State Bicycle Company Thunderbird. © Clifford Lee / Cyclocross Magazine
State Bicycle Company is a six-year-old company based in the Southwest, which carved their niche in single-speed and fixed gear bikes. They sell their bikes customer direct via their website or through over 400 dealers worldwide. Over the years they have branched out into road, off-road and city bike riding.
Last year, State Bicycle Company added two cyclocross bikes to their off-road division, bringing their offerings to full-scope without forgetting their roots in the single-speed movement. Naturally then, both cyclocross models are single-speed, though the Thunderbird that we received for review is convertible to geared should the rider be interested in venturing to the dark side.
The State Bicycle Company Thunderbird Ride:
A high bottom bracket, short stem combined with slack head tube makes for a feeling of initial slight instability and wheel flop, but easy to correct for and adapt to. The low gear makes you feel like you can accelerate and shoot the bike up short rises despite the weight which really is not much more than a geared bike. That’s the catch, you only have one speed, but the bike weighs as much as bikes with a full complement of gears. For less than $1000, that can be forgiven. Also, consider that nearly half that weight is from the hefty wheelset, so a quick swap can save you a few pounds easily.
Once up to speed, the handling felt normal and the high bottom bracket became an non-issue, especially since I was less likely to take the bike on steep climbs and descents with switchbacks where I have a harder time with a higher bottom bracket. On a ’cross course with chicanes, this bike can hold its own.
The Thunderbird comes with a tapered head tube. © Clifford Lee / Cyclocross Magazine
The eccentric bottom bracket is an elegant way for chain tension with disc brakes, as sliding the wheel in the dropout would change the disc alignment. The problem with BB eccentrics is maintaining adjustment with the torque of pedaling. The wedge system of eccentric converters is adequate, but not optimal. The dedicated eccentric bottom bracket hanger of the Thunderbird is the solution, with two set screws to hold the eccentric in adjustment. In spite of hard accelerations, punchy climbs, and remounts, the chain tension held fast.
Chain tension and pad alignment was a theoretical problem with rim brakes as well, but with the small diameter of the disc rotor compared to the rim, there is less tolerance for this and adjusting the brake pads to adjust alignment is just not possible with disc calipers, though the other solution applied is the sliding dropout or slotted caliper mount.
Arguably, disc brakes on a single-speed could be considered overkill, since there is considerably less propensity to go down steeps because you’d have to climb said steeps without the appropriate gear. That said, I like them for the consistent and relatively powerful feel compared to most rim brakes, especially in all-weather conditions, even with the entry level BB5 single piston mechanical calipers. If you are coming into a tight turn fast, you can brake a bit later and modulate better in twisty track.
