First episode of the new Just Ride Bikes Show, where I bring on people from the world of cycling to talk all things bike, with a big focus on tech and products.
Today’s guest Aidan Duff started his own bespoke carbon bike company 10 years ago and more recently launched the Sika, one of the the most interesting road bikes due to its geometry and tyre clearance.
In this episode we cover the challenges of competing with big brands, UCI rules, and the future of all-road and aero bikes. Aidan also shares thoughts on the rivalry between SRAM, Shimano, and Campagnolo. The conversation ends with quickfire questions, giving a personal glimpse into Aidan’s cycling journey and favoritess.
Content
00:00 Intro
00:43 Introduction and Personal Updates
02:17 Launch and Reception of the Seeker Bike
04:38 Design Philosophy and Market Positioning
08:23 Marketing Strategies for All-Road Bikes
11:14 Tire Clearance Trends and Future Directions
13:02 UCI Regulations and Their Impact on Design
17:52 The Future of Aero Bikes and Custom Solutions
25:34 Emerging Tech Trends in Cycling
33:12 The Future of Campagnolo and Market Dynamics
35:43 Quickfire Questions and Personal Insights
Recommended products:
Get the new Insta360 X4 here https://store.insta360.com/product/x4?utm_term=INRS1KM
Buy Bikestow Stance stand here https://bit.ly/3LSZQXZ
Castelli clothing https://bit.ly/justridebikes
Sidi shoes https://bit.ly/3tjQ8UP
HJC helmet https://bit.ly/3sRiB2Z
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCybgi4WCjGaoEEVjB7tBfCg/join
JOIN MY WEEKLY NEWSLETTER http://eepurl.com/inIvGk
Follow me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidjarthur/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davearthur
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justridebikesvideo
20 Comments
#Noice
Seka or Seeker? Personally I've always wanted a bike named after an 80's porno star…
Getting guests on for a chat is a great idea!
Great discussion; interesting, insightful and enjoyable.
Customers need to buy new frames with wider tire clearance. Win for the manufacturers. Fashion-trend type of business model.
Gravelbikes should be designed to allow the widest tire possible using standard gravelbike hubs, bottom brackets and a 1x drivetrain. I'm no frame designer but I'm guessing that's going to be a 29×2.3-2.4 tire. At the very least, new Gravelbikes should have clearance for a 29×2.2 tire. Why not have the option to use the widest tire possible. It might be fun to use a 2.2 Race King, 2.35 Thunder Burt, or 2.4 Peyote.
Thanks for the very interesting and entertaining interview! As for his bike, it looks good and seems like something I might be interested in. However, and I understand he has a lot of upfront expenses, but the price of of his frame is insane, as are other frames of the same cost.
As an Irish person,love the fifty one bikes but at 8250€ upwards for the sika,i think i will go to Carbonda and have a nosey!
I think lvmh sold Pinarello in 2023
Looking for a gravel/all road bike right now, tyre clearance one of the most important specs I’m considering
Rolling resistance of any tyre is a function of pressure and the surface you are riding on. A narrower tyre at an appropriate pressure has the same rolling resistance as a wider one at its equivalent optimal pressure. This has been demonstrated by INDEPENDENT tests (not marketing). The same goes for comfort. The only time a wider tyre will roll better or be more comfortable is if you are unable to achieve the pressure you require for your desired speed and/or comfort level with a narrower tyre (because you can't get the pressure low enough without the tyre bottoming out / pinch-flatting). You can easily check the optimal pressures for tyres of any width for any weight of rider and a range of riding surfaces and goals using (for example) Silca's online tyre pressure tool. For a 65kg rider on normal slightly tatty tarmac who is prioritising speed over comfort, optimal pressures are perfectly feasible to run with 25mm tyres. And narrower tyres and wheels will always be more aero for the same overall shape and relative width of tyre/rim, because of decreased frontal area. I'm absolutely sick to death of the scientific facts being systematically ignored by people with agendas and/or stupid people.
I like this format and it was good informative interview.
I was hoping you would ask what FiftyOne means. We all start with an extreme race bike and then quickly realized that a bikes like the FiftyOne Sika should have been our first choice. Fun with great geometry.
When I checked the Geometry chart for the Sika, i did not see any unique or ground breaking numbers. Particularly the headtube length/stack numbers – many frames are higher or just as high today. As comparison, I ride both a ADHX and Infinito CV rim brake. The Sika would not be a frame I would purchase based on the geometry (XL) I saw. My bet is that when a follow-on model comes out, the headtube will add another 10-15mm.
Honestly coming from a hardtail mt. Bike, comfort in wider tires is great. So on my road bike, capable of 34mm clearance, I’m going to run 32, 34mm tires for comfort. Rough roads abound where I live in Oregon.
Wide tyres? It is because UK roads are like WW1 battlefield.
Wide tires faster – I have a bridge for sale ! Want it??
Regarding UDH… I’ve lived how great the standard is as I bent my derailleur on my gravel bike and my shop replaced it in 30 minutes. I’m looking for a 2nd bike and I won’t buy a non-UDH bike.
👏🙂👍
Wider tires are heavier and will not go faster if you are into hill climbing sort of cycling.