Bike Check interview: Jayce Cunning (AUS)

Aug 05, 2020

Written by Bart de Jong

Read 3866 times

Name: Jayce Cunning
Sponsors: Speedco, Avian, Seven MX, Ethika, Carters Transport, Cardiff Earthworks, Casual Fridays REI, Bell Helmets
Mechanic: Me, Myself and I

How does it feel to build up a new Speedco bike?
Jayce Cunning: It feels great. Building up my latest Teal Speedco was super exciting as it is my favourite colour of the Speedco’s and I was fortunate enough to be in Florida with the Speedco team whilst building that one. It is always super exciting to get a fresh bike that is new and shiny.

Does anybody need to help to get the bike together and tuned in?
Jayce Cunning: My latest bike I built on my own but had moral support from my Team mate’s Anderson Souza, Rico Bearman and Team manager Derek Betcher, haha.

Is the personal tool box well equipped?
Jayce Cunning: I’d say it's well equipped, I got what I need to rebuild my entire bike. Nothing more, nothing less.

Do you take your competition racing machine to the trails?

Jayce Cunning: Yes, I only usually ride trails when I am in the US and my race bike is the only bike I take with me. I am hopeless on trails anyway haha.

If something is wrong with your bike, do you fix it straight away or could you ride with a loose headset for an entire practice session for instance?
Jayce Cunning: I fix it straight away for sure. I am super picky with my bike set up and if things are loose it will bother me the entire time so I always sort it out ASAP.

How do you like the carbon frame?
Jayce Cunning: I really enjoy the Speedco Carbon frame. Changing to carbon was definitely a change but I really enjoy it now and love the feeling of my bike.

Do you experiment much with sizes of your frame, stem, bars to find the right set-up?
Jayce Cunning: I never change the size of my frame but I often change parts on my bike depending on the type of track I am riding or if I want to experiment with gates etc. I also change things because I get bored easily and want to see what certain things feel like.

Do you have something customized to make your bike more personal and perfect for you?
Jayce Cunning: I have a curly wrist band around my seat that has been on every single bike I have raced since 2013. My mate Peter Little put it on there at a training camp and it just became a thing that I kept on each bike I rode. Other than my bike is the same as what anyone can buy from Speedco and Avian.

Usual tire pressure?
Jayce Cunning: I usually ride at about 80psi. Any harder than that makes the tracks feel bumpy haha.

Do you try to match your racing uniform with the colour of the bike?
Jayce Cunning: No, I don’t. Seven MX have so many different colour ways of gear that it is just about impossible for me to match my bike each time I am riding.

If you would have to travel to a race on your own, what spare bike part do you always bring?
Jayce Cunning: I don’t take many spares, I bring the obvious spares like Tubes and Tires… I bring different size chainrings and depending on where I am travelling to I will take a different set of cranks. I have a weird thing for changing crank sizes every now and then.

Do you keep your bikes at the end of the season? How many have you got?
Jayce Cunning: I have 2 Speedco Bikes, one is in my cupboard and the other is the one I am riding. 2019 was my first season riding for speedco and I am still riding the bike I finished the season on.

Please take us through your parts list:

Frame - Speedco Bicycles Velox Carbon Pro XL (21.00 TT)
Fork - Avian Versus
Bars - Tangent TID
Grips - ODI Gwin’s
Stem - Avian Scorcher (60mm)
Headset - Sinz
Brake lever - Shimano DXR
Brake - Shimano DXR
Cranks - Avian Cadence (175mm)
Pedals - HT Components
Sprocket -- Michramm Industries (44T)
BB - Avian
Chain - KMC
Seat - Box
Seatpost - Box
Seatpost clamp - No idea, I've run the same seat clamp for years.
Front hub - Onyx
Rear hub - SD Components
Front rim - Avian Venatic Carbon Rim
Rear rim - Avian Venatic Carbon Rim
Spokes - Not sure, but they are from LUX BMX
Tires - Tioga Powerblock (1.75 front, 1.60 rear)
Tubes - Local Bike shop tubes
Chain tensioners - Speedco frame built in chain tensioners

Number plate - Tangent Products #53

Weight - I have never weighed my bike

Thanks to: Speedco, Avian, Seven MX, Ethika, Carters Transport, Cardiff Earthworks, Casual Fridays REI, Bell Helmets and everyone else that helps me out and supports me.