MEC Bikes Ready to Roll by Ron Johnson

This spring, MEC is launching its own line of bicycles with more than one aimed squarely at urbanistas looking for a sweet commuter ride that can double as a bit of everything else. And, so far so good, says I from my seat atop one of their 1971 models during a recent test drive.

It is chunkier than a traditional road bike, but capable of quick acceleration and nimble handling. Maybe a bit dandier than a pure cyclocross bike, but for those entering the sport, or looking for just a bit of fun on the side, it will do nicely. And for commuting, in a city such as Toronto or Vancouver, when you might be skirting down the Don Valley, or encountering, say, rain (Yes, you Vancouver!), it is a might fine option, to say the least.

Two weeks in, and the 1971 is holding up nicely to the rigors of a long Toronto commute -- through busy city streets braking and accelerating are a-okay, crossing rail bridges, skirting through the Don Valley to save some time, the cyclocross end of things enabled an easy transition from asphalt to trail. The aluminum frame won't make the Cervelo-set jealous, but it is light enough and strong enough to get the job done.

The frame geometry is comfortable, comes with a comfy Selle Royal Yak saddle with gel padding (crucial!), and the braking and gear systems offer much in performance, as well as value for money (priced at just $990!).The are shift levers beside the cantilever brakes, and also the brakes themselves act as shifters. I wonder about this feature, interconnecting the braking and gear systems -- especially given the propensity of commuters in Toronto and Montreal to ride through any and all weather conditions. But, time will tell. I'll give their engineers the benefit of the doubt for now.

For those who need one bike, but want a few, the 1971 is the ticket: good for some touring, cyclocross and commuting. But, the MEC line does not begin and end with this option. The Hold Steady model is the premier model in the MEC line with hydraulic brakes, a carbon fiber fork and rear internal eight-speed hub priced at $1250. The COL model is the priciest option i the bunch at a still modest $1,400, positioning somewhere in the road/tri category, offering Shimano 105 components, Mavic Aksium wheels and hubs, Gossamer sidepull caliper brakes and more. Other bikes include the Shadowlands ($990), and Skyway ($750).

For more information go to MEC.ca.