Mason has updated its steel Resolution frameset with the company's latest fork and an exclusive, thru-axle/flat mount rear end, with the latter designed in collaboration with UK-based Bear Frame Supplies.
Available in a range of full builds or as a frameset only option, the steel Resolution2 comes in three colours and prices begin at £1,495 for the frameset.
Mason is based in Brighton on the south coast of the UK and is headed up Dom Mason, who is approaching two decades of bike design after a long and successful stint at Kinesis Bikes.
However, after designing multiple successful bikes that were built in Taiwan, Dom changed tack and started Mason with a view to making the ultimate four-season bike, handcrafted by artisan bicycle frame builders in small workshops in Italy.
As Mason's bikes developed and the brand grew, the company has turned into one of the most respected brands for ultra-endurance riding, with Josh Ibbett winning the legendary Transcontinental bike race across Europe aboard a Mason.
While Mason claims its bikes are still the ultimate four-season bike without compromise, they have also embraced the ultra-endurance, cross-continental riding that has grown in popularity in recent years and has adopted the #FastFar hashtag for the brand.
The company continues to go from strength to strength and after nearly two years of focusing on the five-star-rated Mason Bokeh, the Mason team returned to their original steel frameset with several subtle updates, which Dom Mason describes as 'perfect'.
While the bike industry will always find a new standard and technologies, Mason has future-proofed this bike for a few years at least.
Speaking with BikeRadar in Bristol, Dom Mason said about his bikes: "One thing is that we're never led by fashion, we're led by function. We're led by new components and will update as and when new technology comes along."
Updates and key features
The most prominent feature on the Mason Resolution2 is the near thru-axle/flat-mount stainless steel dropout, which was designed exclusively for this bike.
Designed with Bear Frame Supplies, the new dropout area means the hourglass-profiled stays are retained, which are vital for the ride quality of the bike, says Mason.
The dropouts are inserted into the rear of the seat stay tubes, keeping the same geometry and ride quality as the first version of the frameset but improving stiffness at the rear of the bike, as well as being able to use flat-mount disc brake standard and thru-axles.
An aluminium rear derailleur hanger is secured to the inside of the dropout through a single stainless steel screw. While the stiffness of the dropouts will contribute to excellent power transfer and handling, seamless gear shifting is executed by keeping the two vital aspects of this area separate.
At the front end of the bike, the Mason Resolution2 uses the brand's Aperture2 fork, which Mason designed and commissioned specific tooling for construction of the carbon fork.
Like the rear dropouts, the fork features replaceable thru-axle inserts ensuring any cross-threading doesn't mean scrapping the fork. As expected, the fork also features internal routing, full mudguard clearance and space for 30mm+ tyres.
Individually selected Columbus Spirit and Life tubes are combined with what Mason calls 'Progressive Geometry' and Dom Mason searched far and wide in Italy to find a high-quality, small artisan frame builder to build the company's frames. Don't expect Dom to tell you where the workshop is though.
The tubing features 'MultiPort' cable routing, allowing for internal, external or blanked ports for your cable routing or wireless shifting preferences. The redesigned hydraulic brake hoses outlets are also designed to align perfectly with the flat mount standards.
Many will be pleased to hear that the Mason Resolution2 also features a 68mm, threaded BSA bottom bracket for 'creak-free reliability over many miles'.
Mason aims for the frames to last a lifetime, with any wearing parts able to be replaced.
Mason offers the Resolution2 frameset in 'Shutter Black', 'Lens Blue' or 'Element Grey' and the frame is offered in five sizes of 2cm increments from 50cm up to 60cm, although special orders for 48cm and 62cm frames are also available.
Full-build packages are available with SRAM Red eTap (photographed), Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, Shimano Ultegra Di2, Shimano Ultegra mechanical or Shimano 105 and are priced from £3,140 up to £5,445.
Mason added: "This bike has come around to being something more than I could've imagined in the first place and we can really start getting behind it. I'm pretty confident there's nothing out there like this, made in a little Italian workshop with unique components made for us.
"The frame is worthy of a high-end groupset without the need to feel embarrassed by it. It's a pretty unique thing."
Mason Resolution2 complete specificaiton
- Frame: Mason Resolution2 Flat-Mount/Thru-Axle Columbus Spirit/Life performance steel frame
- Fork: Mason Aperture full carbon fork
- Front brake: SRAM Red HRD, 160mm rotor
- Rear brake: SRAM Red HRD, 160mm rotor
- Brake/shift levers: SRAM Red eTap HRD
- Front derailleur: SRAM Red eTap
- Rear derailleur: SRAM Red eTap
- Cassette: SRAM Red XG1190, 11-28
- Chain: SRAM PC1190 Hollowpin
- Crankset: SRAM Red, 50/34 carbon
- Bottom bracket: SRAM GXP, BSA 68mm threaded
- Wheelset: Hunt 30CarbonAero Disc
- Tyres: Schwalbe G-One, 30mm
- Handlebars: Deda Superzero carbon
- Stem: Deda Superzero
- Headset: Deda Low profile, carbon top cover, integrated
- Tape/grips: Fabric Knurl
- Pedals: n/a
- Saddle: Fabric Scoop Shallow, Pro Carbon
- Seat post: Mason Penta carbon
- Bottle cages: n/a
- Weight (claimed): 8kg
- Price: £5,340 (as photographed)
See more at Mason Cycles.