Masi Speciale Strada vs Kona Honky Tonk

[swilsmore]

Hi guys,

I need your help. I am looking for a steel winter training road bike. I have come across a few good candidates in the Kona honky tonk (2014) and the Masi Speciale strada (2014) - maingly due to the price - I can't afford anything too luxurious. I love the look of the Masi, however, the tubing on the Kona is slightly nicer for a $200 difference (Reynolds 520). They both seem capable of doing the job for winter training, however, I need help deciding. If there is anything else worth looking at don't be afraid to share Which one would you go for, and why?

 

[CAMPYBOB]

The Kona has slightly better components hung on it.

Both have racy geometry with short head tubes.

The Masi has a shorter wheelbase.

I like the fork on the Masi better.

Any chance at a test ride on the Masi? If it rode the way my Masi's ride...I would buy it and start upgrading a component here and there as time/money allowed.

 

[danfoz]

I would personally go for the Kona's Reynolds tubing but have no idea how it rides, however overall I prefer the aesthetic of a horizontal top tube which is lacking on the Kona so would be equally torn.

I had a 2011 Speciale Premio frame which I equipped w/105. It was a decent bike but a little flexy around the BB (I seem to remember there was no chainstay bridge). I don't believe the ride would have resembled that of Dave Cutter's sweet Gran Criterium in Breaking Away but then again I didn't have the pleasure of riding one of the originals so can't say for sure but I did have some steel bikes back in the day that were both stiffer and lighter. I enjoyed riding it but sold it a couple years ago when I needed some cash. I used to think if only they could have put one out with 520 series or 853, and then the Gran Criterium redux came out a couple years later.

 

[swilsmore]

There isn't really a chance for me to test ride because I cannot find anywhere that currently stocks the Masi. I can easily get access to the Kona though. Getting a store to order in the Masi for a test ride - and potentially not buying it - wouldn't go down well I would imagine.

I'm still torn - I love the way the Masi looks with the horizontal top tube/paint job, but am not sure how their chromoly frame + fork compares to the Kona's Reynolds 520 tubing.

 

[danfoz]

Originally Posted by swilsmore

I love the way the Masi looks...

I recently confessed this on another thread: I have not test ridden a single bike I have owned, except the very first back in the early 80's. The main reason because that was the only bike I ever purchased (my mom did actually) as a complete bike.

Most every other bike (or more accurately, the combination of frame and parts) I've owned has been chosen based on aesthetic value (the #1 reason), a heavily discounted price, some romantic notion (maybe a pro I followed rode one), or some meaningless review in a bike rag... but ideally some combination of those qualities. Someone more sensible than myself would probably need some more objective criteria.

I fortunately never ended up on a bike I regretted, including my Masi Premio.

Only you however will be able to reflect on the decisions you have made at some point down the road. To be honest I doubt there would be any significant difference in the tubing characteristics between the Masi's generic cromo and the Kona's Reynolds tubing, and any variation of ride quality/characteristics between the two will probably be more attributable to geometry, but please take that with a grain of salt