Comments on: Demo Ride: Masi Soulville

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 23:59:29 +0000

I just took a test drive on one today in Colorado. What a sweet bike. I love it. I like the clean handlebars WITHOUT any brake levers. It brakes with the slightest of pressure… even at 6 and 12 o’clock.
I haven’t skidded in 40 years… makes me feel young again. The only change I would like to feel is to put it on a diet and lose about 6 of the 30 pounds I rode.
Keep it simple and clean.
Tim, I ride a Medici…

By: Mettleurge

Mettleurge — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:32:37 +0000

On the Nexus 8-speed (w/a 44 t front) you only need the creeper gears if you are going up pretty steep hills, and then you need more brakes than this.

The Bianchi Milano has all of that. I ride mine hard. This seat is probably better than the bianchi stock, but seat should always be personally chosen, anyhow.

By: Mooseworth

Mooseworth — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 22:30:33 +0000

I’ve got one, and believe me, it is a sweet ride. The downside? I don’t ride it enough to break in that gorgeous leather seat. As for all the “It needs this, it needs that…” – if you start adding crap to it, you are defeating the purpose. This looks like like a single speed with the convenience of a few gears. It’s perfect – well, the seat is a brick and I would love a cool looking rack and basket to match….

Steel is real!

By: Bluto

Bluto — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 06:40:47 +0000

I bought one and REALLY like it, works great for commuting and around town…however the seat is an iron hard POS (a very poor imitation of a Brooks) and this bike is waaay too fast (since it has gears) for just a coaster brake. I fixed these things by changing the seat to a real Brooks and adding a front brake, but this should not have been necessary…the need for a decent seat and front brake is glaring

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 07:42:18 +0000

I’d love to buy one of these, but still looking for a couple things: Front and rear hand operated brakes. Whatever type, I’d make due (skip the coaster brake – I’ll do skids on my collection of Stingrays). Discs are nice but would add a lot to the cost…I’ve ridden my old hand built Klein MBs on some tough trails with cantis), and I don’t think this bike cries for awesome downhill braking performance.

Aesthetically, I’d like to see brazed on cable stops instead of guides for full-length cables. It would look cleaner, and not distract from the frame design as much. Also, it would look better if someone wanted to turn it into a fixie. Cable stops could be on the downtube for the shifter cable and along the back stay, plus a set for the rear brakes.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 07:31:49 +0000

Ummm… can I get it with a banana seat and Schwinn style RamsHorn Fastback bars?

Add to my wish list a Campagnolo Elephante stick shift on the top tube

By: sunny

sunny — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:17:37 +0000

my LBS has some of these, they are 8 speed, and for another hundred you can get a hub brake on the front, which looks totally cool. I rocked a Kronan for a while, only rear coaster brake, I loved it, but it did add to the danger level. I’m seriously thinking about getting one of these. it seems a bit more than just a beer bike to me. paying retail is going to be hard though.

By: scott

scott — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 21:34:09 +0000

how much does it weigh?
what sizes are available?
is that a seven or an eight speed?

By: Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 15:05:48 +0000

I should add that most of my gripes with the bike are because I am jealous of those who can buy such a bike — I would LOVE to be able to afford this “fashion bike” and have the storage space to add it to my fleet — it IS a beautiful machine, after all!

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 13:24:12 +0000

This is more or less the very thing I have wanted for a long time, a 700c beach cruiser. Maybe it is more upscale than a classic beach cruiser, but they are on to something I will buy with this concept. It is 700c right?