MEC Lynx Mountain Bike - Is it any good?

Baggsy

Baggsy

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I'm looking around for a mountain bike that will be suitable for the move to Ottawa.

Most of the information available seems to be about the politics of MEC selling bikes.
 
Info on the bike (besides the cheesy video they made to appeal to the Tilly Hat set) is sparse. Post a full spec sheet and price if you have it. The voices are telling me I could find the same spec'd bike for less money, or better spec for the same cash.
 
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made a quick phone call. Better bike, $200 cheaper.

2011-devinci-cameleon-3.jpg


Devinci Cameleon 3. Frame is made in Canada (Quebec) - 6061 cold formed (butted) tubing, Rock Shox Dart 2 100mm fork, Avid BB5 disc brakes, Sram X5 components.

What's yer height+inseam?
 
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I was looking at the MEC Col for a road bike..they had it on sale and the 105 shifters appealed to me. It seems that they are low on stock and I'm not sure if that means they're getting out of the bike business or if they're just out of 2011 stock. I'd check availability before making any purchase plans.

Having said that, I think the MEC bikes are pretty much just Taiwan-spec off-the-shelf stuff with some fair pricing, especially if they discount . The geometry is always most important to me frankly and the Col was not that great for me. On the Lynx, the fork is nice and the components aren't bad..the frame is not as good. I wouldn't expect awesome integration with MEC though, they're not bicycle experts to be honest. The Devinci that FMJ is not a bad buy..I've been fond of Rocky Mountain over the years..their Blizzard 30th is probably my favourite bike at the moment..steel is real! :-) The Rocky Mountain Fusion is a good buy.

I think you really need to assess the fit and the geometry for yourself. And good assembly and service is important. I generally disassemble all my bikes and redo them properly..hubs are generally pathetic and the wheel builds are not great. I can't comment on MEC's competence in assembly or service unfortunately.

FYI, I've had the chance to try the SRAM stuff lately and it's not bad. I hope Grip-Shift is buried forever...
 
FullMotoJacket said:
made a quick phone call. Better bike, $200 cheaper.

2011-devinci-cameleon-3.jpg


Devinci Cameleon 3. Frame is made in Canada (Quebec) - 6061 cold formed (butted) tubing, Rock Shox Dart 2 100mm fork, Avid BB5 disc brakes, Sram X5 components.

What's yer height+inseam?
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Made by the maestro Leonardo himself?
 
invictus43 said:
I was looking at the MEC Col for a road bike..they had it on sale and the 105 shifters appealed to me. It seems that they are low on stock and I'm not sure if that means they're getting out of the bike business or if they're just out of 2011 stock. I'd check availability before making any purchase plans.

Having said that, I think the MEC bikes are pretty much just Taiwan-spec off-the-shelf stuff with some fair pricing, especially if they discount . The geometry is always most important to me frankly and the Col was not that great for me. On the Lynx, the fork is nice and the components aren't bad..the frame is not as good. I wouldn't expect awesome integration with MEC though, they're not bicycle experts to be honest. The Devinci that FMJ is not a bad buy..I've been fond of Rocky Mountain over the years..their Blizzard 30th is probably my favourite bike at the moment..steel is real! :-) The Rocky Mountain Fusion is a good buy.

I think you really need to assess the fit and the geometry for yourself. And good assembly and service is important. I generally disassemble all my bikes and redo them properly..hubs are generally pathetic and the wheel builds are not great. I can't comment on MEC's competence in assembly or service unfortunately.

FYI, I've had the chance to try the SRAM stuff lately and it's not bad. I hope Grip-Shift is buried forever...
Click to expand...

The MEC bikes are similar to the sportcheck line of bikes... Just over priced cheaper built bikes that look good. I'm no longer that up to date on mountain bikes like I once was, but I know you can get better for the money.
And yeah, I HATED grip-shift, horrible. Could never get it adjusted so all the gears rode properly through the deraileur.

Right now, I'm on a cheap Norco Mountaineer and wish I had spent more money... I think if I would have gotten a higher performing bike that I would ride it more. The disc brake up front isn't powerful enough for me to use on the trails, the front forks are too soft and the rims won't take the beating that I would dish out on em... But for a normal every day bike it does the job pretty good.
 
FullMotoJacket said:
made a quick phone call. Better bike, $200 cheaper.

2011-devinci-cameleon-3.jpg


Devinci Cameleon 3. Frame is made in Canada (Quebec) - 6061 cold formed (butted) tubing, Rock Shox Dart 2 100mm fork, Avid BB5 disc brakes, Sram X5 components.

What's yer height+inseam?
Click to expand...

6' 1" & 29" wife thinks I'm a 30"
 
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HorizonXP said:
You're one weirdly proportioned dude. I have a 31" inseam and I'm 5'10".
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I guess the nickname fits. Legs are shrinking I think. Was a 32" at one point, need to tuck up and go right to the floor to get 32" now. I did used to wear 33" and wear the heals out. Was also 6' 2". Kid is 6' 3" and 36 x 36 now.

Will need to try any bike out for size I suppose. The MEC XL was too big. I have a L on hold until next week.

Sorry about the rambling - just got back from a ride in the Gatineau area.
 
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I have a Rocky Mountain...Made in Canada. Had it for about 10 years now. Only had to change the chain and breaks on it.
 
I have a mangled Marin in the garage. derailleur is bent. The piece that holds it is bent and is part of the frame. I've had it bent back once. Wheels are kinda S shaped.

The guy at skiis and bikes talked me into a smaller frame, telling me that the bike was fully adjustable. A week later it was fully adjustable if I wanted to buy a $50 - $100 part.

