2021 Fly Supernova Review

Overview

BRAKE INCLUDED (no pictured)
With the addition of the new Trebol Mini Lever, Trebol Mini Stem and the new fork design with an integrated cone shape design, the 18” Supernova is more dialed than we could have imagined!

This bike features a 100% chromoly frame, fork & bars, fully sealed hubs, Trebol Bueno 152mm cranks, Ruben 135mm grips, and Fuego 18” tires. This bike is scaled down to ride just like our 20” bikes.

The Supernova is designed for the little shredders out there that need a bike that can hold up to a higher level of riding but are not quite ready for a full-size bike

The 2021 Supernova is available in Gloss Orange with Flat Black parts, and Gloss Black with Flat Black parts and Polished hubs.

RHD: Right Drive Side (Sprocket on the right side)
LHD: Left Drive Side (Sprocket on the left side)

from: fly

Highlights

• ✅ - Full Chromoly
• ⛔️ - Under $500
• ✅ - Double Wall Rims - (Double side wall) Not as strong as double wall
• ⛔️ - Pegs
• ⛔️ - Fully Sealed Bearings
• ✅ - 3 pc. Cranks
• ⛔️ - Freecoaster - What is a freecoaster?
• ✅ - Brakes
• ✅ - Gyro tabs
• ⛔️ - 4 pc bars

Specs

Price: $540

Colors

• Gloss Black
• Gloss Orange

Specs

FRAME FULL 4130 CRMO / 18" / REMOVABLE BRAKE MOUNTS

FORK FULL 4130 CRMO WITH INTEGRATED CONE SHAPE DESIGN / 25MM OFFSET

BARS FULL 4130 CRMO

GRIPS FLYBIKES RUBEN / 135MM LONG

STEM TREBOL MINI TOP LOAD / FORGED / 6061 T-6 ALUMINUM / 40MM

HEADSET TREBOL BAJA INTERNAL SEALED BEARING

LEVER TREBOL MINI RIGHT / DIE CASTING ALLOY

BRAKE TREBOL SPRINGHANGER / FORGED / 6061 T-6 ALUMINUM

CRANKS TREBOL 3PC / 4130 CRMO / 152MM ARM LENGTH

BOTTOM BRACKET SPANISH / SEALED BEARING

SPROCKET TREBOL / CNC MACHINED / 6061-T6 ALUMINUM / 25T

PEDALS FLYBIKES RUBEN GRAPHITE / NYLON - FIBERGLASS COMPOUND

CHAIN 510 TYPE / 64 LINKS

RIMS TREBOL / DOUBLE SIDE WALLED / 6061-T6 ALUMINUM / 36H

FRONT HUB TREBOL BUENO / SEALED BEARING / 3/8” MM. / 36H / AXLE FEMALE

REAR HUB TREBOL CASSETTE / SEALED BEARING / 14MM. AXLE / 36H / 9T.

TIRES FLYBIKES FUEGO 18" X 2.2 FRONT & REAR / 60 TPI / 65 PSI

SEAT FLYBIKES SUPERNOVA / 100% SYNTHETIC LEATHER / 7 MM THICKNESS

POST TREBOL TRIPOD / FORGED & CNC MACHINED / 6061-T6 ALUMINUM / 135 MM

WEIGHT 9.6 KG. / 21.1 LB.

Frame Geometry

A: Top Tube Length: 17.5" – Learn what size is right for you here.

Good for smaller riders who need a bike with amazing quality!

Getting a top tube that is taller than suggested will make the bike feel more controlled and less responsive

Getting a top tube size that is smaller than normal will make the bike feel a lot more snappy and responsive.

B: Chain Stay Length: 11.6" – Learn About Chain Stays Here

This is a short chainstay.

A short chainstay gives the bike a responsive feeling. This is important for smaller riders to learn tricks.

A short chain stay makes the bike feel twitchy. Spins will be easy, but airing and jumping might feel hard to control.

A long chain stay will make the bike feel really controlled. Spins will feel sluggish, but manuals and air tricks will feel nice because it will be more stable.

C: Head Tube Angle: 75° – Learn About Head Tube Angles Here

Steep head tube angles make the bike “snappy” meaning more responsive to fast turns.

A less steep head tube gives you more control.

D: Seat Tube Angle: 71°

E: Bottom Bracket Height: 10.5″

F: Stand over height: 8″

This is a medium standover.

A medium standover provides a good balance between control and responsivness.

Bar Geometry - Learn more here

G: Rise: 8″

Riding a tall rise, will give you more leverage on the bike. Making it easier to pull back and lift the front wheel up.

H: Width: 26″

This is a medium width.

Narrow bars make barspins easier.

Wide bars give you more control and stability when steering.

I: Backsweep: 10º

What does backsweep do?

As far as I know, there is a sweet spot for backsweep. Too much will make the bike feel weird, and too little will make the bike unstable. It seems like the sweet spot is around 11º to 12º. If you need something a little more aggressive and straight feeling, go for 10º, but only do this if 11º is uncomfortable.

J: Upsweep: 2º

This is a normal upsweep!

What does upsweep do?

There is a lot of discussion about 1º upsweep vs. 4º upsweep. Some people are running experiments and testing if the greater upsweep will make drops feel better. It seems like a lot of street riders run 4º to 5º upsweep. This helps for wrist pain and lessens the impact of big drops.

Price

This bike is pretty expensive at $540. But it is one of the best 18" bikes on the market. And all things considered, I think it is a really good deal.

Quality

Most 18" bikes are made out of junk. With unsealed bearings, aluminum parts, and single wall rims. They provide no way for a new rider to actually progress.

The supernova is different though. It has FULL CHROMOLY, double side wall rims, and sealed bearings. Even including female axles and a gyro option. You wont find anything better than this.

Buy if you are learning:

• Bunny hops
• 180
• footjam
• pull up barspins
• t-bog
• 360
• barspin
• back flip

Don't buy if you are learning:

• Good for any trick

Conclusion

I normally stay away from 18" reviews, just because they are all pretty much the same. However last night I was helping someone find a bike for their kid and I stumbled across the 2021 Supernova. I was completely blown away by the quality. This is important for kids that are progressing but still small. We need more of these options, but for now, it looks like Fly is the only one doing it.

Common Questions

• Where can I buy this bike? As an affiliate for sourcebmx.com, I always recommend them. They have a warehouse in the USA so shipping is pretty fast and they do so much to support bmx. Buy it here
• Is this bike for park, dirt, or street? It is a well-rounded bike that will do good on all park, street, and dirt.
• How much does it weigh? 21 lbs