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New (my) Sycip Unleaded 29er

3K views 20 replies 14 participants last post by  Roger___ 
#1 · (Edited)
Last year I went back and forth on getting a 29er but having to choose one or the other I opted with the 26inch Sycip Diesel. But the bug of interest had bit and over this last year I obsessed and thought and had to figure out a way to justify to the wife another Sycip in the garage. Finally, it had to be a trade off to get one I had to get rid of one, so my Sycip CX SS is on the block for sale and in its place is the new Sycip Unleaded 29er.

I've been in the dirt just once on it so far but my impression are positive, mostly the same as many have said before, rolls fast once up to speed, smooths out the bumps a bit (especially rigid), and is very stable at speed. Handling isn't slow, or at least what I was expecting lhaving listened to other comments. Climbing I'm not ready to comment on, the first dirt ride had lots of climbing but it was also a week after a 24hr solo effort (not on this bike), so my legs would have been lead on any bike. As a commuter, oh boy, it rolls nice and has been unnerving for roadie's I happen upon.

The build, I wanted it to stay around or below sub 4 lbs for the frame. I also love my Diesel, so I opted to do this as a geared frame only. I'm sure I'll run it SS with a singelator at some point. Jeremy (reluctantly because I'm a bit hard on equipment) built it using the Foco tubeset to my request. He also used modest but lightest he had available disc mount/drop outs. Also, he built it for around a 30 inch standover, effective top tube is 23.5 inches. I had Canti mounts included so I can run V-brakes when I race it as a cross bike. The fork is a Walt Works that I had built for 100 mm corrected suspension on my Diesel, the length was perfect to move over to the 29er where it will permanently stay. I'll have Canti mounts set up on the fork at some point, maybe the PACE V mounts if I can get them to work. The color; what better color for a big wheel bike then John Deere Green with a gold nugget top coat.

With modest parts (, Bontrager Race Disc wheelset, SRAM shifting equipment, XT cassete and Cranks, Avid disc brakes, Ritchey WCS other parts) it came in at just over 23.5 lbs.
 

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#4 ·
Who p!ssed in your corn flakes?

mboeder said:
I was a gung-ho on getting a Sycip built, but after I called them and found out they are a bunch a shmucks I went with a Soulcraft.
Man, a guy just get his new bike and is proud of it, shows it off to all of us on this board, and then you chime in with your remarks.

Roger, never mind him. Looks like a great ride. I just got my Waltworks frame and fork on Friday, but the build kit should be here tomorrow (fingers crossed). Seeing pictures of everyones new bikes just makes want to get mine built that much faster.

Enjoy the new ride and post a full report after you get a few more rides in.
 
#7 ·
Thanks and I will once I get some more dirt on it. The WW fork is nice, I've had mine for about several months running it on my Diesel. Post pics when you have it finished.

To Velocipus, I too was pleasently suprised when I picked it up for the first time and when I weighed it, especially since I'll race it as a CX bike. For that purpose I hope to get it close to 20 lbs with a light cx wheelset, tires, and swapping to V-brakes. I'll probably go to a longer Thomson post for that purpose too (more seatpost down in the frame for remounts).
 
#10 ·
Padre said:
My custom steel frame is nearly 8lbs. :bluefrown:
That's par for my course though.
A bike made from rebar would still be a pleasure to ride if it fits right. It cracks me up when people buy a carbon fiber road bike in one of the three sizes offered just because it weighs a half pound less. Then have to put a mile of stem on to get it to fit almost right.

akdeluxe
 
#11 ·
Schmuck

I kinda agree. Sycip guys are a lot too big for their britches. I talked to them more than once at races/shows and so on. Seems like you have to show your pedigree or buy them a drink, or know someone really cool in order to get their attention, even when you are actually shopping for a bike. I woulda bought a DeSalvo cause Mike is such a great guy and he doesn't treat his customers like chumps. Even the budget busters like me.

