VISTA, CA (BRAIN)—Masi Bicycles has always been known for its rich racing heritage, but with its 2008 line it will exploring new territory for the first time.
Masi will have a total of three models within its new comfort/cruiser line. According to Masi brand manager Tim Jackson, the company has been eyeing this segment of the market for a long time.
“Let’s face it, road—more specifically race bikes—had to slow down eventually,” Jackson said. “The market is expanding into more categories all the time, but the commuter/hybrid/utility bike category is one that particularly appeals to me.”
For its first attempt at a cruiser bike, it looks like Masi hit the mark. The SoulVille—a city bike with soul—has clean lines with an elegant and refined look—something you might see at the Handmade Bike Show.
“We drew some of our inspiration from the Bianchi Milano and the Retrotec bikes made by Curt Inglis, but the design has been around for decades with the old bikes of Europe,” Jackson said. “The SoulVille is going to have company too. We see this model becoming its own little franchise of bikes. Maybe it’ll only be one more model, but it could be two or three more.” SoulVille will retail for $820.
For complete story, check out the Oct 1 Bicycle Retailer and Industry News. —Jason Norman
