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Kinesis Tripster AT or Mason Bokeh?

I want to swap my commuter/grim weather road/soft-road (gravel I guess!) frame to something that could take wider tyres (30mm min) with full guards, is capable of taking a rack, yet will still feel like a road bike around the Surrey hills.

Would love Ti but it's out of budget, & steel just seems too weighty (the extra will haunt me on those climbs!), so have narrowed my choice to a Tripster AT (head) or Bokeh (heart). I fear I'll always wish I spent the extra on the Mason (even though I could get 650b wheels with the difference).

Any advice/owner feedback welcome please

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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12 comments

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HaveLegsWillRide | 2 years ago
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Thanks again for the replies, in the end I ended up with a Dolan GXC. An earlier delivery date & upgrade discount made me change from my original GXA order.
So far it has been excellent both on & off road, feels solid but noticeably more sprightly on the climbs than my old alu frame.
The only negative has been the paint quality - a bit ropey around some bolt holes & chips easy. Overall very happy though 😀

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HaveLegsWillRide | 2 years ago
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Cheers all for the replies, if budget allows seems the heart/Bokeh wins...the weight penalty of steel equivalents (similar tyre clearances etc) still puts me off.
The Dolan GXA seems to fit the bill too, but finding reviews/owner feedback is tough

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Simon E replied to HaveLegsWillRide | 2 years ago
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HaveLegsWillRide wrote:

the weight penalty of steel equivalents (similar tyre clearances etc) still puts me off.

I wouldn't let a few hundred grams spoil it.

More important to buy the bike you will enjoy most - "heart/Bokeh wins" tells me you know which one you should get.

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Jigzy99 | 2 years ago
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I have a Tripster AT. It is a good all rounder but if I had the choice and could afford it I would absolutely go for the Mason Bokeh!  You could use some robust 30/32mm tyres that will be fine on the road and gravel and save up for the 650b wheels for rougher stuff.

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Stef Marazzi | 2 years ago
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Riders in my cycle group have both. Both are good for massive days out, but the Mason has an amazing paint job. I'd go with that!

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Spangly Shiny | 2 years ago
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Steel doesn't have to be heavy. Reynolds 853 is a wonderful tubeset, light and lively. I have a Wolfson frameset by The Light Blue and the whole bike build is 7.7 Kg with pedals, computer mount and bottle cages.

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Sniffer replied to Spangly Shiny | 2 years ago
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Agree steel can work.

Check out the Fairlight reviews.

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Secret_squirrel replied to Sniffer | 2 years ago
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+1 Fairlight Strael should be on your list.  Its a weapon!  I still miss mine even though I love the Ti frame that replaced it.

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Steve K replied to Secret_squirrel | 2 years ago
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Secret_squirrel wrote:

+1 Fairlight Strael should be on your list.  Its a weapon!  I still miss mine even though I love the Ti frame that replaced it.

If you can afford a Strael, you can also afford a Ti bike, eg the Ribble Endurance Ti.  I stress that's not to dismiss the Strael at all - it is clearly an absolutely lovely bike - but just to show the range of options available to the OP.

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Yavuz replied to Spangly Shiny | 2 years ago
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Your steel bike/frame has disc brakes?   

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Sniffer replied to Yavuz | 2 years ago
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Yes, my Strael does.

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Spangly Shiny replied to Yavuz | 2 years ago
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No, the Wolfson is long drop rim brake. I will not ever have a disc braked bike; too much faff and expense for not a lot of improvement.

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