In the 1980s Macini was one of the most popular frame manufacturers in Adelaide. Renowned for their quality, many top athletes rode Macini. However, over the years new brands started appearing on the market and the Macini name fell by the wayside. That is until 4 years ago, when Brad bought the name from the original frame builder and started producing custom carbon fibre frames. Today, I was fortunate enough to speak with Brad, owner of Macini bikes about the brand and his future outlooks.
Brad is taking the calculated approach to reviving the Macini name. He's content with a small, direct to customer business, but wishes to expand to a distribution model as Macini grows. Brad works closely with his customers, ensuring they get a bicycle that is made for them. On his desk were neatly organised spreadsheets with the measurements of each customer, each bike is fitted to the customer and the attention to detail is second to none. Brad has a full array of different stems, saddles and handlebars, ensuring you get the perfect fit straight out of the box.
Buying a Macini means buying quality. Brad regularly inspects the quality of the frames coming from the manufacturer. He ensures that all frames, forks, stems and bars are independently tested and approved by third party inspection companies to comply with the specific EN approval standards. These independent authority's ensure compliance to the specifications and requirements and provides a full report of the undertaken tests and the results. Which means that Macini customers can buy with confidence. When asked about the quality of his frames, Brad says that he’s every bit confident that the quality of Macini can rival the quality of other boutique brands.
A quick inspection reveals that these carbon fibre frames are not rebranded "cheap chinese" carbon fibre frames. The frame shapes are distinctly different, you won't find these frames on Aliexpress or eBay. Instead, Macini have done their homework and chosen a reputable carbon fibre frame manufacturer in Asia, who make frames for other well known brands. Brad visited the factory and negotiated a few designs to achieve the desired look and ride characteristics. He refines these designs to his own liking, with constant communication between himself and the manufacturer. Currently in development is a new fork for their Track Classic, and an improved cable routing for their new road disk model. Brad isn't happy with settling for anything other than the best.
On closer inspection, we observe that the paint detailing is meticulous. The bikes look impeccable in person, but Brad admits that it hasn't always been the case. Brad shows me a few earlier frames where subtle details were missed in the artwork, if Brad hadn't pointed out the "mistakes" I wouldn't have noticed. It's pretty obvious that Brad harshly criticises his own work, to a degree where it almost becomes an obsession with perfection. Brad even produces stems and wheels bearing the Macini (Prophecy) logo, just to make sure the stems and wheels match the aesthetic of the rest of the build.
Not afraid to admit Macini is a small company, Brad realises he's in a niche market and doesn't try to be everything to everyone. Macini are for people who want something different, something special. There's pressure to try and cater for all different markets, but Brad stands firm to supplying custom built bikes for the racing cyclist. He even supplies teams with custom painted team bikes for the pro look.
The future outlook for Macini is bright. Their bikes are receiving rave reviews in cycling magazines such as Bicycling Australia. High profile cyclists including Jay Sweet are riding Macini track bikes at the Bendigo Madison. Brad's even looking at partnerships with National Road Series teams.
Acknowledgements: We'd like to thank Brad from Macini bikes for taking the time to talk with us about Macini bikes. The author is in no way affiliated with Macini. For further information on Macini bikes see their website http://www.macinibikes.com