MASI bikes

The LBS has just started carrying MASI bikes and has them on special.
They claimed a particular model was "equivalent to" a Trek 1400 as it
had the same crank and gears. I asked about weight and he said they
were about the same, he didn't know about flex and handling etc. The
price however was a lot less than the 1400.

Does anyone know anything about MASI?

Travis Wrote:
The LBS has just started carrying MASI bikes and has them on special.
They claimed a particular model was "equivalent to" a Trek 1400 as it
had the same crank and gears. I asked about weight and he said they
were about the same, he didn't know about flex and handling etc. The
price however was a lot less than the 1400.

Does anyone know anything about MASI?
http://www.masibikes.com/history.php

which LBS?

SteveA


--
SteveA

Travis wrote:
The LBS has just started carrying MASI bikes and has them on special.
They claimed a particular model was "equivalent to" a Trek 1400 as it
had the same crank and gears. I asked about weight and he said they
were about the same, he didn't know about flex and handling etc. The
price however was a lot less than the 1400.

Did you testride both so you could make a comparison of your own?

And what's the warranty like?

Travis wrote:
Bleve wrote:
Travis wrote:
The LBS has just started carrying MASI bikes and has them on special.
They claimed a particular model was "equivalent to" a Trek 1400 as it
had the same crank and gears. I asked about weight and he said they
were about the same, he didn't know about flex and handling etc. The
price however was a lot less than the 1400.

Did you testride both so you could make a comparison of your own?

No I didn't. One of the problems being that I need a 60/62cm frame
(189cm/6'3" tall) and the shops would have to order one in specially.
As I'm not necessarily immediately going to buy, I'd feel a bit bad
about doing that to the LBS.

That's understandable, but still, I'd strongly suggest that you never
buy a roady (or any expensive bike) without a testride. If the LBS is
going to carry these bikes, then they should be prepared to take the
risk on them. That's why you pay the LBS a premium on what you could
get the same bike from online, for example. As long as you're upfront
about it with the shop then they should be ok with it. In WA you may be
a little limited with your shopping around choices, but still, it's
their problem, not yours.

And what's the warranty like?

Lifetime on the frame, 2y on everything else. Pretty standard.

For everything except an Italian frame

Its a typical mid-priced bike, aluminium frame and carbon forks,
Shimano 105 10sp crank and gears. The MASI was on special though as a
new brand they wanted to promote, it cost about $700 less than the Trek
1400 which was supposedly "equivalent".

So it's about $1300? That means the frame amd fork is almost free.
Ie:it's very cheaply made.
That's not necesarily a problem, but you should be aware of it.
They're probably carrying this brand to catch the "I want a
105/Ultegra/D-A bike and don't care about the frame" buyers. There's a
lot of them around. IMO, that's completely the wrong way to buy a
bike, but a lot of people buy on groupset. Giant are particularly good
at this end of the market at the moment (anyone remember Shogun? ),
but stocking Giant sucks as a LBS, because everyone just buys them on
price and there's always an LBS somewhere trying to dump them, so
flogging them off cheap. We're doing the cheap but good groupset thing
by carrying Inexa bikes. We were doing Raceline (apollo), but they got
too expensive for their quality level, as much as a Trek, but no Trek
..... Like Giant, the low end Inexa's are pretty awful (vague handling,
odd behaviour on descents etc), but the top end ones are ok, and
they're cheap. The MASI's are probably the same sort of deal.

What wheels does it have? What other corners have they cut?

The LBS by the way was a Bike Force. In WA at least Bike force are the
exclusive distributors of Trek, and now they do MASI as well.

Another bike I looked at today which I really liked the look of (partly
the lines, and partly because it was a bright yellow colour that I
really liked) was a Merida Road 904-20. (This was in another shop, not
a bike force). It also was very competitively priced and cost a lot
less than the "equivalent" Trek.

Any opinions on Merida?

They've been around for a few years (remember a lifetime warranty isn't
much use if the company no longer exists!), but I've never ridden one.
What does your backside say about it? Testride ... testride ...

Bleve wrote:

That's understandable, but still, I'd strongly suggest that you never
buy a roady (or any expensive bike) without a testride. If the LBS is
going to carry these bikes, then they should be prepared to take the
risk on them. That's why you pay the LBS a premium on what you could
get the same bike from online, for example. As long as you're upfront
about it with the shop then they should be ok with it. In WA you may be
a little limited with your shopping around choices, but still, it's
their problem, not yours.

What Perth bike shops have the best range of road bikes?


Its a typical mid-priced bike, aluminium frame and carbon forks,
Shimano 105 10sp crank and gears. The MASI was on special though as a
new brand they wanted to promote, it cost about $700 less than the Trek
1400 which was supposedly "equivalent".

