Introducing the Manzanita Cycles Whippet: “Lightning Fast and Reliable”

Owned and operated by Nick Jensen, Manzanita Cycles is a Reno, Nevada-based framebuilder specializing in custom, made-to-order mountain and gravel bikes. Like other framebuilders, Nick has been introducing stock models into his lineup with pre-set geometry and specs that allow for quicker turnaround time and a more streamlined buying experience for the customer.

Manzanita Cycles’ latest offering was first teased last spring, and we’re excited to share that the new Whippet gravel bike is now available. The Manzanita Cycles Whippet gets its name from Nick’s dog, Beasley, who he says is “lightning fast and a reliable companion.” The Whippet is built around a mix of Velospec and Columbus tubing alongside custom-bent 4130 Chromoloy steel chainstays and seatstays. According to Nick, the Whippet “designed to glide effortlessly over rough terrain,” and he says it delivers maximum speed with unmatched comfort.

The Whippet has clearance for 29 x 2.25″ tires, relies on external cable routing, a 68mm threaded bottom bracket, and a tapered head tube on all sizes except the two smallest. Custom rear dropouts were designed for perfect flat mount brake alignment, to work seamlessly with SRAM’s Universal Derailleur Hanger (UDH), and to be straightforward for powder coaters to finish. The Whippet dropouts feature a combination of laser-cut steel plates and bolt-on, CNC-machined, hard-anodized aluminum inserts. For a touch of personality, one of the stainless steel washers is laser cut with the Manzanita logo.

The frame has many interesting details that make bike setup and maintenance easier. To get away from external guides and zip ties, Nick designed low-profile housing guides that bolt onto the frame with low-profile M3 bolts instead of the typical M5 bolts. The bolt-on guides Nick designed were inspired by the housing guide on the RockShox SID SL fork, using friction to snugly fit either 4mm derailleur housing or 5mm brake housing along the chainstay. No need for zip ties! Continuing up the downtube, a bolt-on frame protection plate doubles as a cable guide and uses standard M5 bolts so a bottle cage can be attached over it.

To achieve the Whippet’s generous tire clearance, Nick designed a custom stainless steel 3D-printed yoke with a hollow construction. On the non drive-side, the yoke simply bends around the tire instead of using a dimple like some frames. The result is a stronger and stiffer rear end that doesn’t compromise tire clearance.

The Whippet comes in eight frame sizes to cover a wide range of rider heights and shapes. Manzanita uses proportional frame sizes, so the ride quality and experience is comparable whether you’re short or tall. The Whippet has a long reach is optimized for stems ranging from 50mm to 90mm. It has a somewhat slack 70.50° head tube angle, a long headtube angle to reduce the need for excess headset spacers, and chainstay length increases alongside frame size for better weight distribution and traction. If you’re unsure on your size, Manzanita has a nifty frame fit calculator right on their website that recommends the best frame size, stem length, stem angle, and headset spacer stack. Watch an overview video Nick put together and find the complete geometry chart below.

The Whippet frames are powder-coated six miles from Manzanita Cycles, and the 3M vinyl decals are made by a sign shop conveniently located down the street from the powder coater. The frame is available in two color schemes: Manzanita red with light blue graphics and white with black graphics. For an extra $100, you can opt for a custom color scheme. Once you’ve placed your deposit, Nick can help you dial in your custom colors.

The Whippet frameset, including a Seido MGV carbon fork and Cane Creek 40 headset, costs $2,600. The Shimano GRX 12-speed complete build costs $4,850, and custom builds are also available. Each frame is handmade by Nick and is expected to be completed by April. Pre-orders are open now.

Head over to ManzanitaCycles.com to learn more.

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