Spooky Bikes
 

There has been a lot of talk in the Salsa Podio thread about Spooky bikes.
I'm partially to blame for going off topic at times, so I'm going to start a thread about Spooky bikes and hopefully the Salsa thread can be more dedicated to what the OP wanted. I learned a lot about the Podio, and the more bits I hear about Spooky, the more interesting it sounds.

I just ran across the Spooky bikes blog tonight, and Mickey (Mr. Spooky) has been writing some darn interesting & funny stuff.

I don't know Mickey at all, I've never ridden any of his bikes- but he seems like a genuine guy, and he seems to be 'all-in' trying to make his dream happen. He has been very forthright in his correspondence and very responsive to my uneducated questions about the specifics of Alum bike construction.

Our own local correspondent is preparing for a facility tour in the near future, and RTC looks to have snagged permission for a report & photo op.

Again, I've got no stake in this- I'm not saying anything good or bad about this guys work... I have no idea.
The powerful thing about the internet & places like BF is that without it I never would have heard this guy's story- and it sounds like a good one.

i want one so i can rock this. the guys from spooky are on velocipede salon all the time, seem like solid dudes.

http://www.spookybikes.com/v/vspfile...SKINSUIT-2.gif

http://www.spookybikes.com/v/vspfile...SSJERSEY-3.jpg

I haven't ridden any spookys, but I do own a sinister ridge (the company mickey was affiliated with before he brought sppok back from the dead) which is a stellar bike for what it is. Mickey is bright, dedicated, opinionated, and genuine. If I were to buy a new road bike soon, the skeletor would definitely be on the short list.

I remember Spooky bikes from way back in my mountain biking days (15 or so years ago). They were good bikes back then and I think at the time they were involved in the hardcore music scene. I had a shirt from them that said "Eastcoast Hardcore" with a picture of the flag of the 13 colonies. Anyway, I remember them being good bikes back then but I have no personal experience with them. I do like the skeletor but they don't make one small enough for me :mad:

Rob

I live about 10 minutes bike ride from the 'factory.' Spooky/Mickey/Carl is/are good stuff. Bit nuts, but genuine. Mickey has a near encyclopedic memory of tube shapes and types, and can uncannily eye-out a frame's geometry. He also is really obsessed with bike shyte, always talking about what Spooky is doing next (last time it was they got a bunch of new CNC machines and he was bubbling). They support their locals and their frames, yadda yadda, can't really go wrong.

Spooky is a sponsor for my team (but I ain't "shilling") and I am the next to the last team member to get one. Everyone loves theirs. The only complaint that I have heard is that the cable stops on the headtube are not compatible with some front brake calipers.

My plan is to get one before the year is out.

After having the opportunity to work with Mickey and correspond with him the guy is genuine. Like the poster the Spooky/NCC team love their rides. As soon as I sell my "Boston" Langster, Mickey will be welding me up a new FG/SS. I have even toyed with the idea of selling my Tarmac and replacing it with a Spooky. For me the bikes epitomize the philosophy of the BF sage that recommends that a racing bike should be more of a "tool and not a Jewel".

I like the jersey and for a decent price aswell.

With a 7 speed friction shifter in keeping with your retrogrouch rep? :)

:roflmao2:

DT friction won't work, but barends would.;) And get off my lawn!

Actually probably going with Red and moving the Zero-G's over from my Curtlo.

Smokin!
pics or it hasn't happened yet ;)

I should be moving my crap right now, but I just got home from my Retul fit and hanging out with Mickey.

Mickey told me to go swap out my pedals so I could ride his bike.

I'm on a 56 CAAD9 with 100 mm stem and about 3.5 cm of spacers. I rode his 54 with a 135mm stem and like 1 cm of spacers. The frame fit. Wtf...

Mickey said it was the seat tube angle, and Al (a Spooky racer) said that he used to run more spacers on his old bike but the geometry of the Skeletor rocks and he's more aero and runs more drop more comfortably. My back has issues, but I was rock solid comfy on it. I did a nice test ride on it and hammered. If something is off in the fit, I know right away because my back kills me within 10 mins.

Nothing.

Back to the bike.

I swapped my CAAD9 to a full carbon fork and have ridden it a bit lately so I can compare apples to apples just a hair more.

I didn't notice any difference in stiffness, and the bike felt freaking awesome in a sprint. It had a little more road 'feel' as Mickey called it, and after my short ride, I'd have to agree. Handling was good, and the bike was rock solid.

To be honest, if I was buying a frameset, it would be this one.

