Originally Posted by
smallwheeler
i'm as enthusiastic about modding and upgrading as anyone, but i have to wonder if this particular platform is really worth it.
if the frameset was available for purchase for say, 75usd, i can understand it (and i probably would have already bought one). but, considering this bike costs 300usd and the general consensus is that virtually every part on it is crap, it doesnt seem like a good investment. particularly when, for 500usd you can buy a soma mini that comes stock with good quality components.
It's a good question, but I think the price gap between the Mercier and the Soma -- which I don't think is even available anymore-- was usually greater than the $200 you suggest. Soma offered it mostly at $1k, and on sale at $750. Perhaps they clearanced it at $500, but I never saw that.
Certainly the Soma is a nicer bike all 'round, but speaking for myself, at the time I purchased my Nano, the Soma was $700 more and I wasn't even sure I wanted a minivelo, so the Soma was a non starter for those reasons alone. I also preferred the racing style of the Nano over the touring style of the Soma, but had they been only $200 apart, I might have gone Soma.
In any event, I'm probably still under $800 including all the upgrades on the Nano, and I have a bike that I love and think is more unique than a stock Soma mv, so I'm happy.
Even still, there are precious few options in geared minivelos in the USA, so within the context of what's available, doubling the cost of the Nano via upgrades represents pretty decent value for the category.
Oh, and is there any frameset anywhere available for $75?! That's ridiculous! $300 for a new, rideable, geared, complete bike is incredibly cheap.