I’ve been an avid cyclist for almost a decade now. My first “serious” bike was a old pink hybrid I bought off a guy I found on Craigslist. I would clock about 20k a day on that thing — which in the end, I had to break Flinstones-style. My second bike after that was another old, yet much prettier road bike. I even shipped it to Vancouver with me when I moved there for a couple years.

When I got back to Toronto, I treated myself to a custom hybrid. This black beauty lasted me four solid years until I started to really treat it poorly. I believe (insert prayer hands) it’s still safely parked in my friend’s underground garage. But aside from the Kryptonite lock keeping it secure, I don’t want much else from it. I already set my eyes on finally getting a proper bicycle.

What do I mean by proper? I mean quality. And to me, quality is a lot more than a hefty price tag. Quality meant finding the perfect bike for me.

I found that bike at MEC.

Thanks to Tara and Jim of MEC Toronto, I was fitted to the National, a great option for long-haul rides that also embraced my love for timelessness. The steel frame pays tribute to the past.

Watching Tara go to work on finding the best details for my new bike, I learned quite a bit:

1. Bike: It, of course, all starts with knowing what kind of cyclist you are. Do you just cruise leisurely around city or were you a more serious commuter? Do you compete or simply like taking long rides on weekends? I was definitely the latter for both. So a touring road bike was a perfect option for me.

2. Measurements: Everything has to align in order to enjoy a smooth ride. Although I knew this on a basic level, the time she put into this part made me realize just how important it is. She even measured where my knee lined up to my foot!

3. Accessories: From the seat to the pedals and even bike tools, Tara walked me through all the things I needed to make my ride feel like a bespoke bike. We took into account how I would be using the National and tweaked it to better reflect that.

With the fitting room and mechanic workshop on site, my first official bike shopping experience was flawless.