Time for a new touring rig - maybe the Masi CX Comp
#1
Full Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Eastern Washington
Posts: 440
Bikes: 1978 Raleigh Competition-1974 Raleigh Folder-1983 Austro Daimler-198? Fuji Monterey-Surly LHT-Surly Karate Monkey-Surly Cross Check
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 43 Post(s)
Liked 97 Times
in
54 Posts
Time for a new touring rig - maybe the Masi CX Comp
Greetings everyone. I was hoping that a few of you would be willing to offer up your 2 cents.
I would like to get a new bike for touring. I don't do a lot of real serious touring, usually 2 or 3 nights at the most and nothing out of the country. I have a Karate Monkey single speed that is just hanging up in the garage collecting dust and I thought that maybe I could convert that to a touring rig but as I was pricing out all of the parts that I would need the $$$ started to add up pretty quick.
Anyway, my personal preferences are:
1. Steel frame, just because that is what I ride.
2. Disc brakes, I know that for touring cantilevers or V-brakes are recommended but I'm kind of a fat ass and the extra stopping power of disc brakes is helpful and since I don't plan on touring out of the country, I don't think that this is a problem.
3. Brifters, again I know that for touring bikes the bar end shifters are recommended but I just like brifters better. Don't get me wrong, I have other bikes with bar end shifters and I like them just fine but I prefer brifters.
When I was down at the LBS I saw one of these Masi Bikes - Cyclocross - CX Comp . This bike seems to meet my preferences and at $1,059 it seems like a decent deal. However, I do have a couple of concerns. First, it might be geared a little high. The cassette seems right for a touring bike but the 50/34 double is more of a CX setup. Second, the wheel base on the 58cm frame (my size) is 1039mm. Is that long enough to prevent heel strike on my panniers. The gearing can be fixed easy enough but, obviously, the wheel base is permanent.
Opinions?
I would like to get a new bike for touring. I don't do a lot of real serious touring, usually 2 or 3 nights at the most and nothing out of the country. I have a Karate Monkey single speed that is just hanging up in the garage collecting dust and I thought that maybe I could convert that to a touring rig but as I was pricing out all of the parts that I would need the $$$ started to add up pretty quick.
Anyway, my personal preferences are:
1. Steel frame, just because that is what I ride.
2. Disc brakes, I know that for touring cantilevers or V-brakes are recommended but I'm kind of a fat ass and the extra stopping power of disc brakes is helpful and since I don't plan on touring out of the country, I don't think that this is a problem.
3. Brifters, again I know that for touring bikes the bar end shifters are recommended but I just like brifters better. Don't get me wrong, I have other bikes with bar end shifters and I like them just fine but I prefer brifters.
When I was down at the LBS I saw one of these Masi Bikes - Cyclocross - CX Comp . This bike seems to meet my preferences and at $1,059 it seems like a decent deal. However, I do have a couple of concerns. First, it might be geared a little high. The cassette seems right for a touring bike but the 50/34 double is more of a CX setup. Second, the wheel base on the 58cm frame (my size) is 1039mm. Is that long enough to prevent heel strike on my panniers. The gearing can be fixed easy enough but, obviously, the wheel base is permanent.
Opinions?
#2
Banned
never seen a Masi , Italian made Touring frame , the name was sold long ago .
so its just another Taiwan contract bike for the owners of the name ,
should be OK , steel, &, discs, was what you wanted if it fits , its OK
you can change the drivetrain bars stem seat pedals anything you wish different.
CX style bikes are popular as touring bikes , chainstays are a bit shorter than a touring bike..
so you may want to fit a rack further back, to clear the rear disc caliper, some racks do that,
so its just another Taiwan contract bike for the owners of the name ,
should be OK , steel, &, discs, was what you wanted if it fits , its OK
you can change the drivetrain bars stem seat pedals anything you wish different.
CX style bikes are popular as touring bikes , chainstays are a bit shorter than a touring bike..
so you may want to fit a rack further back, to clear the rear disc caliper, some racks do that,
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Above ground, Walnut Creek, Ca
Posts: 6,681
Bikes: 8 ss bikes, 1 5-speed touring bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 86 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
4 Posts
i'd just permanently remove the 50t chainring for touring.
as for heel strike just run front panniers on the rear.
as for heel strike just run front panniers on the rear.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Baltimore, Md.
