“FIFTYONE BIKES is excited to announce the launch of the new Sika road bike. The Sika is available to order now as a frameset, priced €4,500, $4,500, £3,950. Frameset includes seat post and FiftyOne’s own proprietary 1 piece integrated cockpit.” – FiftyOne Bikes
What is it?
“The Sika is a cutting-edge road bike that delivers top-level performance in a package tailored for real riders, not for pros. It combines feathery lightness, high stiffness and sleek aero with a less extreme position, confident handling, and clearance for 40mm tyres. It’s the ride of your life, all day long.”
“The development of the Sika was driven by our experience of building custom bikes – over 500 to date – and seeing what real riders want and need. On average, we develop 10 unique new road bikes every month, more than most big brands do in a decade. What’s more, we work with the world’s best bike fitters to fit our clients for their custom frames; we consulted with all of them to shape the positioning of the Sika. “
“We understand that just because a bike isn’t made with input from pros to be raced at the Tour de France, that doesn’t automatically make it an endurance bike. The Sika is the new definition of the modern performance road bike.”
Who is it for?
“Road riders who want to ride all day in comfort on a mix of roads while enjoying top-tier performance, but have grown tired of the limitations and fussiness of bikes designed purely for racing. Common sense was a key ingredient.”
Why did we make it?
“Because we could see something missing from modern road bikes and felt that we could deliver it by drawing on our vast experience of building custom bikes. We understand that many riders want a superlight, fast, confident bike that can take bigger tyres and has a real-world stack height.”
Key Features Overview
- 690g frame weight, size M
- Aero optimised tube profiles
- 40mm tyre clearance
- Real world rider fit
- Sika one-piece cockpit
- T47 bottom bracket and Universal Derailleur Hanger
- 27.2mm round seatpost with traditional external clamp
Features in Depth
- 40mm tyre clearance
“Conquer bad roads, cobbles and even gravel with the option to run tyres up to 40mm in width. Road bike tyres have been getting bigger at a rapid rate in recent years. While 30 and 32 are the new norm, riders who live in areas with worse roads already want even wider tyres. The Sika is ready for anything, including the future.”
- Real world rider fit
“We built a bike for normal people who want to ride all day. Drawing on our experience of building hundreds of custom bikes, and on our relationships with the world’s best bike fitters, we shaped the Sika to be comfortable for the vast majority of riders, without requiring an unsightly stack of spacers or ruining the bike’s elegant proportions.”
- Sika one-piece cockpit
“Ergonomics and aerodynamics harmonise in our first cockpit, designed entirely in-house. The top section is shaped with proven NACA profiles to deliver a significant aero gain in this critical area that meets the cleanest airflow. The tops also sweep back at a 3-degree angle for a natural hand position. Brake hose routing is fully internal.”
- 27.2mm round seatpost with traditional external clamp
“The most comfortable and practical solution. A round 27.2mm seatpost is able to flex more than any aero-shaped post, adding comfort at the saddle where it matters most. We decided this was more important than a small aero gain. The round post also gives you the freedom to choose any post, rather than being stuck with a proprietary design. We chose a traditional clamp because they’re so much easier to live with, especially if you travel with your bike, compared to a hidden wedge that usually binds in place.”
Lightness
“The Sika frame weighs 690g in size M, placing it among the very lightest in the world for a bike with 40mm tyre clearance and aero optimisation. A sub-7kg build, with pedals, is easily achievable with no extreme components.”
“What’s more, lightness was never the sole focus. This figure was achieved while also hitting our high targets for lateral and torsional stiffness, and with aero-optimised tube shapes. The key to this lies in the high grades of carbon fibre we selected. Read more on that below.”
Handling
“One word sums up the Sika’s handling – confidence. It’s precise, stable and planted, whether on a fast Alpine descent or broken back roads. We gave the Sika the same dynamic and assertive handling that is a hallmark of our custom bikes, with short trail and longer chainstays.”
“Through our custom bike programme, we design more frame geometries each year than even the biggest brands do in a decade. What’s more, our bikes are tailored to our customers, not dictated by the demands of pros. We know what real riders want and we know how to deliver it. The difference might look subtle on paper, but it matters on the road.”
Ride Quality
“The Sika is a bike to ride all day on all roads. The rear triangle is closely derived from our custom bikes, where it’s well proven to ride with velvet smoothness. Add to that, a 27.2mm diameter seatpost that’s able to deflect over bumps, a compliant fork, and capacity for tyres up to 40mm and the result is a bike that floats over bad roads.”
“This smoothness is achieved without sacrificing performance thanks to the very high grades of carbon fibre used and tireless development to get the best from them. The frame shapes play a key role, too. The aggressively truncated profile of the downtube delivers the lightness, comfort and stiffness of a round tube, with the aero benefits of an airfoil. The bottom bracket shell is maximised upwards and in width to boost stiffness in this key area.”
Aero
“While the Sika is not an outright aero bike for racing, it is aero-optimised to reduce drag without compromising ride quality or lightness. The tube shapes are derived from proven NACA profiles with truncated airfoils – like a tapered D-shape – which are very effective at reducing drag while preserving lightness and ride quality.”
“Why include aero if the bike isn’t for racing? On the flat, around 80% of your effort is fighting air resistance and if your bike is more efficient, then you save energy to spend going further, higher or faster. Additionally, with nearly all bikes now aero-optimised to some extent, we didn’t want to leave performance on the table and put you at a disadvantage on a group ride.”
Carbon Lay-Up Explained
“Ride quality is an obsession at FiftyOne Bikes. We knew how we wanted the Sika to feel and our experience and expertise both in building close to 500 custom frames and developing the Assassin gravel bike gave us the tools to achieve it. The Sika is made with an especially high-grade mix of Toray carbon fibres – the exact blend of fibres is our secret for now – with each one used according to its particular qualities. This is how the Sika is so light, stiff and comfortable. There’s no magic, only obsessive engineering and a readiness to invest in the best materials.”
Lifetime Warranty and UCI Approval
“Ride in total peace of mind. The Sika received UCI approval and carries a lifetime warranty.”
Paint Options
“The Sika launches in Black Ops Evo featuring Iridescent keyline over raw carbon fibre with a clear coat finish. A second colourway will follow later this year.”
FiftyOne Bikes Founder and MD, Aidan Duff, Comments:
“Sika is born out of all our custom building experience. It’s a natural evolution for us. Having built over 500 bespoke frames, we have a unique viewpoint on what riders actually want and need. I’ve long thought the current model is a little broken – producing bikes for the world’s best athletes and then selling them to consumers. It never made sense to me.”
“The Sika is a pure road bike for everyday use. Using realistic stack heights allows riders to ride for longer, engage more power and ensure that every ride will be their best ride. But don’t for one minute think this is an Endurance bike. The Sika has the same DNA as our custom model and is made to inspire confidence on corners and descents. It’s assertive, nimble and engaging. In short, this will corner like an F1 car but with the comfort of a Bentley.”
Learn more at the FiftyOne Bikes Website
