This updated aluminium gravel bike is a little bit different, a little bit the same
Words LAURENCE KILPATRICK
Brighton-based Mason has been around since 2014, and in the past few years has made a name for itself in the world of endurance events. This is in part thanks to sponsorship of riders such as Angus Young, winner of the 600km Dales Divide and 2,000km Pan Celtic Race, and Josh Ibbett, who has won the 4,240km Transcontinental Race and 1,900km GBDuro. Mason says these rider relationships form part of a feedback loop in its development process, with bikes changing to suit the events.
To that end, the Bokeh, launched in 2016, is touted as an ‘adventure sport’ bike that treads a fine line between fast gravel and endurance riding.
‘Originally, the idea was that the Bokeh was fast and comfortable when there was a great deal of variable surface to be covered,’ says founder Dom Mason. ‘Since then we have introduced the InSearchOf and Exposure bikes, both of which are steel and aimed at more loading and longer, rougher adventures, so now we can aim the Bokeh 3 at faster, multiday trips away, with a moderate load for more regular resupply.’
Third time’s a charm
Much of the Bokeh 2 remains in the Bokeh 3, including the same custom-drawn aluminium frame tubing from Dedacciai. ‘People still have the impression that aluminium is harsh or brittle,’ says Mason, who is a huge advocate of the material. ‘This is almost the total opposite of our experience and rider feedback with the custom Dedacciai tubes we use. We don’t apply any post-weld finishing or sanding; what you see is straight out of the welder’s hand.’
Something else that remains the same is the geometry. The Bokeh 3 has a fairly tall stack and short reach (580mm and 383mm respectively for a size 56), which speaks to long days in the saddle, and a relatively long trail figure (65mm) to provide stability at speed.
There are some significant changes, however, the biggest of which is the fork. The Bokeh 3 now sports a Mason RangeFinder AS fork, which is the only piece of carbon on the bike and is also the fork used on Mason’s SLR and Exposure bikes. On the Bokeh version, the fork has more accessory mounts – tested to a 30kg load – and mounts for mudguards. It also offers greater clearance than previously, with the new Bokeh 3 being able to take up to 55mm tyres on 650b rims, or 45mm on 700c.
‘Other changes to the fork are the internal routing and a 12mm Switch Lever thru-axle, as well as the F-Stop replacea
