What I didn’t change, what I did change – JB Bar
Sycip meets SimWorks JB Bar… again.
The existence of Sycip.
Santa Rosa, California.
In this city where sunlight and quiet air intersect, Jeremy Sycip continues to diligently produce bicycle frames today.
What is needed, for those who need it.
There are no unnecessary words or unnecessary pretense.
His bikes are relaxed, yet each one is worth looking at more closely.
The effort and ingenuity in the details, and the quiet conviction. It is Jeremy’s own attitude towards craftsmanship.
SimWorks was attracted to his work because such “simplicity” and “sincerity” are firmly ingrained in the details of his frames.
１JB was born from one of the display bikes.
The bike that Jeremy displayed in the showroom was fitted with handlebars that, at the time, were bent individually by hand.
It’s not gimmicky, but it has a clearly natural shape that makes you want to hold it.
When I saw it, I felt inspired to share this feeling with as many people as possible.
So, still under the name Sycip Bikes, we asked Nitto to make it.
That was 12 years ago, and that was the beginning of JB Bar.
The reason why I was forced to stop moving forward.
However, it wasn’t always smooth sailing.
Five years ago, an American manufacturer had commissioned Nitto to manufacture a one-bolt stem, which, in combination with a handlebar that had excessive backsweep, caused a slip accident while the user was riding. Fortunately, no one was injured, but Nitto took the matter seriously and decided to reconsider the production of chromium-molybdenum handlebars with excessive backsweep.
As a result, JB Bar was also forced to discontinue production.
It may have been a problem for another company, but bicycles are tools that people trust with their lives, so it may be said that this was unreasonable.
But even at the time, we had only one thing in mind.
There are people out there who truly believe in this handle.
And I’m sure we can find a solution somehow.
As expected, I couldn’t just give up so easily.
The answers accumulated over five years.
From the day we were forced to stop production, we continued to work with Nitto to find a solution.
Change the finish of the clamp surface.
Try new materials.
Test the processing method repeatedly.
Seek out a repeatable method to achieve the final product.
We repeatedly made samples, rode them, tested them, destroyed them, and remade them.
This process took five years.
What they finally arrived at was a reliable anti-slip coating that could be applied using Nitto’s own machinery.
This was not just an improvement, but an evolution that was absolutely necessary to protect riders.
What I changed, and what I didn’t change.
The new JB Bar has been designed from the ground up, with even greater improvements in manufacturing precision and safety.
But there are some things that haven’t changed.
We wanted to preserve that feeling that only those who have used it remember, from the moment you get a grip, of your hands and body naturally and subtly fitting together just so.
Not too fast, not too heavy.
Not too much, not too little.
I felt that I should never let go of the “just right” feeling that JB Bar had.
Putting two names side by side.
Up until now, JB Bar has been released only under the name Sycip Bikes.
We at SimWorks have just been there to support it.
But from this release, we will be releasing it under two names.
Sycip meets SimWorks。
Making something is not just about creating something.
With whom do you wish to work together and what do you believe in?
Having friends with whom you can share in those ideals
That is what we are proud of.
The real thing, for real riders.
There are many handles with similar shapes on the market.
But shape alone doesn’t make a handlebar authentic.
Being authentic means putting in the necessary effort, even if it’s not visible or noticed.
It’s about not being swayed by trends and not taking the easy shortcut, but building up what you believe in.
JB Bar is the product of time and the right sensibility.
We hope that this handlebar, which was born 12 years ago, will give someone a little more freedom on their adventure.
This is the wish of both SimWorks and Sycip Bikes.
Sycip meets SimWorks / JB Bar
This spring, we’ll start running again.
Sycip Designs x SimWorks J.B. Bar
Color : Silver, Black
Material : CrMo Steel
Width : 600mm (center – center at ends)
Clamp Diameter : 25.4mm
Bar Diameter : 22.2mm
Made by NITTO, Japan
