Mekk 2016 range includes new Pinerolo £1,000 disc-equipped road bike + lots more

British brand Mekk has made quite an impact on the UK road cycling market in the couple of years since it launched, and for 2016 the company aims to build on this early success with the launch of several new bikes, including disc brakes on aluminium and carbon fibre frames, and a new aero race bike.

Updated Pinerolo and new £1,000 disc-equipped model

The Pinerolo, the company’s most affordable model, has been revamped, with the new Pinerolo SE featuring an updated aluminium frame with double butted tubes and and a new retro inspired paint job. Pictured is the Pinerolo SE 0.3 with Shimano Tiagra and Saturae components and costs £750. 

The range starts at just £500 for a Shimano Claris 8-speed bike and rises to 105 at £900, each with regular rim brakes.

Another important change across the board is the standard use of 25mm tyres on all bikes, with space to go wider, up to 28mm, if you want it (with the exception of the Primo, that one is limited to 25mm rubber).

But the really interesting news is that there is now a disc brake model, the Pinerolo DS 0.4 with Shimano 105 shifters and Promax mechanical disc brakes costing £1,000.

Disc road bikes are proliferating through the market, as any regular reader of road.cc will no doubt be aware, and Mekk’s entry at this price point is a serious sign of intent from the brand to appeal to cyclists wanting disc brakes at an affordable price.

It's a really smart looking bike, and the frame is furnished with rack and mudguard eyelets, and uses a 27.2mm seatpost.

Poggio SE - new entry-level carbon bike

The Poggio has been joined by the new Poggio SE, two new value orientated models. It features a carbon fibre frame and the SE 0.3  comes in at the magic £1,000 price point, for which you get Saturae wheels and a Shimano Tiagra groupset. Add another £100 to that price if you want a Shimano 105 groupset. Production bikes won’t come with the pictured white bar tape, it’ll be black bar tape. A shame but a more practical choice for sure.

Poggio features updated carbon frame

Last year’s Poggio carbon fibre has been given an update, with new oversized tube profiles and new seatstays. It has the appearance of a race bike and is well suited to racing, but is ideally suited to fast performance minded cyclists and sportive types.

Pick of this range is the Poggio 2.8, which for £2,000 includes Saturae wheels, a Shimano 105 groupset and Continental tyres.

Top of the range is a £2,800 Shimano Ultegra Di2 model.

Poggio now with disc brakes

And for 2016 the Poggio is being offered with disc brakes.

Mekk has reworked the carbon fibre frame to accept disc brakes, and uses regular quick release axles front and rear and full internal cable routing.

There are four bikes in this range, starting out with the DS 1.5 with Shimano Sora, TRP Spyre mechanical discs and Shimano RX50 wheels for £1,400.

The range tops out with a Shimano Ultegra mechanical with hydraulic disc brake model, and and costs £2,200. The bike pictured is the £1600  Shimano Tiagra and TRP Spyre model.

Primo gets aerodynamic makeover

At the top of the company’s range meanwhile, the Primo race bike has been redesigned with an all-new aero frame.

The NACA profile tubes certainly give the bike an impressive appearance and there are other aerodynamic details, including the chainstay mounted rear brake and the speccing of the company’s own Saturae carbon fibre clincher wheels - which cost £800 a pair, available aftermarket and a very competitive price.

The cheapest Primo cost £2,200 but tops out at £5,500 for a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 build. There are five models in total to choose from.

The cables are all internally routed on the Primo, and enter the top tube just behind the stem.

Something that Mekk has always concentrated on, and what helps to set them apart from some of its rivals, is a focus on providing the highest quality frame possible, so the customer is buying a bike that is underpinned by a high quality frame that should last the test of time better than a higher specced bike on a lower quality frame. The idea is that while it’s easy to replace components, replacing the frame as you become a more experienced cyclist is a costly exercise, so Mekk’s thinking is you’re better off with a good frame in the first place.

We've got one of the new Mekk bikes on test at the moment so watch out for that review soon. 

www.mekkbicycles.com