Oh, wait a minute, I DID buy a DeSalvo. Couldn'tbe happer.
 
#12 ·
Lutarious said:
I kinda agree. Sycip guys are a lot too big for their britches. I talked to them more than once at races/shows and so on. Seems like you have to show your pedigree or buy them a drink, or know someone really cool in order to get their attention, even when you are actually shopping for a bike. I woulda bought a DeSalvo cause Mike is such a great guy and he doesn't treat his customers like chumps. Even the budget busters like me.

Oh, wait a minute, I DID buy a DeSalvo. Couldn'tbe happer.
me too.. it was a road frame that was already built. Mike was a total sweetheart (not in a gay way) and the price was right.... Nicest road frame (of many) that I've ever ridden.

Lut, I recall a post long ago when you said something about Sycips being for yuppie hipsters or something like that... I can only guess that you talked to Jay on a bad day. I've known Jeremy for years (builder, smaller of the two bros) and could never picture him being a d!ck to anyone. He builds fantastic frames and is a really nice guy ta boot. You're not even really a dik Pete

I've known both of them long enough that I almost want to apologize for them putting anyone off, but I'm sure given the chance, they would do that themselves.

Sh!t.... I'm not even that cool!
 
#13 ·
At least you related your instance, unlike the guy above. I've known Jay and Jeremy for years and like Velocipus saidthey are truely nice people and listen, so I'm suprised by your experience.

Regarding the Desalvo's. Very very nice people, I camped next to them in 2002 at the Creampuff, my wheel self destructed, and I had to hike back down to Aid 2 where they were generous enough to drive me all the way back down the mountain to my truck. Good people!
 
#15 ·
Sycip Bros. = Real Deal

I just purchased a Sycip 29'er singlespeed, with a Sycip fork to boot. It started out with a phone call to order some of their socks (honest!), and after chatting with Jay for a while I knew it was time to own one of their bikes.

Jay and Jeremy are like other top-notch framebuilders I have known - often busy, sometimes stressed, and work better via direct communication (i.e. not email), but they're both good guys.

This is the first custom mountain frame I've purchased, and the first custom frame I've purchased from out of state. I'll admit, the process was a little frustrating, but the bike is perfect, and nothing about it disappoints me. I'll post pics soon.

Soulcraft builds great bikes too, of course.
 
#16 ·
I must have called on a bad day or something because he acted like he wanted to get off the phone as soon as possible. I called several builders and they won't let me get out off the phone. Sycip builds some of the nicest frames available, built if customer service is not ther then why should I spend my coin there. Sorry if my remark affended anyone, and by the way that is a nice ride.(damn I loved there seatstays too)
 
#17 ·
Nice bike, I've got a sweet spot for SyCip bikes. I have to chime in and say that any time I've had to talk to anybody at SyCip they've been super nice and very helpful. I love my Diesel SS 26er and would love to replace it with a 29er SS Diesel sometime in the future; meanwhile I have another 29er SS in the works:ihih: , soon to be debuted.
 
#18 ·
I'll admit

mboeder said:
I must have called on a bad day or something because he acted like he wanted to get off the phone as soon as possible. I called several builders and they won't let me get out off the phone. Sycip builds some of the nicest frames available, built if customer service is not ther then why should I spend my coin there. Sorry if my remark affended anyone, and by the way that is a nice ride.(damn I loved there seatstays too)
I was a little offended. I've know Jay and Jeremy for a long time and they are both "give you the shirt off their backs" types. Jay can get a little grumpy, but bottom line is he wants to sell bikes and I couldn't imagine him purposefully putting anyone off. He doesn't take sh!t from anyone either. Did you call at 5:30 pm on a friday? where you being difficult? Were they just like, " no, we don't want to sell you a frame! "
I'm not looking for a thread jack, just a little background. If someone was being a schmuck, be big about it and speak up. I'm sure they would want to know how they offended you so they could prevent making the same mistake again.
 
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