Mason Definition Integrale road bike review: the aluminium endurance bike gets a speed boost

Mason may have been around for only 12 years or so, but in that time they have cemented a solid reputation for high-quality, no-nonsense bikes. Choosing steel, titanium and aluminium over carbon, the British brand is a firm favourite amongst adventurous riders, and whilst you might not see one of their bikes on a Grand Tour podium, they have had great success in endurance and gravel racing as well as in less competitive but more intrepid ventures.

The aluminium Definition has been a stalwart of its line-up for a while, and this frame, the Definition 3, is, yep, the third iteration of it. Ultra-endurance racer Josh Ibbet used the original Definition to win the 2015 Transcontinental race, showing that metal bikes could still compete with more exotic materials, and it has improved since then.

The Integrale version ups the ante again with greater integration, a different fork and a lower stack height, offering a combination of the Definition’s long-distance abilities and a bit more speed. Of course, as with all of Mason’s bikes, the exact spec and componentry sizing is up to you.

Design details

Classic-with-a-twist is how I would describe the Definition Integrale’s aesthetics. The round aluminium tubes in beautiful gloss white with full-height seat stays look timeless, but the stays both have kinks in them, and the carbon fork also has an unusual shape.

A brushed brass head tube badge, which matches the colour of the writing on the forks, looks super classy.

The aluminium tubing, made by Dedacciai for Mason, eschews the cable ports of the standard model, opting for fully internal routing compatible only with electronic groupsets for a cleaner, more streamlined look. Whilst the welds are visible, they are clean and neat. The frame has retained the mudguard mounts of the original, though, with some very subtle mounts on the upgraded Mason x Deda AR tapered carbon fork. Mason says that tyre clearance is good for 35mm rubber, or 32mm if mudguards are fitted. There is still routing for a dynamo hub too; perfect for ultra-long, non-stop adventures.

Eight sizes are available, from 48cm to 62cm, in Prism Green or Process White, and the SRAM Force test bike weighed 8.26kg without pedals.

Specifications

Stack and reach on the Integrale come in at a surprisingly racey 567.5mm and 392.5mm, some 12.2mm lower and 4.2mm longer than the standard Definition 3, and pretty much into race bike territory. However, the long wheelbase and 71.5-degree head tube angle are more akin to a gravel bike, hopefully combining to give the bike both speed and stability.

It’s hard to argue with the choice of SRAM’s 2x Force groupset. Like Shimano’s second-tier Ultegra Di2, it delivers nearly all the performance of the top groupset at a significant discount, and I haven't been happy with it on a bike. The ergonomics are superb, and the option to easily switch batteries if needed seems like a great idea for continent-crossing epics. Another thing I really like about the SRAM drivetrain is its Orbit damper system in the rear derailleur, which all but eliminates chain slap and makes for a lovely, quiet ride even on terrible road surfaces.

The review bike (specced by the previous tech editor of Cycling Weekly, not Mason) had a few expensive options that I’m not sure really suited the bike. Deda’s Alanera DCR one-piece handlebars are lovely, but they cost over £700 / $960, or half the value of the frame, and whilst I am all for spending money on good wheels, the Hunt 44_46 Aerodynamicist Carbon wheels also add a lot to the build cost. The 34mm Vittoria Corsa N.EXT tyres seemed like an appropriate choice for an endurance machine, though, and the Fizik Vento Argo Adaptive R1 is a great saddle, albeit an expensive one.

The Definition Integrale uses a threaded bottom bracket and Universal Derailleur Hanger, which makes a lot of sense.

Performance

It had been a long time since I’d ridden an aluminium bike, but the reputation of the Mason brand and the Definition preceded it, so I thought I had an inkling of what it would be like. Mason bikes aren’t designed to be on the podium after four or five hours of racing; they are designed to be there after four or five days or even weeks of competition. I doubt very much that Pogacar’s Y1RS includes a dynamo port…

Unfortunately, my time with the bike was limited, so I couldn't head off across any continents and had to make do with shorter rides in the Peak District.