Will probably put the original bars and pedals back on it and give it to the local bike shop along with the two kids 20" bikes from Costco - see if he can fix it and make some money.
 
rmemedic said:
Right now, I'm on a cheap Norco Mountaineer and wish I had spent more money... I think if I would have gotten a higher performing bike that I would ride it more. The disc brake up front isn't powerful enough for me to use on the trails, the front forks are too soft and the rims won't take the beating that I would dish out on em... But for a normal every day bike it does the job pretty good.
Click to expand...

That's a problem..I often tell people to spend a bit and get something half-decent or they'll hate their bike and never ride it. I think for $600-$800 you can get something that is really quite decent. And unfortunately, it's a catch-22..if you buy a cheap bike you never ride it cuz you hate it and you always wonder if you'd ride more with a better bike. I guess you just have to buy what you can afford and hope for the best. I think the Mountaineer is not a bad bike though..certainly better than Walmart/Crappy Tire junk..
 
invictus43 said:
That's a problem..I often tell people to spend a bit and get something half-decent or they'll hate their bike and never ride it. I think for $600-$800 you can get something that is really quite decent. And unfortunately, it's a catch-22..if you buy a cheap bike you never ride it cuz you hate it and you always wonder if you'd ride more with a better bike. I guess you just have to buy what you can afford and hope for the best. I think the Mountaineer is not a bad bike though..certainly better than Walmart/Crappy Tire junk..
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What's your pick for a bike in the $600-$1000 range? Second shop wants me on a Kona Mahuna 29'er - told me it was $850, but says $750 on the web site. Third shop is small, most expensive bike I think is a GT Avalanche 3.0 with a hydralic disk - I think it was between $600-$700.

checked my inseam measurement at a Canadian Tire display and it's 32" there.

I need something that will take the knocking around that the kids and I will give it.

The good thing about MEC is they tend to have awesome warranties. I put a hole in a pannier after a year and a half when it fell off, and they replaced the pair with better ones for $10.

What's the difference between the Lynx and the Chameleon 3?
 
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FWIW I got a 2003 Cannondale Jekyll off Kijiji a few months ago for $600.

I had to put a new BB into it recently and had to rebuild the shock. BB was $50, shock rebuild cost me about $5 including o-rings and fork oil. I'm pretty happy with it. I've been beating on it for a few hundred km so far and it's a very good bike.

I know some people really prefer buying new, but I have found buying used a good way to save a lot of $.

My tri bike is a Guru Tri-lite. $1800 bike with an $800 wheel set and i got it for $550.
 
I have a 29'er, but if you plan on mountain biking much, I would recommend a normal 26" wheelset. I love my bike, but 29'ers are heavier (or way more expensive) and don't turn as quickly as the smaller bikes. Most of the trails I ride were built by people with smaller bikes and the switchbacks are a *****. Get it on a fireroad or terrible pavement and it will run away though, it all depends where you ride.

The 2nd problem is lack of parts, the sidewall tore on one of my tires and it took me a few weeks to find someone with 29" tires in stock.

I bought my bike used and have never regretted my decision. The bike was 2 years old in great shape and I got it for 15% of the price new (which I never could have afforded). It's worth looking at kijiji (or craigslist) to see whats available. I got a Titus FCR 29er, full XTR for only slightly more than you are thinking about spending.
 
Baggsy said:
What's the difference between the Lynx and the Chameleon 3?
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Cameleon has a better frame. Lynx has a better fork. Drivetrain's a wash, I personally think the Avid 5 mechanical discs are better than the entry level Shmoo 486 hydros.
 
caboose483 said:
FWIW I got a 2003 Cannondale Jekyll off Kijiji a few months ago for $600.

I had to put a new BB into it recently and had to rebuild the shock. BB was $50, shock rebuild cost me about $5 including o-rings and fork oil. I'm pretty happy with it. I've been beating on it for a few hundred km so far and it's a very good bike.

I know some people really prefer buying new, but I have found buying used a good way to save a lot of $.

My tri bike is a Guru Tri-lite. $1800 bike with an $800 wheel set and i got it for $550.
Click to expand...

GreyGhost said:
I have a 29'er, but if you plan on mountain biking much, I would recommend a normal 26" wheelset. I love my bike, but 29'ers are heavier (or way more expensive) and don't turn as quickly as the smaller bikes. Most of the trails I ride were built by people with smaller bikes and the switchbacks are a *****. Get it on a fireroad or terrible pavement and it will run away though, it all depends where you ride.

The 2nd problem is lack of parts, the sidewall tore on one of my tires and it took me a few weeks to find someone with 29" tires in stock.

I bought my bike used and have never regretted my decision. The bike was 2 years old in great shape and I got it for 15% of the price new (which I never could have afforded). It's worth looking at kijiji (or craigslist) to see whats available. I got a Titus FCR 29er, full XTR for only slightly more than you are thinking about spending.
Click to expand...

The problem with buying used is you have to know something about what you're buying. I don't think Marin was in business that long when I bought mine, before that I had 10 speeds that kept getting stolen, and before that a 28" balloon tire single speed, to which I added ape hangars, a banana seat and a 4' sissybar complete with headrest. For the 29'er I sort of realize the lack of tire issue. It's sort of like the presta vs schrader valves, years ago. Can 700's be put on the rims or is it a completely different size?



FullMotoJacket said:
Cameleon has a better frame. Lynx has a better fork. Drivetrain's a wash, I personally think the Avid 5 mechanical discs are better than the entry level Shmoo 486 hydros.
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Drivetrain is what I usually beat the stuff out of first. I've read that about the brakes. Any thoughts on the Avalanche, or is it too inexpensive?
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