MEC Bikes
I heard rumblings of this quite a while ago, but MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-Op) just launched their lineup of bikes. They range in price from $650 to $1,400, and run the gamut from cruiser to fixie, mountain to road. Currently there’s 14 bikes in their arsenal.
I’m unsure of how this is going to affect local bike shops lower-end sales, but to me getting (what appears to be) quality bikes out in front of a wider market is a good thing. I doubt that MEC will ever get into mid to high end bikes, and this seems like a nice “gateway drug” for those casual riders who may opt for the Walmart special instead.
My favorite (aesthetically, anyway) is the Skyway… Gotta love those baby blue rims ;-)
Anybody ridden these yet? I’d love some insight into actual ride and build quality.
11 Comments
Sheldon Smart on November 5th, 2009
Saaweet! I wonder though how it will be received by the fixie community? Will it be seen as cool, or as a cop-out with it’s fixie/freewheel option? For the masses anyway, seems like a cool thing.
paulo on November 5th, 2009
Scott had the same reaction I did, the price is just too good to true. But if I get the chance I’ll check one over. Like Scott said hope it’s a decent bike for a decent price point. It would be an early Christmas.
Graeme & Myra on November 6th, 2009
I think that we may be missing the point a bit. I agree with your point, Scott; if a bike is cheap it will probably be of lower quality. But I (and I assume you, due to your concern) am not the audience for this product; we cannot judge it as if we are. The person these bikes are targeting are likely to not be too concerned about how good the components are, they just want it to work.
(from Myra)
Sheldon Smart on November 6th, 2009
@Myra. Agreed. I was looking at the rest of the MEC line and although I’m sure it’s all pretty good stuff, it doesn’t offer what I’m looking for. I wouldn’t buy a $1,500 Santa Cruz, Specialized, or Rocky Mountain, so why would I buy a $1,500 MEC bike.
These MEC bikes are going to be ‘reasonably’ well made, reflected by their reasonable pricing.
bykguy on November 6th, 2009
my main concern is the fact that MEC flood the market with riders on average bikes which have been given no proper fitting or advice prior to selecting the MEC bike. This often produces a negitive experience & can put someone off of ever experiencing what cycling can offer. It’s impossible for a company like MEC/Sport Check or WALMART to offer the same level of experience, knowledge & passion as an independent cycle shop when their staff will be selling tents, hiking boots, camp stoves, fleece etc. This is a reason committed cycle shops don’t try to sell camping gear other outdoor products.
Ken Hurd on November 6th, 2009
@bykguy, Good thoughts, and while I agree that there’s no way MEC can match the calibre of sales/knowledge/expertise of a good bike shop, I would argue that at least the salespeople at MEC tend to be immersed in the culture (ie. though the salespeople may not know the intricacies of a bike fit, they know a lot more than the salespeople at SportChek or Walmart).
That said, there’s no substitute for the real thing, and any friends that i have that are looking at getting into cycling I tell them not to mess around in anything but a legit bike shop.
I think perhaps MEC is attempting to reach some sort of middle ground… I just hope to your point, that MEC is spending some time (and money) to properly train their staff.
Going to MEC isn’t really an overwhelming experience, but for some people going to a bike shop is… I’ve found events held by bike shops (ie. BBQs, open fit & ride sessions, etc.) to help lower the barrier to entry and get the general population in go a long way to getting would be bike riders to the right spot… The bike shop.
bykguy on November 11th, 2009
Ken, you are right on every count. not all cycling shops are staffed with experienced experts & the concept of BBQ’s group rides & demo days can be a great way for shop staff to get to know new cyclists & for the new cyclist to feel more comfotable with the shop.
If MEC is after the middle ground then we may see more cyclists on the streets & trails because of it. The only hitch to that is there are some very good cycle & sport shops that have provided affordable bikes to the public for years & they are the ones who have been prmoting the sport & lifestyle along side core performance shops & they will all have a more difficult time providing qualified staff with proper wages when MEC is able to do business with an unfair co-op tax shelter advantage. Take REI for example they used to operate like MEC till the US government realized it was living a big legal grey area which gave it an unfair advantage when compared to independent shops & they now operate the same as any other retailer in the USA & have continued to do well.
I have no doubt MEC will spin some great hype about lifestyle & eco etc but their background is outdoors activities & I can’t recall the last time I saw any MEC support for Canadain cycling dispite stocking cycling parts,accessories & clothing for over a decade.
sorry for the ramble, have a great week
Ken Hurd on November 12th, 2009
Agreed wholeheartedly, bykguy.
steve.k on November 15th, 2009
$750 sounds about right to me for a barebones, cheap steel fixie. I was curious about MEC’s pricing, and if you compare it to Kona’s lineup (website CDN. MSRP) Kona beats them across the board for value per $ in several categories. No point to buy a bike at MEC anytime soon, IMO.
BikeBike Inc. on November 21st, 2009
After popping into the Calgary MEC location to look at the bikes, I was completely underwhelmed by their bikes. You have chosen their “fixie” model to comment on and i think this bike is indicative of their entire bike line – it does not offer anything not already available in other bike lines, and on almost every count, their bikes are not a better deal and frequently downspec’d compared to other brands. Take the 2010 Brodie Remus as a comparison – it is $699, it has a better parts spec, better wheels and is less money. I suspect if you look at what the “A” brands have, those too will be a better deal.
If you disect the rest of their line and compare them to other brands, these bikes appear to be nothing special. Add to that the fact that the staff at MEC circulate between departments (meaning, no expertise) and the fact that they do not have bars/stems/saddles to swap out for fit purposes, buying a bike from MEC appears to be not the best first choice.
I guess we’ll see what happens going forward and I hope that people considering buying a bike from MEC do their homework and check with other IBD’s before laying down their dough.
I wont even go to the issue of them operating as a “co-op” and not competing on a level playing field with other IBD’s…
Scott on November 5th, 2009
Obviously I’ve never ridden one (wrong continent and all that), but $750 CDN for a Cromoly steel SS/fixie flip-flop seems awfully cheap. My gut reaction is “what parts did they skimp on to get the price point that low?”
I could be wrong, though. Hell, I’d love to be wrong, and that it’s actually just a decent bike for a decent price point. As you say, gateway drug.