The 9's a great frame, and Mickey will be the first to admit it, but as I left I asked him if he had a 'I wish I was a Spooky' sticker for my 9.

For all those wondering, the crash replacement price for a frame is 400 bucks. Same as a 9. The welds aren't as pretty, but that's because he doesn't go over them with more material and add weight.

I loved my test ride. I was honestly grinning like an idiot during the ride and when I got back into his lair. I asked him if I could trade my bike for his, and he could even keep the SRM. He said he became a lot more happy the day he sold his SRM.

I came home with the 9.

A longer write up later when I get a chance to type up and fix up my interview with him. Though I suppose this is long enough.

He's the man, his road bikes rock, his mtb's rock, his cross frames are awesome. The spooky guys love them, I love how Mickey approaches this stuff, and you guys that have team deals are lucky dummies because I want a skeletor now. I think he was glad when I left because I hung out there for almost half the day and talked to him and did bike crap there. I did buy him lunch.

I might be broke as crap, but I can always spare a few bucks for some good company!

Anyone want to buy my 9?

He's the real deal. I've only gotten to know him in small doses but he give off a good vibe. Good luck selling the 9. You'll love the skeletor.

I was half joking.

Or was I...

I think I might get one as a graduation gift to myself at the end of next year. I need to save about 8.5K of my earning for next year so I have a post graduation slush fund. If that happens, then I'll be able to spend some of the cash on the bike.

Then I'll be hauling around 5 bikes after graduation. My parents will freaking kill me if I have to store them at their place...

I'll probably end up giving atleast one of them away.

... I'm not gonna say it... ;)


yes, please

that is sure what it seems like. If anyone has photos of their spooky rigs (or someone elses?) I'd love to see more shots of them. Mollusk, when you get yours?

thanks RTC, I appreciate your effort on the report.

Not gonna say what?

I'll post up my pics later, but the different anodized colors are cool. I saw Mickey's black bike and purple bike, and saw the 'teal' they were offering.

I also saw the cross bike of one of the riders he sponsors. Neat-o. We hung out, talked, sang kum ba ya, you know...

This time he was talking about not having hot running water at home so they could pay bills and buy a milling machine that would make their life much easier.

When my cash flow gets better in a couple of months or so.

omg I must have that kit...

I know right?

I wish he made cycling caps.

I would wear one all the time. One for on the bike and one for off the bike haha.

Very odd kit...it made my 3 year old cry.......................not really, but odd none the less.

The kid modeling looks like the winner of Hilltowns Cat 5 this year.

I wonder how the Sketor matches up with my '06 Toyota United...Scandium Tubing and carbon stays, Pro Racer(s) Designed.

-Fbmxer

You know, I do have a couple of rolls of NOS pink Benotto tape that would ROCK on that bike. I don't think there is much in the world more retro-racer than Benotto tape and I use it on all of my bikes. Unfortunately I have finally run out of "Benard Hinault" silver Benotto tape.

I have had a couple of youngsters on the Hipp Ride (our local hammerfest) ask me about the "weird" barwrap on my bikes. They thought it was "cool".

Probably better. Skeletors are freaking metal.

Hahah.

Honestly, I was very impressed by the frameset. The anodizing is really sweet as well. Mickey's purple frame was hawt and the black rocks.

Two questions about that:
1) is the anodizing even & good quality?
2) From the photos on the website I think the bike logos are just stickers? Did you see bikes with "semi-custom" graphics? (this guy indicates so, but just checking... LGT a blog of a spooky sponsored rider, randomly encountered on google)

Man, I ride bikes. I don't stare at them making sure the canvas is as well covered as a picasso.

That being said, the guys upstairs I hung out with were criticizing everything about every bike company I've heard of, and they didn't criticize the paint on the spookys.

The team bikes I saw, mickey's and Al's (Al races for spooky) looked like they still had their paint intact. I've heard people complain about team bikes (a van dessel sponsored rider comes to mind), and they didn't have anything bad to say about the paint. Heh.

The anondizing looks cool, and the decals are cool and well thought out. I didn't see all the ones they had, but i'm pretty sure you could get custom paint for a little more cash.

I saw a red one, a black one, and a purple one. They were all rockin'.

PS: Svelte is owned by Justin Spinelli. Google the name, and Svelte Cycles. He used to race for Saeco, aka the big boys. Dude knows his stuff, and is very particular about equipment. If he rides something and endorses it, it means a lot.

Richard Sachs sponsored him back in the day. It was pretty funny to see some of the old postcards that justin sent him saying that he'd been doing well and liked the bike.

I dunno if I could buy a bike that wasn't carbon... Aluminum is too harsh and really old technology.