Mason Resolution Force AXS

The cycling world has changed a lot since the original Mason Resolution (and its aluminium sibling Definition) was launched in 2015, but the updated Resolution 2 continues to offer the same impressive all-round appeal and long-distance comfort, with some minor updates that bring it bang up to date, namely 12mm thru-axles and flat-mount brakes. It's still a pricey proposition but the looks and ride quality might just be good enough to sway you over cheaper rivals.

• Pros: Ride quality, handling, comfort, looks
• Cons: A touch pricey

I have a soft spot for steel bikes, and the updated Resolution does nothing to diminish this love affair. It's silky smooth over all road surfaces, has a good turn of speed when you drop the hammer and the handling is predictable and very stable.

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This is a bike for doing long rides on. If comfort over long distance is what you look for in a road bike, the Resolution 2 will not disappoint. The ride quality is so lovely that it makes you want to get out and ride as much as you can, to stay on the road as long as your energy levels will sustain you.

Rough roads are handled with ease by the steel frame and cushy 30mm tyres, ensuring no nasty impact vibrations can ruin the ride. Poorly surfaced roads, the odd gravel track, potholes and other imperfections are all smoothed away by the Resolution.

The geometry gives you a comfortable riding position. It's not too stretched, slammed or tall, just the right balance of taking the strain off your back but putting you into an efficient stance.

It's not the liveliest or fastest handling bike in the world; if you like it frantic and nippy you'd be best off on a race bike. The Resolution isn't designed to scare the living daylights out of you on a descent, it's all about helping you to waft along country roads in comfort and notch up big miles in relative ease. It's calm, sedate and measured.

Through corners and on descents, the Resolution is very predictable. The steering leans heavily toward the lazy, relaxed end of the spectrum, meaning it remains composed in all situations. You can ride no-handed with ease and even hurtling through a high-speed bend, the steering isn't going to do anything erratic or catch you off guard.

The frame and fork reveal adequate stiffness when you're hauling up a steep climb, heaving on the cranks out the saddle. It's solid under heavy braking and even when I had a locked up rear tyre moment (thanks motorist for not looking before turning into my path) the slide was so predictable and the Resolution planted that it didn't escalate into a serious incident.

Frame and details

A lot has changed in the bike world since the Resolution first launched. Disc brakes and wide tyres are now commonplace, not the new trend they once were. These were two key pillars of the Resolution's design to provide four-season cycling capability, with mudguards during the winter and speed for summer epics.

The original Resolution rolled out of the company's Brighton HQ with quick release axles and post mount brakes, but since then 12mm thru-axles and flat-mount callipers have become de facto standard on drop bar bikes. The Resolution 2 gets brand new dropouts custom-designed by UK company Bear and matched up front by a new carbon fibre fork with neat replaceable thru-axle inserts.

Those small changes aside, the frame retains the same Columbus Life and Spirit tubing, the former providing the lovely ovalised top tube and the latter the D-shaped down tube, profiles that are intended to tune the ride quality and stiffness of the frame. There's a tapered head tube with internal cable routing with ports that can be easily adapted for different groupsets, whether mechanical, electronic or wireless.

Sensible details abound, including the threaded bottom bracket and provision for adding mudguards and a rear rack. More details include a repositioning of the brake hose routing on the chainstay to provide a smoother journey to the brake calliper.

There's even a chain pip for hanging the chain off when taking the rear wheel in and out. It's all about attention to detail here, including the stylishly understated decals, though there are one or two too many slogans for my taste.

Tyre clearance is generous and has increased from the original. It'll now take up to 35mm tyres, reducing to 30mm with mudguards. Mason says the actual tyre that will fit does depend on the specific choice as there are some variances: a 35mm Panaracer GravelKing fits but the SK version runs too close. If you're trying to fit wide gravel tyres to the bike you're probably better off with the Bokeh anyway.

The geometry is carried over from the previous model, and there are three colours to choose from: grey, black or blue.

Equipment

The bike on test costs £4,795 with a SRAM Force eTap AXS groupset. A Shimano 105-equipped bike kicks off the range at £3,140, or you can buy a frameset for £1,595 or a rolling chassis including Hunt wheels and a Mason seatpost for £1,953.

