August 30, 2013

Spot Brand Acme Bike Review

Momentum Mag reviews Spot Brand Acme.

Written by: Sam Poyner

Review

PRICE $2,199.00 USD

FIND IT AT spotbrand.com

AVAILABLE in US, Canada, and UK bike shops and online

The Spot Brand Acme features an aluminum frame, Gates Carbon Drive System, quality Shimano Alfine 11-speed internal-gear hub, and all the mounts you would need for fenders, racks, etc. With aggressive geometry and industrial style this carbon fork, high-speed city cruiser makes for a comfortable ride. Available in 6 sizes, from 42cm to 60cm.

TELL YOUR FRIENDS

You can have a near silent ride on the Acme, getting you up and down any hill with ease. The strong belt drive guarantees showing up to work without chain grease on your pant leg!

WISH LIST

It would be nice if the Acme could shed a few pounds, it’s a little on the heavy side. It would make dragging it up stairs or biking up hills a little easier.

IDEAL RIDER

Commuting or just cruising around the city, this bike is made for someone who wants to get around in style so long as you have hefty bike storage at home and work because you don’t want to let this budget-bruising bike out of your sight.

OVERALL

The Acme is stylin’; it definitely stands out in a crowd, maybe a bit too much! The internal gears and belt drive system give it a ride quality that’s a cut above the rest. The upright riding position, combined with the more aggressive geometry, makes the bike surprisingly nimble. An awesome ride as long as you’re not heaving it on top of cars or hauling it up flights of stairs very often.

This bike was generously put together by Kissing Crows Cyclery in Vancouver, BC. kissingcrowscyclery.com

Sam Poyner lives in East Vancouver where he works as a Lawyer at Poyner Baxter LLP and is passionate about bikes.

2 Comments

Greg Garrard
April 24, 2015
I’ve had my Acme for a year and a half now. I wrote a largely complimentary review for the Spot site, but they chose not to post it!
It’s a gorgeous bike with awesome brakes that needs very little maintenance, so it fits the bill as a city bike perfectly. The belt/hub combo works very well as long as you change the oil every year.
Downsides: yes, it is HEAVY. I don’t have mudguards or a rack on mine (it’s too pretty to ruin that way) and it weighs 13kg-almost as much as my old Dawes Horizon, which is built like a railway bridge. Also, the hefty hub/carbon fork plus quick steering means it’s twitchy at the front. I’ve not crashed it, but it doesn’t inspire confidence. Also the seat and grips are really poor for the price point-I had to fit Ergon grips and a Charge Spoon immediately because my half hour commute was a literal PITA. It’s not helped by the alu frame, which feels rather twangy despite the carbon fork.
I have quite a few bikes. I choose the Acme to pop to the shops or the pub (ie look good), and as a baby tractor. I prefer other bikes for most commutes just because I resent hauling 4-5 extra kilos around! But the Acme is always ready to go when I need it, which is vital when a bike is your sole transport.
Ed
November 2, 2013
I love this bike. I’ve ridden it 2,400 km over the last 8 months. I’ve never owned a bike with hydraulic brakes, belt drive or internal gears so I can’t compare it to anything similar. I’ve been a year-round commuter in a northern climate for 25 continuous years and I wanted a bike that I could ride while putting little effort into maintenance. So far, the Acme has met expectations. In the first week, I had to adjust the hub for cable stretch. After a month, I had to adjust the hydraulic brakes for pad wear. After 3 months, I had a broken spoke replaced. At 1,000 km, I had to complete the first scheduled oil change. The stock brake pads wore quickly but since I’ve replace them, they have been maintenance free. I haven’t needed to touch the bike since then. The stock tires are effectively puncture resistant because I haven’t had a flat which is unusual for me unless running something like Swalbe Marathons. The bike stops, goes and handles wonderfully in all conditions. I ride in hilly country; I pound the pedals very hard. No one notices how good the bike looks because I’m riding too fast for them to notice. I can’t comment that this bike may be on the heavy side since I think it’s quite light for a commuter and fellow commuters instinctively pick up the bike when they see it, go “ooooooo” and smile broadly. I bought maintenance kits for the hub and brakes to avoid trips to the bike shop. The hub oil change was easy. Avid hydraulic brake instructions are inadequate because the instructions are devoted to fluid change only – in fact, there are at least three typical types of service eg, air removal, fluid top-up / pad setting, fluid change. It took time recognize the difference and that different procedures are needed for each. The only thing I felt necessary to modify is to install ergo grips, fenders and toe clips, cut 4″ of the handle bars, drop them as low as possible and cut off the excess from the steering tube. This bike is a dream come true.