Meet our bike shop partners: Mount Eden Cycles and Hot Cycles

2 min read

Welcome to sister stores Mt Eden Cycles and Hot Cycles, the newest Bike Auckland bike shop partners! Here’s all you need to know about these two shops, the bike nuts that run them, and why they’re proud to support Bike Auckland by offering special deals for our members…

What and who are Mt Eden Cycles and Hot Cycles?

Owned by the affable Mark Taylor and wife Debbie, plus Louis Crosby and Tracey Steens, the two shops retail the established Specialized range, although they will happily build you up a bike from almost any brand you fancy.

Known to aficionados as MEC, Mt Eden Cycles is, not surprisingly, located on Mt Eden Road, on the stretch between the village and Symonds Street. It’s been there, in one form or another, since 2005. Hot Cycles, in Long Drive, St Heliers, became a sister store in 2015.

What characterises both stores is their community focus. They have a busy programme of bunch rides, both on-road and off, training camps, and demo rides. Hot Cycles hosts a Tuesday evening and Sunday morning group ride for women, known as the Hotties. Mark says the Hotties rides are popular with women who prefer a little less testosterone with their cycling.

Hot Cycles’ Hotties assemble for an early-morning start: low-testosterone bunch cycling for women.

What kind of bikes do MEC and Hot Cycles sell, and to whom?

Specialized is one of the big three American cycling brands and its range is comprehensive – kids’ bikes, commuters, road bikes, mountain bikes, EBikes and trail bikes. There’s also a broad range of accessories and components, and both stores have well-regarded workshops.

‘We’re kind of known for road bikes, because of the bunch rides we offer most mornings of the week,’ says Mark. ‘But trail bikes and commuter bikes are actually the most popular, in terms of volume.’

Why are MEC and Hot Cycles partnering with Bike Auckland?

Mark, who admits to getting plenty of time on the bike himself, says he’s getting a kick out of the switch to cycling in Auckland.

‘We’re seeing the city move forward; there are massive improvements in cycling infrastructure. Our support for Bike Auckland is one way of contributing to that evolution. It’s all about getting people riding bikes, and that’s good for the city and for the environment.