The Force eTap AXS groupset takes all the key technology and 12-speed gear ratios from SRAM's top-end Red groupset, but at a much more affordable price. The 48/31 chainset and 10-33 cassette provide a seamless cadence journey up and down the sprockets, and there's ample range for summiting steep climbs and bombing down hills. It works flawlessly, with instant gear changes, quiet running and no issues to speak of.

The Resolution is normally specced with Mason x Hunt 4Season V3 Disc wheels, but for an extra £150 you can upgrade to the Hunt 34 Aero Wide Discs, a new aero aluminium wheelset launched earlier this year, and which follow on from the carbon fibre 48 Limitless Wheels.

The new wheels feature a rim profile based on the carbon wheels, designed specifically for rim brakes, with a 26mm external width and 34mm-deep profile. They're laced to brand new Sprint 7.5 hubs with one of the loudest freehubs in the world, and Pillar PSR Wing spokes lacing everything together. They're tubeless-ready, naturally for a company that has trumpeted tubeless from the outset.

The best thing is, they cost just £479 which is pretty reasonable for the aero design and attention to detail, and the competitive 1,548g claimed weight.

I can't really verify the 'fastest allow disc brake wheelset in the world' claim, but they certainly felt rapid with the sort of speed you'd expect from a high-end carbon aero wheelset. The shallow profile means they handle well in strong crosswinds and there is ample stiffness to ensure they don't flex wildly when sprinting.

This was my first ride on Schwalbe's brand new Pro One tyres, tested in a 30mm width and installed tubeless, and colour me impressed. The revamped tyre is lighter than the old tyre while also being claimed to provide more grip and less rolling resistance. On the road it certainly impressed and seemed to live up to these claims, feeling very fast and reassuringly grippy in the corners, whether the road surface was dry or wet.

Mason continues to spec Deda handlebars and stems and Fabric saddles, and it's all good kit that works flawlessly. The Zero100 handlebar is made from aluminium and claimed to be one of the lightest on the market; claims aside, it has a pleasing shape with a 130mm drop and 75mm reach, which lets you spend quality time in the drops with no discomfort.

The Fabric Scoop is one of my favourite saddles, and is a shape that many people seem to get on with just fine. It's matched to some Fabric Knurl bar tape which feels lovely with no gloves on.

Value

The Mason Resolution stood out when it first launched, but four years later there are a lot more choices if you want a disc-braked, mudguard-wearing four-season bike.

If you want a steel frame from a British brand, you could consider the Fairlight Cycles Strael which is a bit cheaper and a bike Stu reckoned just pipped the original Mason Resolution because of the 'sublime ride'. Frames start at £1,199, so £400 less than the Mason, and various full builds are available to suit your budget.

Another British option is the Shand Cycles Rizello Disc which costs more at £1,950 for the frame, which makes the Mason look like good value, though Shand will custom paint the bike to make it really stand out. 

> Buyer's Guide: 21 of the best steel road bikes and frames

Offering a bit more do-it-all appeal, the Cotic Escapade is another British designed steel drop bar bike that originally launched in 2014, but this updated model is just as good on the road as it is on forest tracks according to Stu's review. You can get a frame for just £599, a full grand cheaper than the Mason, and a full bike with SRAM Apex 1 for £1,649.

Comparing with similarly priced £4k bikes opens up a lot of choices. You could check out the brand new Trek Domane SL 7 (£4,900) with its carbon frameset, disc brakes and 33mm wide tyre clearance, a down tube storage compartment, carbon wheels and Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset.

Sticking with steel, the lovely Ritchey Road Logic Disc Frameset costs £1,299 and comes from one of the most famous frame makers in the business. As well as the recent update to disc brakes, it'll take 30mm tyres and there's an external bottom bracket, but it does lack the mudguard eyelets of the Mason.

> Is there still a place for steel road bikes in the age of carbon fibre?

If you want titanium then the recently tested Genesis Croix de Fer Ti (£3,799) is cheaper as a whole bike, with Shimano's new GRX groupset and decent finishing kit. It does lean more towards mixed-terrain riding with clearance for up to 38mm tyres if you want to go down that route.

Summary

The Resolution is still a beautiful bike with hugely impressive ride quality and handling that is tailor-made for long-distance rides where comfort is a top priority, and the attention to detail is first class. You do pay for that attention to detail, though, and there are rivals that make the Mason look expensive, but if you can ignore the price premium you won't be disappointed.

Verdict

Comfortable distance-crushing steel road bike with an ace specification, but it's not cheap