Object: Track Bike
Designer: Mercian and Paul Smith
URL: www.mercian.com
Category: Sports and Recreation
Price: $4,000
Lust Factor: Hot
Description: The Paul Smith Bike manufactured by Mercian is true design crack. Paul Simth is what I consider to be the Tommy Hilfiger of the UK. That is, he takes an interesting fashion concept, like the bold, multicolored vertical stripe, and beats you over the head with it until you never forget it. The Mercian manufactured bicycle is in this stripey extension of design heavy-handedness.
There is no doubt that the craftsmanship is absolutely beautiful. The handmade, vintage lugs and paint job of the bicycle is stellar. But, I live in a town where sexy fixed gear bicycles are a dime a dozen. This one barely stands up on the coolness factor. For instance, this bike has a break. Weak! Anyone who is going to glom onto the fixed gear bicycle trend better pay homage to why people find them cool in the first place. People appreciate their stripped-down simplicity and the fact that they require a highly skilled riding technique. That’s what makes them unique.
Also, the pricepoint on this bike feels a bit like brand-zealotry to me. People who love Paul Smith will buy this bike even though a very good comparable fixed gear bike goes for 25 to 50% of the Paul Smith sale price. This is a crack dealer in action.
August 22nd, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Is your opinion that Smith over uses a particular motif your only basis for comparing him to Hilfiger? You can’t really compare Hilfiger’s mass-market, high street, suburban wear for Smith’s far more cultured and whimsical stylings. For one thing, Hilfiger has made an entire career selling clothes that look like a cartoon parody of Ralph Lauren’s Polo collections from the early 90’s.
While I agree that the bicycle itself is on the upper end of the price spectrum I would disagree that a comparable bicycle could be found for 25% of the Mercian’s price. The unfavorable exchange rate for our dollar notwithstanding, I know of no small frame builder that offers a hand made, Reynolds, lugged track frame for 75% less than the Smith bike is priced. The smith bike also comes with some of the nicest bicycle components available anywhere. As for the brake, that’s personal preference and easily removed. I still have my Panasonic track bicycle, which I raced in the 1980’s, and use it as a brakeless town-bike. Having said that, brakeless is not for everyone.
The only track ready bicycles I can think of that come in at the price points you are suggesting are from companies like Bianchi, Fuji, Trek etc. While these mass-produced bicycles are competent, they hardly offer the level of finish and componentry offered by the Mercian. If your logic was universal companies like Aston Martin, Rolex and Pegoretti would be replaced by Honda, Timex and Trek. Having said all that, if you really think Paul Smith is comparable to Tommy Hilfiger it makes perfect sense that you don’t know the difference between a Mercian and a Fuji.
August 23rd, 2007 at 12:48 am
All your comments seem fair. I would like to point out that for years I rode a bike frame made out of Leeds, England by a company named Woodrup who make very reasonable handmade lugged frames. I think I paid $400. It was about the most beautiful bike I had seen. Now, a typical frame goes for about $1400 bucks. I’m going to add a grand for parts. So, that’s $2400. Add $1600 for Paul Smith’s name to the bike, and you got the same bike. That’s just my take on it.
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:34 am
What I like most with this one is the colors. They sure are cool! Otherwise… well, my knees tell me they prefer a bike with plenty of gears, or they’ll hurt.
Soo, I therefore use a 21-gear Miyata myself – plain black though, not as super cool but OK, goes well with everything!