[svrh]

I think most of us would agree that the syncr is a cool bike we would all love to own.
But the option was 3 thousand dollars for the carbon and the cool components.. or 1k for a weird mix up of components and no dropper post..

but than there is the mason 2 with no special components... but it has everything you want minus a fox 34... all for a reasonable price of just a little more than 1 thousand dollars via corporate discount. For me the choice was easy. I wanted a bike that would be a good option for bikepacking and also a fun bike to put a bigger chain ring on and train on the local xc trails/have fun in the muddy spring weather(snowy atm)


The color is muted a bit due to the snow but it is a much darker red than the website suggest.
My biggest reasons for buying this bike is i really dig how it looks and the components are similar enough to my release 2 that i do not need any new tools to maintain this bike.

There is not a lot of info or love for this bike online. I am posting this to potentially give feedback to anyone who may be considering this bike. considering the snow.. i do not have a lot of time on this bike lol.. but i am road tripping to socal in about a week and will be bringing this bike with me. still deciding if i am also bringing my full suspension or not but this one for sure.

 

[worman86]

I have been trying to decide between the same bikes. I’m looking forward to an update after your trip and how it rides. Good luck and have fun with the new bike it looks great!

 

[Tiboy]

Seems like a fair price and an OK build. Things that DB saved money on, steel chainring, Vee Ruber tires, fork. Trek Roscoe would be another option in that price range.

 

[svrh]

A little update on the mason 2

I have been getting ready for my road trip and in playing around on my bike today I noticed something that made me laugh for not noticing during my initial bike inspection..

I had noticed a few days prior that my chain ring is smaller than what DB suggests.. a 28 instead of a 30. but what really surprised is my rims are 35 ID alex rims and not DB blanchard 38 ID rims that they advertised.

a quick comparason of my 32 tooth chain ring and the 28 that came with the bike.

here is the clearance with the 32 tooth chain ring. i am pretty sure this will rub under frame flex but i will know once i have my chain sized for the new chain ring. Probably will end up putting a real 30 tooth on it instead.

this one is what i overlooked on the rim. i think i assumed it was blanchard rims because of the DB logo. but when i first got the bike i was quite surprised how light they felt. These wheels are Alex rims with a 35 ID; which tbh is not much of a deal breaker for me because 35 ID rims means i could run these at lower tire width should i choose too. but they probably wont run 3.0 tires well..

As i stated in another post nothing else seems to be different than DB advertised. Trans X or Brand X or the JD w.e is all the same brand dropper post, Level T brakes, judy fork, NX eleven by drivetrain raceface crank, in fact a steel chain ring lol and a heavy one at that.

 

[svrh]

Mason 2 update

So I just got back from a road trip where i took two friends on a trip to LA.
I had expected to spend time riding trails in the LA area. However, spending a couple days there in Hollywood and Venice beach and well i was ready to leave after i dropped them off at the airport. So as soon as i could leave California I did and i went to some trails on the outskirts of Vegas instead. Camped out and spent the day riding white mesa project trails according to trail forks.

First off I want to say to anyone who rides in this area or wants too.. these trails are so well maintained and fun.. there all pretty intermediate to easy trails.. but they all connect and climb to the top of ridges than descend quite fast back down. great XC kind of trails that mix in small technical climbs and random drops.

The Mason 2 was a great bike for all these kind of trails. Climbed so well and felt so balanced that i was able to clean stuff first try that I do not think i could of cleaned so easily on my release 2. Descending was so much fun I honestly forgot how much more fun it is to pump on a hard tail. This bike is exactly what i wanted; A better climbing bike that is fun in all situations.. cannot replace my full suspension because well a hard tail cannot smash through things like my full suspension can.. Its a different kind of fun and not better or worse.

I did not feel held back with the judy fork. There were only a few drops so not the best test however, in the respect that these trails are littered with small rocks, boulders, and loose dirt that will wash out your front wheel.. I do feel this fork did a great job keeping up; my front wheel only got loose once and was my fault for sure.


In this photo my bike and I are up on a ridge that follows the edge of the ridge with some small technical climbs. Yes, that is Vegas in the back drop.

This photo is from the same place but shows the kind of hills/ridges these trails are on. I spent all day having fun just riding to the top of all these ridges and back down. This bike handled all of it quite well.


also went to a pump track

 

[lpxaudio]

Great pictures, thanks for sharing.
Gotta head out to Vegas just for riding/camping

 

[footballphil87]

Mason 2 snow build.

I'm planning on making my Mason 2 a snow bike. what tires would you suggest? The stock tires just are not griping enough for me. I would like to be able to use it in the heavy mud and snow. cheers!