I’ve always thought of the bicycle as tied for the most civilized machine invented. So far, at least. A basic, standard bicycle can get you over roads, sidewalks, paths, trails, lawns, soccer fields, and empty lots pretty much as fast as you would want/can handle. All the speed, the power, the getting-to-where-you’re-going, comes from your own legs. A miracle, almost. And, if you’re in the right frame of mind, a total blast.
One time, in the Summer between fifth and sixth grades, me and a friend rode our bikes a hundred miles in a single day. It was a real adventure, even though we never left the DC suburbs. I had never ridden that far before, and was happy when we rolled into a McDonald’s along the way. That was the first time I ever ate two Quarter Pounders.
When I got my first bonus, a good chunk of a lifetime later, I wanted to spend it on a really nice bike. Of course Shimano Dura Ace for the components. But the frame? I spent weeks going shop to shop, reading bike magazines, talking to other bikers. Talking to bike messengers, because they really know their shit. What bubbled up was this: no three people could agree on which was the best frame, but everyone agreed that it would be expensive. Also, steel is better than aluminum.
You notice this if you ride more than a couple of miles. Steel, with its elastic, springy properties, is more stable than aluminum. Stability gives you control, and control is what makes a long ride fun.
Then one day I walked into a store that had a shiny, retro-looking frame hanging in the window. It was a Mercian. They’re a small framebuilder in England, mostly making frames to order. All of them steel.
I ordered one, the Professional, black with a white barber pole design on the seat stay. I waited eight impatient weeks for it. I picked it up after work. I had to walk it home on the sidewalk, wearing my suit and tie. 35 blocks. I didn’t care.
My first ride it looked like rain. I hate to ride when it’s raining, but I was too excited about my new bike, my great components, my own design, which I thought was cool. So I went out anyway. Up to the park. There was hardly anyone there, riding or otherwise. I got in one lap before it started, a few heavy drops at first, then sheets. I passed right by 'my' exit. Laughing at myself for getting caught in the rain, I didn’t even slow down.
I caught up to another biker, soaking wet and still pushing hard. I passed him and smiled, not at him but to myself. When it comes to riding, I’m a little competitive. After a long, sweeping turn, he started to catch up to me. I guess we were both a little competitive, and knew that we were the only idiots out there that night. What was the point, I wondered to myself, of riding this hard in the rain? As he passed me, he turned his head and said “This is how you know you love it.”
Yes, that was it.
When I got home, I took a hot bath, and went out to get something to eat. I went to McDonald’s, why not, and got a Quarter Pounder. I almost ordered two.
HISTORY
Mercian opened their framebuilding shop in 1946 near Derby, England.
STANDOUT FEATURE/WHAT MAKES IT GREAT
Custom-made for your dimensions, and to suit your biking style.
CHEAP?
Not really. Frames start at just under a thousand bucks, plus or minus, depending on the dollar/pound exchange rate.
VALUE (GREATNESS/PRICE RATIO)
Hand-made, custom-fit, custom-finished frames for less than a quarter of what other framebuilders charge? I say it’s FOTW (effing-out-of-this-world).
CATCH
Pretty hard to find dealers in the US.
BONUS
You can get any color scheme and design you want.
REALLY HIDDEN?
Yes. Very few bike shops have ever even heard of Mercian.
HOW TO GET IT
Tough one. You need to be measured by a good bike shop pro (not the young guy with the silicone Livestrong bracelet, but the old guy with the crazy hair), then send the measurements to Mercian. They’ll guide you from there. Or contact them and ask if there are any dealers in your area.
AVAILABLE IN BLACK?
Yes
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