Bike test: Steel road bikes

To introduce this test, I’m going to cheat and quote Cycle magazine editor Dan from when we exchanged emails about it: “Surveys tell us that road bikes are now the most popular type of bike among Cycling UK members.

“That’s what we’re testing here. Not tourers. Not gravel bikes. Not race bikes. Quality, general-purpose road bikes that are brisk, comfortable and practical.”

But with alloy, carbon fibre and titanium frames all available, why is the oldest, heaviest frame material – steel – still popular for this sort of bike? The surprisingly different ride feel of the two bikes here, Condor’s Fratello and Mason’s Resolution 3, go a long way to explaining why ferrous bikes have so many fans.

Frame and fork

Before we get into the differences between the two bikes, there are some clear similarities. Both frames are handmade in Italy using triple-butted (three wall thickness in each main tube), internally corrosion-proofed, Italian Columbus Omnicrom steel.

The Fratello is made from ‘Spirit’, the Resolution 3 a mix of ‘Spirit’ and ‘Life’. Both bikes have carbon fibre forks.

Frames and forks have clearance for 35mm tyres or 32mm with mudguards – which both bikes have fittings for, as well as four-point rear rack eyelets and a brace of bottle cage mounts.

Each bike has internal main-frame and fork routing for the disc brake hoses, front hub dynamo wiring through the fork, 12mm axles front and rear and conventional gear hangers.

The swappable hardware for the ‘Smart’ gear routing on each bike also looks very similar. It allows you to fit blanking plates if you use a SRAM AXS wireless or a Shimano Di2 electronic groupset.

While the Condor’s cable shift routing is external, the Mason’s cables are routed internally right to the dropouts. The Resolution 3’s use of an oversize T47 bottom bracket shell enables the rear brake hose to run internally the whole way, too. The Fratello has a traditional BSA design and partly external hose routing.

The literal big difference between the two frames, however, is tube diameters. The Spirit pipework of the Condor changes from 32×38mm to 35×36mm on the hexagonal down tube and 33×24mm to 33×25mm on the rectangular top tube.

The D-shaped Life down tube on the Mason morphs from 43×45mm to 45×43.5mm, and 35×30mm to 35×35mm on the top tube. The rear stays on the Condor are also slimmer, with extended sections of simple plate on both chainstays and a much thinner head tube than the Mason.

In terms of cosmetics, Condor offers five colours with reflective logo panels to Mason’s three hues and more subtle but extensive graphics. Metal head badges and internal corrosion treatment are common to both bikes.

Components

Despite different groupsets from Campagnolo and SRAM, and variations in the Deda build kits, complete bike weights are similar enough to have a negligible outcome on performance.

Mason and Condor both let you choose the specification from a large range of options, so commenting on specific transmission and braking traits is largely irrelevant here.

Interestingly, despite carbon rims, the Campagnolo Shamal wheels of the Condor are actually fractionally heavier than the alloy-rimmed Hunt Aerodynamicists (1,565g versus 1,585g). I swapped them over for part of the testing to isolate the effect of the wheels and different width and brand of tyre on the overall ride, just to be sure I’d levelled the playing field.

Ride

However level things look on the scales, the differences in ride between the Mason and Condor are immediate and clear. From the first pedal stroke the larger diameter tubes and bottom bracket of the Resolution 3 give it a firmer, more positive response to effort.

The stouter fork and head tube give a more direct connection through the handlebar. Add a significantly slacker head tube (71.5ºcompared to 73.5º) longer trail (69mm versus 55mm) and a longer wheelbase (1020mm versus 997mm), it’s obviously more stable and surefooted in its stance.

I found that reassuring and was a lot more confident carrying speed as a result. Less front-end flop and more rear drive encouraged me to climb and sprint combatively on the Resolution 3, too.

In contrast, the slimmer tubes, longer plate sections on the chainstays and conventional bottom bracket of the Condor lay power down more smoothly and sedately. The skinny main tubes, fork legs and head tube of the Fratello are more flexible and springy.

In conjunction with the steeper head angle and a narrower handlebar, the result is a faster-reacting, borderline flighty front end despite the deeper-section wheels holding a course more readily than swerving easily. Toe overlap on the mudguards is more of a potential issue, which made me more on edge riding the Condor.

Given the likely demographic of riders choosing steel frames, I lined up some swap-around testing sessions with friends of more traditional tastes than my admittedly gravel/MTB-tainted views.

They clicked with the faster-steering, easier-to-correct handling of the Fratello, even on faster, swerving descents. In contrast, they felt the Mason could be on the stubborn and unresponsive side – particularly when trying to thread through potholed or rough road sections or climbing out of the saddle.

Failing to avoid holes and ruts highlighted the stiffer ride of the Mason compared to the gliding ride of the slim-tubed Condor. This not only influences a difference in comfort levels through the bars, saddles and pedals when swapping between the two bikes.

It also affected the traction and feedback levels, with the Mason having a clearer, brighter road feel, while being more likely to rattle or skip out of grip in turns or under power than the more compliant Condor.

As mentioned previously, I swapped wheels to double check it wasn’t just the difference in rubber brand and volume or the distinctive tripled spoke layout of the Campagnolo wheels distorting comparison.

While these traits will polarise riders, I’d say that they match each bike very well. The brighter feel and more progressive handling matches the modern fixtures and aesthetic of the Resolution 3, whereas the more traditional character of the Fratello is reflected in its ride and look.

It also aligns the Condor much more closely with the lithe and sinuously smooth ride that tubing cognoscente would expect from a ferrous frame. By contrast, the Resolution 3 is closer to aluminium in its taut feel, which comes at the expense of occasional punishment over the roughest roads.

Although you can specify either frame with whatever equipment you want, both bikes feel holistically correct as they are. The choice of Campagnolo, with its lengthy road race heritage, feels right when you consider that Condor has been in business since 1948.

Even though Resolution designer Dom Mason had years of bike design experience at Kinesis before setting up Mason 10 years ago, he’s a relative newcomer to the steel-frame scene.

And compared to Campagnlo, SRAM (which the Resolution uses) is regarded as the new kid despite producing parts since the 1980s and subsuming storied brands such as Sachs into its family over the years.

Verdict

The Resolution 3 is an unashamedly modern interpretation of a steel all-rounder, with clean looks, stable handling and punchy power transfer for a steel bike. That gives it a muscular rather than mellow overall feel that brings it close to an alloy frame – not least Mason’s own Definition, which is both lighter and cheaper.

In contrast, the Condor is an update of the classic ‘clubman’ bikes that formed the majority of the York CTC Easy Riders group that I used to join as a young teen over 40 years ago. It prioritises a smooth glide over stand-up grunt, but still with fast handling for when the café ride becomes a criterium race.

Whichever you prefer, both show that steel still certainly has its place in the materials menu of modern cycling.

Other options

Pashley Roadfinder Campagnolo Chorus £3,995

Pashley’s new Reynolds 853 all-rounder combines traditional UK craftsmanship and hand painting with 3D printing and bang up-to-date features like T47 BB, UDH dropouts and 40mm tyre clearance.

Shand Stooshie £4,320

Recently returning to UK-made independence, Shand has reduced its range slightly but still offers the super versatile, extensively customisable, Columbus-Life-tubed Stooshie all-rounder.

First published in Cycle magazine, October/November 2025 issue. All information correct at time of publishing.