BMX Brand
Odyssey
Odyssey is a Southern California BMX parts brand founded in the 1980s, known for the Gyro detangler, forks, pedals, cranks and the Clutch freecoaster hub.
Updated 2 min read512 words
Odyssey is a BMX parts brand based in Southern California. Founded in the mid 1980s, it makes forks, pedals, cranks, hubs, handlebars, tyres and brakes, and it introduced the Gyro detangler that lets riders spin their bars with a brake fitted. It is the parent of the British-designed G-Sport range and is distributed alongside Sunday Bikes through Full Factory Distribution.
History
Odyssey began in the mid 1980s during the first freestyle boom. Its first widely known product was the Gyro, a detangler that routes the rear brake cable through a rotating bearing at the headset so the bars turn freely. Combined with its brakes and levers, the Gyro made Odyssey the default brake brand in freestyle for decades. Through the 1990s the company broadened into pedals, bars, cranks, forks and rims.
Around the turn of the 2000s the G-Sport range came under the Odyssey umbrella. G-Sport was the work of George French, a British engineer whose designs, including the Ribcage rim, were known for careful engineering rather than styling. The partnership gave Odyssey a reputation for technical products that it has kept since.
Odyssey also developed its own heat treatment process, marketed as 41-Thermal, which it applies to forks and cranks to allow lighter tubing without losing strength. In the mid 2010s it released the Clutch, a freecoaster hub that replaced the traditional clutch-and-spring layout with a design intended to need far less adjustment. The Clutch became one of the most popular freecoasters of the brakeless street era.
Products
Odyssey's range covers almost every part of a bike apart from the frame.
| Product | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gyro | Detangler | The original brake detangler |
| Evo II and Springfield | Brakes | U-brakes for freestyle |
| R-Series | Forks | Includes the R32 and F32, heat treated |
| Thunderbolt | Cranks | Two-piece and three-piece cranks |
| Twisted PC and Grandstand | Pedals | Plastic pedals in many colours |
| Hazard Lite | Rims | Common freestyle rim |
| Antigram | Cassette hub | Lightweight cassette |
| Clutch | Freecoaster hub | Low maintenance freecoaster |
| Aitken, Hawk and Path | Tyres | Signature and all-round tyres |
| G-Sport Ribcage and Elementary | Rim and hub | Products from the G-Sport line |
The Aitken tyre is named for Mike Aitken and the Hawk tyre for Chase Hawk.
Team and riders
Odyssey sponsors riders across disciplines, and many ride for Sunday or other frame brands within the same distribution group. Riders associated with Odyssey have included:
- Mike Aitken
- Chase Hawk
- Aaron Ross
- Gary Young
- Tom Dugan
- Jim Cielencki
- Clint Reynolds
- Broc Raiford
Influence
The Gyro changed how freestyle bikes were set up. It made barspins and tailwhip variations possible with brakes, and it remained standard equipment until the brakeless trend of the 2000s. That history is central to the brakes or brakeless debate.
Odyssey's engineering focus, reinforced by G-Sport, raised the standard for how BMX parts were designed and tested. Its heat treatment work pushed other brands to follow, and the Clutch helped make freecoasters mainstream in street riding. Through Full Factory, Odyssey also demonstrated a model where one group designs and distributes several brands, which is now common across the industry.
Related
Frequently asked questions about Odyssey
What is Odyssey best known for?
The Gyro detangler, which lets a rider spin the bars with a rear brake fitted. Odyssey is also one of the main makers of forks, pedals, cranks and hubs.
What is the Odyssey Clutch?
The Clutch is Odyssey's freecoaster hub. It uses a clutch mechanism instead of the traditional design and is built to need little adjustment.
Is Odyssey related to Sunday Bikes?
Yes. Odyssey and Sunday are both distributed by Full Factory Distribution and share design and engineering resources.
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