GEORGE TOWN: It weighs 5.96kg, stands at 54cm, and costs a whopping RM72,000. This is the S-Works McLaren Tarmac, possibly the most expensive bicycle ever retailed in Malaysia.
Only 250 were made, and only three made it to Malaysia, and one was put up for public display here yesterday.
“This one was bought by a businessman from Kuala Lumpur who is a sports cyclist, and he had consented to us putting it on display in my Sungai Nibong showroom for an hour,” said Lim Bicycle Station managing director Lim Lai Huat.
What makes the S-Works McLaren Tarmac (SMT) special is not the generous endowment of carbon fibre. The jaw dropping fact is that the measurement of the rider’s physical dimension is taken first during the consultation process, so that the end result is like a well-fitted suit.
The SMT’s frame, fork, handlebar, wheelsets and even crankset are made of carbon fibre, while the bearings in the wheelsets are ceramic-coated.
The bike also comes with a second wheelset that the rider can use while training.
McLaren’s involvement in performance cars also comes into play as the drivetrain is electronic – gear changes are effected by pressing buttons behind the brake lever.
“I once heard of a cyclist travelling overseas to buy a bicycle, and the total cost came up to RM100,000. But the SMT is the most expensive bike I’ve ever heard being retailed in Malaysia,” said Lim, who feted 20 diehard cyclists to a cocktail function to view the beauty.
The next most expensive bike in Lim’s Sungai Nibong store is an S-Works full suspension mountain bike for serious off-road competitions, which is going at RM35,000.
“The average cyclist would choose bikes of between RM1,000 and RM5,000,” he added.
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