Design That Rings True With Spurcycle

Brothers Nick and Clint Slone grew up in their family bike shop before setting out to rethink cycling accessories. In 2012, they launched Spurcycle to make their own rides better, and just a year later, their Kickstarter introduced the world to what they called the “best bell ever.” That phrase stuck, and the bell quickly became a benchmark for quality and design. We asked them about design, rides, and what it takes to build products that last.

How did your relationship with cycling and product design evolve before founding Spurcycle?

Nick: Our relationship with cycling is a lifelong one; we grew up working in our family bike shop, Edgartown Bicycles. When I moved to San Francisco in 2007, I worked for Timbuk2 and later for Alite Designs. While I focused on the operations side of the bike and outdoor equipment space, the product design aspect came more formally through my brother, Clint. He was educated in product design at Stanford and spent years applying that expertise to challenging medical device projects. In 2011, we were roommates, each considering starting our own venture. When Clint began experimenting with an idea for modular bicycle grips, we realized we had the perfect combination of his design talent and my industry experience to build a company. We started our side-hustle and founded Spurcycle in 2012, primarily as an attempt to make our own rides—and the products we used—better.

Spurcycle began making grips before shifting focus to bells. What was that transition like, and what lessons did you learn from it?

Nick: Grip Rings were a relatively straightforward first product for Spurcycle; we simply sourced the product once the design was complete. The biggest lesson there was that merchandising complexity can kill a product. Having a dozen segments in a dozen colors was a headache for retailers. Around that time, a trend toward lock-on grips began too. Our transition to fancy bells was an immediate step-change. Following our 2013 Kickstarter launch, we suddenly had to produce 10,000 units without the help of a contract manufacturer. To deliver the 'best bell ever' to thousands of new customers, we had to scale up our entire endeavor. This meant hiring our first employees and establishing working relationships with half a dozen domestic manufacturing partners. Nothing about domestically manufacturing a high-precision, signature product is easy but it has been impactful and rewarding. 

What’s your favorite ride or cycling route in the Bay Area (or near Spurcycle’s base), and why?

Nick: My favorite rides, as a category, are those that leave from my door. Bend has some great mountain biking right from town. When I’m back in SF to work with Clint, I’m sure to do the Headlands at least once. I try to get in a climb up Railroad to East Peak. During my last visit I connected from there out to Stinson, up Bofax, and back via Ridgecrest. That felt like a highlight reel from my time living there. Of course, I also try to catch the Ornot Aftercake ride for the donuts and good company.

How do you balance the functionality of your products with your high aesthetic standards?

Clint: We always aim for compelling product silhouettes and fabrication details that excite. It is often tricky balancing aesthetics and function. Ideally the two are in perfect sync, but the realities of design often require trade offs and compromises between the two. It's a subjective call in the end, but for our brand durability and performance are the highest priority. Authentic and "good" aesthetics often come from embracing the engineering and fabrication behind the product.

What has been the most unexpectedly difficult challenge in running a high-end accessory brand?

Nick: Doing things really well and really consistently is inherently challenging. The basic accessory space isn’t necessarily where people are excited to spend extra money, which means we’ve got to do an unusually good job of delivering functional and aesthetic value—durability too. We’re also in a tough position of scale. Of course, you can’t be a “builder” producing 100 bells a year and make a living. Yet neither does our product scale readily to 100,000+ units a year and availability in every local bike shop. It can be a tight line to walk as a small business, but we’ve found a good balance and a happy sweet spot that seems to resonate with unusual authenticity among our fans.

Which non-Spurcycle products or brands influence your design thinking today?

Clint: As a designer, I always appreciate companies that strive to innovate in compelling ways. Companies like Peak Designs and OXO rarely invent new products. Instead they reengineer features that improve the user experience. They focus on the subtle details to ultimately deliver a product that works better. This has always been Spurcycle's approach as well. The design process typically starts with asking ourselves how we can make a product perform better and that will be cherished by the user.

What’s a go-to “break from work” spot in San Francisco?

Clint: Golden Gate Park, with a surprising number of trails to explore and lush vegetation, it's ideal for a quick jog or pedal. Even after years of exploration in the park, I still discover beautiful ponds, meadows, and single track trails. The best part of GGP is proximity to ideal spots to grab a post jog bite or drink like Rampant and Damn Fine Pizza.

Are there upcoming projects you’re excited about?

Nick: 

We recently got into making mirrors. Like we did with the bell, we are currently working to “undork” this product category. It will not be easy to do, because the trifecta of mirror benefits are not so easy to demo in-store:

1. Safety is the baseline benefit. Keeping an eye on traffic is important.

2. Social cohesion is less obvious but immediately noticeable once experienced. You can maintain consistent connection with your riding partner(s), because it’s effortless to frequently check on those behind you.

3. Strategic advantage is a benefit that few have leveraged. Quirky cyclocross legend, Paul Curley, has dozens of national championship titles. He’s the OG of “marginal gains” and has ridden with a homemade mirror in countless races. He was a regular guest at our house when growing up. (I’m sure that means we’ve been mirror-curious for a long time.) Paul didn’t race with a mirror because it was safer but because it improved his race tactics. 

Fashion is fickle and fierce, but gravel and bikepacking have opened the door a little. Are there enough mirror-curious among enthusiast riders that we can reach a tipping point? Many once fought against riding with a helmet, with long socks, now with short socks… When the functional benefits are there, fashion eventually comes around. You could head check your way to the chiropractor, Ornot;-)