So it's about $1300? That means the frame amd fork is almost free.

$1,399 actually.

Its this model: http://www.masibikes.com/cycles/nuova_strada.php

Ie:it's very cheaply made.

Is that a given, even if we're comparing an undiscounted Trek at full
RRP against a new brand which supposedly is being sold at a very
advantageous price as an introductory special?

Unless its some tightly guarded secret, what sort of markup is there
between wholesale and RRP on bikes like this?

That's not necesarily a problem, but you should be aware of it.
They're probably carrying this brand to catch the "I want a
105/Ultegra/D-A bike and don't care about the frame" buyers. There's a
lot of them around. IMO, that's completely the wrong way to buy a
bike, but a lot of people buy on groupset. Giant are particularly good
at this end of the market at the moment (anyone remember Shogun? ),
but stocking Giant sucks as a LBS, because everyone just buys them on
price and there's always an LBS somewhere trying to dump them, so
flogging them off cheap. We're doing the cheap but good groupset thing
by carrying Inexa bikes. We were doing Raceline (apollo), but they got
too expensive for their quality level, as much as a Trek, but no Trek
.... Like Giant, the low end Inexa's are pretty awful (vague handling,
odd behaviour on descents etc), but the top end ones are ok, and
they're cheap. The MASI's are probably the same sort of deal.

Which Giants are worth getting?



What wheels does it have? What other corners have they cut?

According to the MASI site...

Hubset / Wheelset Alex DA22 Aero 32h Rims; Formula 32h cassette hubs
w/ alloy QR; stainless spokes radial front/ X3 rear

Tires Vittoria Zaffiro 23c wire bead

The LBS by the way was a Bike Force. In WA at least Bike force are the
exclusive distributors of Trek, and now they do MASI as well.

Another bike I looked at today which I really liked the look of (partly
the lines, and partly because it was a bright yellow colour that I
really liked) was a Merida Road 904-20. (This was in another shop, not
a bike force). It also was very competitively priced and cost a lot
less than the "equivalent" Trek.

Any opinions on Merida?

They've been around for a few years (remember a lifetime warranty isn't
much use if the company no longer exists!), but I've never ridden one.
What does your backside say about it? Testride ... testride ...

And this is the Merida model:
http://www.merida.com/s0_global/main...ce&bike Id=63

Masi were a top Italian-made brand who sold out to the bmx company Haro.
Malvern Star star were talking about importing them a couple of years ago
so they must have arrived . If the price is right & the bike fits go for it.
Merida been around since the 70's second biggest quality manufacturer after
Giant . Own a fair chunk of the 2nd biggest US bike brand.
Giant market leader need no introduction.
Shogun are still around made by Merida , we do have a size XL Ninja with a
full 10 speed 105 groupset here on the floor in WA plus all the other
sizes.
Trek will always sell to the Lance wanabees for the extra dosh.
Steve
Ideal

If it is the model you linked to there is not much 105 on it , more of a
Tiagra bike ...if you are more into the comfort racer look at the Giant OCR2
or pay 300 bucks more for a more aggressive full 105 10speed equipped bike
like the Ninja .
Steve
Ideal

Steve wrote:


Shogun are still around made by Merida , we do have a size XL Ninja with a
full 10 speed 105 groupset here on the floor in WA plus all the other
sizes.

I'd like to come in for a look at this. I'm sure everyone will forgive
the crass commercialism of you answering this question (just this
once), but where are you?

Steve wrote:
If it is the model you linked to there is not much 105 on it , more of a
Tiagra bike ...if you are more into the comfort racer look at the Giant OCR2
or pay 300 bucks more for a more aggressive full 105 10speed equipped bike
like the Ninja .

Is this just a matter of looks?

I'm after a good commuting bike, something for going to work on and
having nice fast rides on some of the interesting bike paths near me.
(I live in Thornlie, Gosnells has some interesting bike paths which are
quite hilly and curvey. I want to go through some of these curves at
speed and the paths can occasionally be a bit iffy with detritus and
sand, therefore I want a bike with reasonably good handling for
obstacle avoidance...)

As a (as I understand it) bike shop guy, what $2K or less bikes would
you recommend?

93377670
370 South St O'Connor
halfway 'tween Murdoch & Freo.



"Travis" wrote in message
oups.com...

Steve wrote:


Shogun are still around made by Merida , we do have a size XL Ninja with
a
full 10 speed 105 groupset here on the floor in WA plus all the other
sizes.

I'd like to come in for a look at this. I'm sure everyone will forgive
the crass commercialism of you answering this question (just this
once), but where are you?