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anyone own or tried a Mason ISO? Looking for any real world thoughts/comments as i have little to no faith in magazine reviews and am slowly convincing myself i need one.
it has just taken 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the ukduro so thats probably all i need to know....
Crikey I knew Josh Ibbett won on one I didn't realise 2nd and 3rd used them too.
Yeah just don’t get the carbon railed saddle!
I’ve had a slightly irrational desire for a Mason for a while. Last time I missed and bought a Parlee instead but next time I’ll be trying to buy one again I’m sure of it...
Yes I currently lust after a Resolution or Definition.
Test ride booked
Yeah I have one. Shimano GRX version it’s exactly as Mason describe it, a bike designed specifically for going a long way fast. To be more specific I’ve bike packed the Ridgeway double recently as well as ridden it round local trails for fun. It can handle a lot of rough & technical terrain as well as the standard long standard off road trails. I initially noticed how stiff the fork was but this wasn’t under load then I added bags & water bottles which then made me realise why it needs be so stiff as the bike was really well balanced with all it’s weight on it. It’s the first drop bar disk bike I’ve ever owned & at first I was riding on the hoods a lot but felt quite high then I realised that this bike & the Venture Max bars work & control best when ridden almost entirely on the drops with zero back strain. Climbs great even under a full bike packing load surefooted on the descents & surprisingly snappy into corners.
It’s not a gravel bike though as it’s relatively slow on the road, it’s just a bike that’s capable on the road but at the same time doesn’t feel out of place there.
Never felt beat up on it and it also felt like it could ride much further that what I’ve done so far.
I know it’s not the greatest looking bike up front but I don’t care I’m far too long isn’t the tooth for that and it does it’s job with aplomb.
I love it.
thanks for the comments. im looking at it for mainly long single days out/distance events where my gravel bike would be out of its depth. ive got the Evil on 47mm tyres but it wont be like running 2.4's on the Mason.
am looking at the GRX too but i may find it too hard to resist the Di2.
agree about the looks but its functional and who knows maybe ill fit a suspension fork some time in the future assuming i buy one
Really lusting after a Mason Aspect.
A little out of price range currently though!
Always thought the ISO too much mtb like.
I ride a Travers Ti 29er mtb and use a rigid fork in the winter which seems just as capable as an ISO but just with straight bars.
Thanks,
Max.
but i may find it too hard to resist the Di2.
Don’t even try to resist it’s glorious.
The ISO is definitely not an MTB, though I can see why comparisons are made but in real time the only similarity is the boost spacing. I used to use a Salsa El Mar with rigid before my ISO. The ISO is a substantially more capable bike particularly when you load it, it has more balance & handles its load with ease significantly more planted and defiantly faster. Though I said it’s not fast on the road Ive always felt out of place on an MTB on the road where the ISO makes the transition from trail to road so smooth.
but i may find it too hard to resist the Di2.
My only experience of Mason was riding with Angus in the winter, his Di2 had packed up and I was on my singlespeed. The others thought we were both mad, me for doing it voluntarily and him for not sacking off the ride for a broken bike!
Yes cables need maintenance too, but I'm still not convinced the benefits outweigh the extra modes of failure on an off road bike.
The ISO does look lovely though, and the front mudguard-rack is pretty neat and doesn't look as wierd in the flesh.
i have ETap on my gravel bike and it is certainly next level but i agree that cables are likely to be the most reliable long term. Also as good as ETap is im not convinced shimano's equivalent warrants the extra £500....but still, its hard not to lust after the latest and greatest.
out of interest with Di2 what does the left shift lever do, can it be used to operate a dropper post or is that on the mechanical levers only?
if it wont operate a dropper then decision made!
I've um'd and ar'd and basically dicked around for the last month trying to decide on what to replace my current gravel bike (Camino v2) with - heart says ISO (lovely looking imo, steel, unique) but my head says Bokeh (more suited to most of my rides especially from the door routes - think I'll go with that with 700c / 650b wheelsets. Would love to own the ISO as well though 🙂
out of interest with Di2 what does the left shift lever do, can it be used to operate a dropper post or is that on the mechanical levers only?
With Di2 on my road bike (standard 2x setup with Ultegra 8070) I have two buttons on each lever, and one button on the top of each of the hoods. You can program them to do whatever you want, but by default right hand side does the cassette up and down, and the left side does the chainrings up and down.
No chance that I’d be able to use them to control a dropper on my bike, but GRX might be different.
Don’t know about the Iso but my Bokeh is marvellous, Mason have made a lovely job of design, finish and the build from the barn is as good as I’ve done myself in past builds. Spot on all round.
I have Di2 on a Vielo N+1. It has been absolutely faultless in the 2 years I've been running it, Summer and Winter. I have an ISO on order. It will have Di2 as well.
On mine I have it set up so the right lever moves the chain up the block, the left lever moves it down. The lever action points to the direction of chain travel. It requires the lightest of touches and can easily be used while braking or moving over rough ground.