Words James Ion - Photography courtesy of Massacan
As with all good ideas, this one occurred when a group of passionate cyclists came together with a drink and a burger. Lucie, Matthieu, and Thomas founded Massacan (which means ‘Big Rocks’ in Mentonnais) in 2022. They came together in stages, first Lucie and Matthieu over a shared love of off-road adventures in Menton then in Paris when the pair met with Thomas. It was not just a love of bikes that brought them together but also a shared passion for design and creativity, for making something new. On the slopes of Col d’Eze, they took the first steps to create their dream, their way.
Passion, Bikes and Marmots
Lucie fills the screen with an abundance of energy and passion as she talks about the founding of Massacan from their bike shop in Nice - Il Rifugio (The Refuge). “We came together as friends, first Mattieu and me then in Paris we meet Thomas. He came to stay with us in Nice and he said that he had to do this with us, and so Massacan was created”.
Right now the brand offers four different bikes, the original Paula is a pure GRVL bike, Fissa is their fixed bike, the Scapada is their “all road” bike and last but not least the latest edition the Paulette which is probably more like an endurance or adventure bike.
Each bike frame is handmade by expert frame builders in Italy using amazing welding on the Dedacciai aluminium frames. “We chose Aluminium over carbon as we wanted to ensure the longevity of the bikes” explains Lucie “But equally Aluminium can be beautiful too, no?” Indeed, when you look at the welding and the shaping of the tubes they truly are gorgeously made. The frame of the Paula uses the Dedacciai 7005 Fire Competition Light alloy coupled with a carbon fork. Initial looks at the bike suggest that it is designed for the bike-packing crowd or for adventure riders. “Oh no that is not really so” smiles Lucie, “We love riding off-road, so our first bike was always going to be a GRVL bike. We are not racers but we still like to go fast! We made the geometry more like a racing bike than a standard GRVL bike”. On closer inspection, you can see this in the front end where there is a slightly more aggressive triangle which according to Massacan, makes the bike more responsive. At the back, it is more akin to a traditional GRVL bike which gives the Paula a unique hybrid style frame, which in theory makes it not just a bikepacking bike but also a more than capable racer!
The unique frame says a lot about Massacan. The founders have spent thousands of hours on different bikes and setups and have put all their knowledge into creating this bike “We want a bike that is fun to ride, for everyone” Lucie tells me “It has to have the quality that we would want in our bikes, which is why we have chosen the frame builders we use. We work closely with them to ensure each frame is perfect, it is more artisanal but is worth the effort.” This attention to detail extends to the design and look of each bike with a rather, but typical for Massacan, unique inspiration for the colour choices. “We all play the guitar” muses Lucie “We take inspiration from the colourways of the Fender Stratocaster.” The subtle pastel colours on offer, add a certain class to the finished frames which are further accentuated by Marmots. Not literally of course, you don't get a free rodent with your bike, but rather the cool mascot graphic featured on each frame. The three founders love to ride in Italy and have often ridden to the “Le Marmotte” chalet on the Col de Tende thus inspiring the mascots. It is a cool quirky touch that balances the fun with the seriousness of the quality.
“The bikes must be fun to ride but they should look good too no?” Lucie asks me rhetorically “We work with a graphic designer, L’ermitage, who has worked with Casscada (an Italian cycling clothing brand). We just loved the aesthetic of his work and he helped us create the branding which is on each frame.”
It’s all about the Rider
“One of our closest friends always tells us ‘You should not exist you are too naive, it should not work’” recalls Lucie. This however sums up the brand perfectly. You see it in their desire to make a product that means something to the rider, that makes people want to ride. They could have mass-produced the frame in the Far East, or they could have opted for an easier material to use but they went their way, call it naive if you will, but they stuck to it. The results speak for themselves. They now offer high-quality bespoke bikes at comparatively low prices, have opened their first bike shop, and have sold bikes all over the world. “People want that personal service I think” reflects Lucie “They want to feel part of the process, part of something, and this is what we want to do, we want to offer the right bike to the right person, it is all about the rider”
What's Next?
Even though Massacan loves its Aluminium there are plans afoot to produce a carbon bike. In typical Massacan style it will be handbuilt in Italy and not made from some stock mould. It will be artisanal, it will be unique and it will be fun to ride, so keep an eye out at the start of 2025 for this!
As our conversation comes to an end it becomes apparent that we could have chatted for hours longer, Lucie shows no signs of slowing down, her passion still obvious, her smile still genuine as she talks of her dream, the dream that she, Matthieu and Thomas have now turned into a reality.
Find out more here: www.massacan.cc and follow on Instagram here: @massacan_cc
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