just made this change and it feels better, but time will tell. It looks ok, too, although the bar is chrome. I was beginning to think I'd have to send this bike on to its next home, so I hope this change dials it in. Other than that, it's a nice bike, fit and finish pretty good, nice components except for the fenders. I replaced them with Planet Bike right away. Gets a lot of second looks around town.
"I'm a 5'-8 1/2" female and you wouldn't think I'd need their largest frame size.'
Well, yes, actually, I would.
". . .they show the seat nearly level with the grips . . . No way anyone but a very short person would be riding it with that low. . ."
And their legs might still feel cramped, but their upper body too stretched out.
I think it was a mistake on their part not to fit it with a threaded fork and quill stem. 80% or so of fitting a cruiser style frame is messing with stem height and reach, the weakness of threadless setups. They are innately aero position "racer" gear. As such, you probably should have started with a stem with higher rise before bars with higher rise (on this particular bike which relies so much on its style).
It's a sweet looking ride that gives me the "I wants," but there are details like this that have made me shy away from it.
All the examples of this bike I've seen have an adjustable stem. Maybe this is just the newer ones?
Masi stopped making these, but I found an 8-speed (plus some fixies) at the Bike Nook in San Francisco. Not the bike for me, though. I love the look and the gearing is good, but hate the weight and that it only has a rear coaster brake. I'm too used to a derailleur and caliper brakes to enjoy this ride.
Post a Comment