EPS 4. UN AUTRE REGARD SUR LE VÉLO - CAD(R)E MEDIA PROJECT 1/3

A rather unique project, carried out with the CADE MEDIA team. Or rather, for this occasion, with CAD(R)E MEDIA. The idea is simple. Four bikes. Four identical builds. The same wheels, the same groupsets, the same tires, the same components, the same riding position. And above all, four frames built around the same geometry. Only one thing changes: the frame material. Aluminum, carbon, steel, and titanium. Four different ways of building a bike. All manufactured and painted in Italy, by the artisans we work with every day. Since the beginning of Massacan, we've tried to champion a certain vision of cycling: well-made frames, deliberate technical choices, and above all, an honest and pragmatic approach. No miracle materials, no magic rhetoric, no ready-made truths. At Massacan, we have a rather rare advantage: we're not limited to a single material. Depending on the project, our desires, and the intended use, we can work with aluminum, carbon fiber, steel, or even titanium if the mood strikes us. This freedom completely changes the way we look at cycling. We don't need to claim that one material is superior to all others simply because it's the one we offer. On the contrary, this project is an opportunity to compare them side-by-side, under the same conditions, to try to understand what each one truly brings to the table. It's also a way to challenge ourselves. We love our bikes, we believe in our choices, but we don't want to become entrenched in our assumptions. Perhaps some differences will be obvious. Perhaps others will be much more subtle than expected. Perhaps some preconceived notions will be shattered, or conversely, some feelings will be confirmed. That's precisely what makes the project interesting: not trying to be right before we've even ridden it. The four bikes will be assembled at Rifugio in Nice, using exactly the same components, including Miche wheels. Same build, same tires, same riding position, same intended use. The goal is simple: ride, compare, feel, measure when possible, and discuss it openly. There's also a real question of cost/benefit ratio. A material can be lighter, rarer, more complex to work with, or more prestigious (although this last point deserves its own debate), without the perceived benefit on the bike necessarily being proportional to the price difference. At what point does a technical difference become truly noticeable? And at what point does it become more a matter of pleasure, desire, or subjective attachment to a material? This project isn't about saying that an expensive material is useless, nor that a more affordable material is always sufficient. Rather, it's about putting things into perspective. Each material has its qualities, its limitations, its manufacturing cost, and the associated imagery. Ultimately, the best bike will always be the one that makes you want to ride. The one that matches your feel, your riding style, and your own vision of cycling. There won't be one winner. There will be four excellent bikes, four different ways to achieve the same enjoyment. CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introduction: Why this project with CADE MEDIA? We've been fans of CADE MEDIA's podcast and videos for a long time. We love their way of talking about cycling: with substance, curiosity, humor, and above all, no fluff. At Massacan, we try to champion the same approach: well-made bikes, deliberate choices, and a desire to speak frankly about what we make. 04:00 - A different perspective on cycling The cycling industry, common misconceptions about materials, and why we wanted to make a more honest, simpler, and more factual comparison. 7:45 AM - Same bike, four materials One model, one geometry, one build. Aluminum, carbon, steel, and titanium: Only the frame material changes. 9:40 AM - Frames made in Italy Handcrafted, hand-painted, and with Italian expertise behind each of the four frames. 12:10 PM - The Scapada: Our test platform We wanted to see what the material really makes a difference, both on the road and on trails. The Scapada was perfect for this: a fast, versatile bike, made for riding hard without being afraid to venture off-road. 3:30 PM - Behind a frame: weight, tubing, manufacturing, and cost Where do the tubes come from? How are the frames made? What impact does this have on weight, price, production, and technical choices? 6:00 PM - Can you really feel a difference? Is carbon really the holy grail? Is titanium so different from aluminum? Does steel truly possess that extra something? And above all: What does it really feel like to work with it? @Cade_Media @MICHEcomponents