Posts: 172
Bikes: Salsa Casseroll, Salsa Pistola, Surly 1x1, All-City Nature Boy
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Ok so some quick checking shows the Masi with 432mm stays and the Surly LHT with 460mm stays. Thats a pretty large difference. You can try running different panniers or even getting a rack that mounts further back. If you do the shorter tours you could just run front panniers on a low rider mount. Does the CX have any eyelets for mounting racks and or fenders? Have you considered changing the front chainring smaller and rear cog larger on the Surly Karate Monkey. You wont have any gears to fiddle with but if you can find the right combo and the hills around you arent to brutal you may be able to get away with it. Just a thought. The Masi may work for ya but I would take a hard look at it first.
Last edited by egear; 03-12-14 at 01:03 PM. Reason: stupidity
#5
Senior Member
fettsvenska, There's also a triple equipped model: Masi Bikes - Cyclocross - CX Triple . Still it's geared more as a rando/light tourer, which could be what you're looking for. Medium sized panniers F&R maybe all that you'll need and lessons the possibility of heel strike plus balances the load. Test fit with what the LBS has on hand.
Brad
Brad
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA
Posts: 1,643
Bikes: 1997 Rivendell Road Standard 650b conversion (tourer), 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10 (gravel/tour), 2013 Foundry Auger disc (CX/gravel), 2016 Cannondale Fat CAAD 2 (MTB/winter), 2011 Cannondale Flash 29er Lefty (trail MTB)
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 167 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
5 Posts
Gearing: If you're "kind of a fat ass" and you want to carry touring loads, a compact double crank is not going to cut it. You will be much happier with a triple. A 48/38/28, or similar, is best for a touring bike.
You could probably fit a triple on the Masi pretty easily. BUT, shimano brifters are double- or triple-specific. So, to go triple on the Masi, you'd need to swap the left brifter for a triple-specific one, and possibly the front derailer as well. $$$
Plus, the chainstays are kinda short as you noted. I have 435mm chainstays on my Rivendell, and I was able to get Vaude panniers to clear my heels on a Nitto Mt Campee 20R. You may have to fiddle with different racks and panniers to get them to clear.
A dedicated touring bike would carry heavy loads and panniers better. Maybe trade your Karate Monkey in towards a Disc Trucker?
You could probably fit a triple on the Masi pretty easily. BUT, shimano brifters are double- or triple-specific. So, to go triple on the Masi, you'd need to swap the left brifter for a triple-specific one, and possibly the front derailer as well. $$$
Plus, the chainstays are kinda short as you noted. I have 435mm chainstays on my Rivendell, and I was able to get Vaude panniers to clear my heels on a Nitto Mt Campee 20R. You may have to fiddle with different racks and panniers to get them to clear.
A dedicated touring bike would carry heavy loads and panniers better. Maybe trade your Karate Monkey in towards a Disc Trucker?
#7
Senior Member
as a reference, my tricross 54cm has 440 chainstays, 8mm longer than the masi. I've had no problems with my panniers on a fairly standard rear rack, so I suspect that if you chose a rack with more setback you may be alright. Would of course depend on specific panniers and your shoe size, I'm 8.5-9
I personally think bikes like this make great all round bikes, especially if as you say you are not going to tour extensively. I like that my bike is more fun to ride than a full on tourer, but can still easily handle riding with full panniers and not be noodley.
I personally think bikes like this make great all round bikes, especially if as you say you are not going to tour extensively. I like that my bike is more fun to ride than a full on tourer, but can still easily handle riding with full panniers and not be noodley.
#8
Full Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Eastern Washington
Posts: 440
Bikes: 1978 Raleigh Competition-1974 Raleigh Folder-1983 Austro Daimler-198? Fuji Monterey-Surly LHT-Surly Karate Monkey-Surly Cross Check
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 43 Post(s)
Liked 97 Times
in
54 Posts
Thank for all of the replies so far. This is very helpful and gets me thinking about things from different points of view. At $1,059 the Masi is about $450 less than a disc trucker, so I was sort of hoping that the Masi would work for me. But if it is the wrong bike, then that would just be $1,059 that is wasted. I might have to go price out a custom build disc trucker and if I have to save my pennies a little longer to afford it, then so be it.