My position on the bike felt pretty good – I didn’t feel like I was too upright, and I was sat a little bit forward over the bottom bracket, as I prefer to. I would have liked to remove a couple of spacers, but with the stem and top cap design, it wasn’t straightforward.

Out on my local hills and poorly surfaced roads on my own, there was much more chatter from the road surface than I was expecting, even with 34mm tyres fitted at the Silca-prescribed 55psi. The oversized seatstays transmitted lots of vibrations, which seemed at odds with the near-silent, slap-free ride provided by SRAM’s Orbit system. It wasn’t exactly unpleasant, but I had, perhaps unfairly, expected a serene, steel-like ride quality from the lovely-looking Dedacciai aluminium frame.

The bike also felt less stable than I expected, a trait which I think I tracked down to the tyre and wheel choice – Hunt’s 44_46 Aerodynamicist wheels only have an internal width of 22mm, and are designed for 28-30mm tyres. The 34mm Vittorias ballooned out from the rims and created a bit of a scoop that caught the wind. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any other wheels with a SRAM freehub to swap in.

While 8.4kg (with pedals) isn't heavy for a bike, the weight is in the frame rather than the components, and at 1,780g, it is a fair chunk more than many carbon frames. This manifested itself when trying to press on out of the saddle; the bike didn’t feel happy being chucked from side to side, and progress was far better made seated using the gears.

It was a similar story when trying to keep up with rapid pace changes on group rides; the bike was slow to kick down and accelerate, preferring to keep a steady speed aided by the lower ride position and long wheelbase. Of course, this isn’t really what the Definition is designed for, and it is no surprise that it felt like hard work against thoroughbred race bikes.

Value

In the exact spec of the test bike, value isn’t the first word that springs to mind. A few tasty options push the bike’s cost up to £5,975 / $8,045, which feels like an awful lot for an aluminium endurance bike. However, look further down the price list and the Definition Integrale starts at just £3,400 / $4,578, still with a wireless SRAM groupset, but Rival rather than Force, and without the one-piece handlebar or deep carbon wheels.

This feels like a much more natural place for the bike. You still get the same robust aluminium frame and more aggressive geometry, and, perhaps most importantly, you can still choose the size of components like the stem or crank. With a few judicious choices, you should end up with a bike that fits you perfectly for a reasonable price.

The Definition isn’t a race bike, or even a pseudo-race bike. It is designed to take the rough with the smooth day after day, year after year, and still work well in any conditions. The Integrale version offers a more aggressive fit, but is still aimed at audaxers, tourers, and trans-continental competitors rather than crit racers.

High-spec aluminium bikes are thin on the ground, as most brands use them as entry-level frames and then move into carbon higher up the range. Cannondale’s Caad14 is one option, but it is a race bike, so it's not really relevant; by comparison, the Force-equipped version is £500 more than the test bike.

Widen the search, and Cervelo’s smooth-riding, carbon-framed Caledonia is £5,200 / $6,499 (Caledonia-5 is £7,000 / $8,999), the Fairlight Strael 4.0 is £4,049 / $5452, and Standert’s Pfadfinder is €4,999 / $5765, with Force, both made from steel.

In all these cases, you choose your preferred frame material and accept the potential shortcomings for its perceived advantages, be that weight, ride quality or robustness.

Tech spec

• Price: £5,975 / $8,045
• Brand: Mason
• Frame: Mason x Dedacciai custom-shaped performance aluminium
• Fork: Mason x Deda AR carbon 
• Weight: 8.26kg / 18.2lbs
• Sizes: 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62cm
• Levers: SRAM Force AXS
• Brakes: SRAM Force 160/160mm front/rear
• Rear derailleur: SRAM Force AXS
• Front derailleur: SRAM Force AXS
• Crankset:  SRAM Rival 48/35T
• Bottom bracket: SRAM DUB BSA
• Cassette: SRAM Force
• Chain: SRAM Force
• Wheels: Hunt 44_46 Aerodynamicist
• Tyres: Vittoria Corsa N.EXT 34mm
• Bar/stem: Deda Alanera DCR one-piece
• Saddle: Fizik Vento Argo Adaptive R1