At over £2,700 the Massi has to have something to justify the price. And it does. That dosh will get you a frame that tips the scales at less than a kilogram – hence the Superlight name – with Shimano Dura-Ace levers and mechs, and a bike that oozes style and turns heads wherever you go. But will these touches and an all-up weight nudging 7.5kg make you quicker on the road, or just the envy of your more style-conscious friends?
- Frame & fork: A great-looking sub-kilo carbon frame and correspondingly light fork make a great combination (8/10)
- Handling: Smooth as silk ride quality. The Massi offers a great balance of speed and comfort, even over poor road surfaces (9/10)
- Equipment: Shimano’s Dura-Ace is at the heart of a great set of kit. And guess what? It all works absolutely perfectly (9/10)
- Wheels: Smooth running pair of Fulcrums but they’re a bit less than we’d expect on a bike at this price (6/10)
It’s no surprise to see Dura-Ace specced on a bike that costs this much. In fact, Shimano’s top-end groupset – along with Fulcrum’s Ultra Torque chainset – will account for a good chunk of the overall price. Fulcrum – Campag’s spin-off company – not only provides the chainset, the flash-looking carbon Ultra Torque, but also the wheels. Always good to see the big two companies working in tandem.
Massi itself provides a lot of the other componentry, including the headset, stem, bars and a popular leather saddle. The Superlight Pro is also available in different builds with Campag and Shimano groupsets or as a frame alone.
If there’s one area where our test Massi appeared seriously underspecced it was the wheels. The mid-level Fulcrum Racing 5 wheelset is a decent performing set of hoops, but a sub-£200 wheelset is the sort of thing we’d expect to find on a bike costing two grand – not on one at this more rarefied price. If you’re using this bike for fast riding, fitness riding or sportive-type riding they’ll be absolutely fine, but if you’re planning some serious competitive outings this is the one part of the bike we’d consider changing.
Overall, the Massi is fast and the handling is everything you’d expect of a race bike at this price. The genuinely lightweight carbon fibre frame really comes into its own – not only does it offer a serious turn of speed when you put your foot down, with no unwanted flex, but it does it in a way that is supremely comfortable. It sailed over Bath’s rutted road surfaces as if the cracks, bumps and potholes weren’t even there.
Sumptuous is the best word to describe the Massi’s ride quality (any reference to magic carpets is banned); this bike was simply a joy to ride.