#9
Senior Member
I would strongly suggest taking a bunch of test rides. Given you are going to be using a bike loaded very very little, I'd think that you would appreciate riding something less "truck" like for the 95% of its riding life. A friend of mine has a Trek 520 and I find it even trucklike compared to my Tricross, he rode my bike and find it all twitchy, but it would drive me nuts riding a slow steering, heavy feeling bike for all the time it would be unloaded.
something to think about
something to think about
#10
Banned
IMO, a bike is just a tool to go touring upon .
summer out here hundreds of people ride thru on all sorts of bikes
if you can get up every morning and the bike feels OK to ride another day for weeks
you are touring ..
market drives opinions .. it seems .. so touring is a thing , not the activity..
summer out here hundreds of people ride thru on all sorts of bikes
if you can get up every morning and the bike feels OK to ride another day for weeks
you are touring ..
market drives opinions .. it seems .. so touring is a thing , not the activity..
Last edited by fietsbob; 03-12-14 at 06:03 PM.
#11
Full Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Eastern Washington
Posts: 440
Bikes: 1978 Raleigh Competition-1974 Raleigh Folder-1983 Austro Daimler-198? Fuji Monterey-Surly LHT-Surly Karate Monkey-Surly Cross Check
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 43 Post(s)
Liked 97 Times
in
54 Posts
Although the "truck" is what I'm looking for. I should have probably mentioned that I have 17 other bikes...sort of one for every occasion. The one gap I have is a really good true touring bike.
I would strongly suggest taking a bunch of test rides. Given you are going to be using a bike loaded very very little, I'd think that you would appreciate riding something less "truck" like for the 95% of its riding life. A friend of mine has a Trek 520 and I find it even trucklike compared to my Tricross, he rode my bike and find it all twitchy, but it would drive me nuts riding a slow steering, heavy feeling bike for all the time it would be unloaded.
something to think about
something to think about
#12
Senior Member
Have fun figuring it out and trying diff bikes, its clear you are a bike addict, but thats a good thing.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posts: 249
Bikes: 2015 Apollo Syncro tandem, 2006 Scott CR1 SL (still a beastie race bike), 1993 Trek T200, 2006 Fuji Absolute Le, 2000 Thorn Club Tour
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Think radically for a moment:
-- 2nd hand 2011 Giant Defy 2 (<10kg) for say $500 and spend the savings on:
-- Tubus fly rear rack (or similar)
-- Arkel dry-lite panniers ($90)
-- Tarptent shelter
-- Feathered Friends sleeping bag
-- a good down jacket
-- Mavic H2o lightweight rain jacket
-- pop-can stove and titanium pot
-- Exped synmat or similar
-- a light but largish handlebar bag.
Get your luggage load (minus food and water) down below say 6-7kg and you can use a normal road bike with compact cranks, upgraded brakepads and cycle lighter and longer every day (and have less stuff to pack up everyday). People tour long-term with this sort of strategy.
My Thorn Club Tour (531 ST, heavy 36 spoke wheels, cantis, triple chainrings and front pannier rack) is looking more and more redundant every day...
I can't come at the crocs, but I reckon this bloke is onto something: Ultralight bicycle touring.
Anyway, enjoy the Masi, I am sure it's a fabulous machine!
-- 2nd hand 2011 Giant Defy 2 (<10kg) for say $500 and spend the savings on:
-- Tubus fly rear rack (or similar)
-- Arkel dry-lite panniers ($90)
-- Tarptent shelter
-- Feathered Friends sleeping bag
-- a good down jacket
-- Mavic H2o lightweight rain jacket
-- pop-can stove and titanium pot
-- Exped synmat or similar
-- a light but largish handlebar bag.
Get your luggage load (minus food and water) down below say 6-7kg and you can use a normal road bike with compact cranks, upgraded brakepads and cycle lighter and longer every day (and have less stuff to pack up everyday). People tour long-term with this sort of strategy.
My Thorn Club Tour (531 ST, heavy 36 spoke wheels, cantis, triple chainrings and front pannier rack) is looking more and more redundant every day...
I can't come at the crocs, but I reckon this bloke is onto something: Ultralight bicycle touring.
Anyway, enjoy the Masi, I am sure it's a fabulous machine!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
waterbugg
Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling
29
09-05-10 09:19 PM