Jack and his Carbonara is a really nice story.
A very tall, talented guy from London who knows what he wants.
And what does he want? A custom-made carbon road bike!
Jack is an avid listener of " The Wild Ones ," the podcast from Cade Media , a group of friends from Massacan.
A few months ago, Jimmi, Francis and Emily discussed Carbonara, our custom-made carbon bike.
Jack contacted us and the project was instantly launched!
The frame and fork
Jack arrived with his odds already in mind.
We discussed the geometry of his frame together, he showed me some photos of his current bikes, and we validated a geometry that suits him well while remaining visually harmonious.
Given its size, we risked having a very long head tube, so we found a solution.
We chose to install the Scapada fork instead of the classic Carbonara fork.
Since the fork legs are 382 mm instead of 369 mm, this allows for a slight gain in height and the same riding position, but with a shorter head tube.
It's prettier and balances the frame better.
As for the paint, he fell in love with my pink Carbonara, so he decided to use exactly the same colors.
For the assembly, Jack let his favorite London shop put it together for him.
In conclusion
Who better than the lucky owner to talk about it?
Massacan : How did you find out about us?
Jack : It was through a Cade podcast where you were mentioned, and it was perfect timing for me. I'd really wanted to try a carbon bike, but given my height (1.98m), finding a bike that fit me has always been a challenge.
Massacan : What attracted you to THIS bike and the brand?
Jack : My first impression was the tone on your website—it really resonated. You immediately feel like you're connecting with like-minded people. From the moment I sent my first request and started talking with Thomas, I knew I was in good hands.
Massacan : Why the Carbonara model?
Jack : I'd only ridden steel bikes up until then, and I was really keen to try carbon—just to see the difference in feel and handling. The Carbonara seemed like a great opportunity to not only explore carbon, but also build something truly special, perfectly suited to my body shape, while still maintaining control over the look, rather than choosing a "catalog" color. And knowing that the frame was assembled by the best carbon factory in Italy (or even Europe) was very reassuring.
Massacan : And seriously, go back and forth to France in one day just to get it back?!
Jack : Yeah, it was a really fun day! I left London at 8am, and I was at your place for lunch. I grabbed a quick bite to eat in Nice after picking up the frame (a vegan hot dog, if you must know!), then flew back at 6pm. I was back in my apartment by 11pm, so yeah, it was a long day, but I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to do the same. I really wanted to meet the team behind the brand and I'm so glad I did—Lucie and Matthieu are some of the sweetest people I've ever met, and Mat's dog was a super cool surprise guest! If anyone has the chance to pick up their frame there instead of having it delivered, I honestly recommend it.
Massacan : Now tell us about the assembly, who assembled it, in which workshop, and why?
Jack : My local shop in East London is SBC Cycles—they're really great. I've tried just about every shop within 30 minutes of my house, and these guys really combine expertise, great customer service, and great results. And price-wise, they're in line with what's out there. They did a great job; the bike rides beautifully.
Massacan : And finally... what's it like to ride a big pink bike with a little pig on it? 🐷
Jack : It's absolutely amazing. It fits perfectly, and when I'm pushing hard, I feel completely connected to the bike, which I've never felt to that extent before. I built it with parts from my old bike: Arkane Wheelworks custom wheels, Ultegra Di2, and a Deda Alanera RS cockpit. Total weight (including pedals, bottle cages, Garmin, and mount): 7.76 kg. Considering the size of the frame, I think that's crazy. Incredible.
