Sick Bicycle Co. Introduces the Gnarpoon

From Sick Bicycle Co.

Since Day One

This was the first bike we were supposed to make. When sitting in the woods at our local trail, this is the bike we wanted. The Gnarcissist hardtail actually started as a geometry test bed for this very frame. Never before has one project caused us so much trouble. We had very defined traits we wanted out of this bike, and we wouldn't settle for anything but perfection. We have a workshop full of various Gnarpoons that fell short of perfection. And although it drove us crazy, it was never far from our minds. While it's simple, it leaves no room for mistakes; every few millimeter tweaked, every degree refined, changed something - it was like spinning plates. A few months ago Lee solved the mystery. Now after many variants of full suspension and hardtail frames, and hundreds of happy customers across the globe, we wanted to go back to our original pet project. We just needed the right guy to make it happen.

In steps Frank Wadelton, AKA, Frank The Welder, a man who helped shape the industry. Chances are, if you rode hardcore in the early 2000's, then you know this guy. The go-to fabricator for any number of bike projects, for decades, Frank has been churning out beautiful sculptured pieces for the cultured hellion from his Vermont machine shop that is crammed with various vintage and hard-working contraptions. Talk about good timing.

As Sick Bicycle Co. has grown, a considerable amount of sales end up being shipped to the USA and Canada, by far our largest market. One of the problems is the complexity of shipping volume from the UK to USA. We figured if we could make and ship frames in the USA, then we could cut waiting times and costs. We just needed the right fabricator.

Frank had some space in a warehouse to rent, we got chatting and naturally one thing lead to another. We had the opportunity to make Sick a trans-Atlantic brand. A brand designed to appeal to hardcore riders. To make and assemble complete bikes in Vermont.

The end goal, isn’t so much the building of Gnarpoon, although it is certainly one off the bucket list! But, to create a manufacturing and complete bike distribution hub in the USA. It sounds crazy, but it’s relatively straightforward. We have the space, we have the skills, we just need the funding and the employees. We’re in contact with the local business development group in Vermont and we are ready to make this dream a reality.

So what IS Gnarpoon?

Gnarpoon is a simple, brutal, all-mountain bike ready for anything, made with care by a true craftsman, an investment and commitment to your sport.
A frame as flexible as you need it to be.
Trail Life or Freeride Hero.
Choose 160/150mm travel or 180/170mm travel builds

What is your ideal bike?

Trail and Enduro race weapon? Freeride and Park-Bike monster? Kinda missing that old DH rig you had?

We offer 2 styles of build kits at 2 different price points. From a big-hucking dual-crown and coil rig to an agile and speedy weekend warrior race bike, to a nimble and affordable trail bike. Travel is adjusted via the shock with a choice of 230 x 65 or 230 x 60 sizing, so if you change your mind down the line? The option is there.

29 or 27.5+

Not much more to say than, this just makes sense. All Gnarpoon frames can take either wheel choices. One shape, two personalities.

Real Steel Feel or Hair Trigger Control

We offer two choices of mainframe material. Choose 6061-T6 aluminum or double-butted 4130 steel. Identical in geometry, completely interchangeable with the same rear swingarm and cable mounts.

It's no secret we are BIG fans of steel full suspension bikes - they are completely unmatched in terms of a fatigue-fighting ride and wild amounts of grip. Some people prefer the precision and response of an aluminum frame. Riders have personal preferences and we want to offer that option too. In fact we’ve quickly become just as keen on aluminum.

62:77 – Progressive geometry

If you've not ridden a progressive geometry bike, you are in for an experience. Longer top tube, shorter stem, slacker head angle, steeper seat tube and lower center of gravity. What does all this jargon add up to? A bike that feels like you are in it, not on it. Most test riders get the same feeling, that the bike feels like its slowing time down, more reaction time and more focus, but faster times. Stability is the key. Without a twitchy front end, you have fewer calculations to make, you can stay on line easier and hit speeds you never thought possible. In the air the bike is balanced with the rider leading to predictable take-offs and landings. You can pick a line through root or rock gardens rather than just hitting and hoping. A steeper seat tube means the front wheel is planted on climbs and dropper posts mean its tucked nicely on the way back down.

Future Proofing

There was no point in building a bike that would become obsolete. We took onboard lots of real-world rider concerns.

No weird standards. ZS tapered headset, 31.6mm dropper post, 148x12 hub, 73mm threaded BB. All these standards we expect not to change anytime soon.
Off-the-shelf bearings and fixtures. We designed every part of the frame with simplicity in mind. The bearings and bolts found on the bike are all easily and affordably obtained.
Replaceable dropouts. Good for damage control in the event of a bad accident. But also give us a bit of choice if new hub standards or mech mounts evolve

The money will fund a production run, the CNC machining, raw materials and Frank's time and expertise. If we over-fund, we can include the needed equipment and tools for complete bike assembly, refurbishment of the space, training new staff and a solid job offer providing a future for some lucky locals. We’ve funded the R&D and prototyping out of our own savings. Lee has put in hundreds of hours of design work optimizing the choices. Our vendors have hooked us up with amazing component deals. We are ready to rock. - Jordan Childs, Sick Bicycle Co.

Custom, not custom.