You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I'll admit that I'm probably over biked riding a Singular Swift as a sort of gravel bike but it's a nice bike (and I can't afford to change anyway).
I regularly do a loop that includes Cheddar Gorge which I climb slowly; I'm a pootler not a racer & don't mind being overtaken by enthusiastic roadies.
I built the Swift with a carbon/alloy fork as that's what I had but am now trying out Singular's own steel Swift fork. I've never worried too much about weight but the Swift fork adds 330g (about 3/4 lb) and breaks the psychological 28 lb barrier.
It was far too windy yesterday to get a real feel for any differences so I thought I'd ask - will those extra 330g be a killer (to put things in context my rucksack contains a D-lock, tools, mobile phone, bottle of drink (until I drink it) and assorted other bobbins and could well weigh more than some folks' sylvette road bikes)?
No
breaks the psychological 28 lb barrier
I'd be more worried about the physical weight myself. 300 grams isn't going to make much difference really.
330 gram of rotating mass, yes for sure
330gm of static ish weight not so much, how much does a decent poo weigh prob about the same and yoy don't go faster after a turd
No. But why are looking to change the carbon fork?
Ditch the backpack and all the unnecessary junk you're carrying in it and it`ll even out.
yoy don’t go faster after a turd
Speak for yourself.... I always drop the kids off at the pool before a ride
Absolutely will...in your head. Reality will be that you don't notice.
No. But why are looking to change the carbon fork?
Just to try something different (I'm an incessant tinkerer). Interestingly when I posted a build pic. some years ago I was asked why I had a carbon fork and not one of those lovely steel Swift ones. I can always change back if it doesn't work out.
I do like the look of the Singular forks too!
I’d be more worried about the physical weight myself.
It is a bit porky (although on par with something like a Vagabond). I couldn't really afford a new bike for my 50th so got a new frame; perhaps I should have held out for a full gravel bike.
To this:
You will notice it ever so slightly when lifting the front but only for the first time and only when you are really thinking about it.
My only bike (which is mostly used for gravel roads) weighs 14lbs (6.4kg) and it is very noticeable if I add 330g to it when lifting it up but I doubt I would notice when riding. Adding that same weight to a bike double the weight I probably couldn't notice even when picking it up.
Do you notice yourself going faster and faster throughout a ride as you sweat out/replace/remove the 750g of water in your bottle?
why do you think almost every decent fork in the world is made of carbon and not steel?
Pjay, other than when lifting the bike over a fence or hike a bike sections, weight of bike I really don't notice when riding, no matter how big the hill.
Wheels/tires on the hand, do make a massive difference.
So, run it with the Singular forks, and see how it feels.
You might notice it, but it'll make practically no difference. If you're pootling it doesn't really matter, but you could ditch a lot of things up to and including the backpack if it bothers you.
As others have asked though, why change for a heavier component?
I've had 29er wheels on my fatbike for months, with 28mm Grand Sport Race tyres. Over the weekend I changed the front to a 29x2.35" G One Speed Evo, while swapping to the fat wheel and 26x4" Jumbo Jim.
It added approx 2.2Kg to the bike weight, it was approx 10.4Kg beforehand.
On the road, 38/17 gear is now very hard work compared to what it was, due to extra weight and extra rolling resistance.
Weight? - no. But what you will notice is the different ride. The singular sort of filters out some of the small buzz pretty well. Well better than an exotic carbon, but I don't know what the MRP is like.
Anyway, it looks much better now too.
I'm with Yak - you probably won't notice the extra weight, but you'll feel good looking at a better looking bike!
What to do is, put something that weighs 330g on your scales, then hit tare, then weigh your bike. Take a photo. Then get really drunk and forget all about it, then find the photo. Hurrah, under 28lbs!
Tie a tin of juice to your existing forks and go for a spin.
If you've already changed the fork then why are you asking us if you'll notice?
Am I missing something here? Can't you just ride it and see?
The steel fork looks better ergo: faster
And also, it looks better
I'd keep the fork and ditch the front derailleur and chainrings
Love my Swift. Currently it has an old pair of Manitous on it which does allow more bounce, but I think it will be back to steel rigid (and 650b+).
I actually like the look of those carbon forks - quite race looking. Slight change in the geometry as well?
why do you think almost every decent fork in the world is made of carbon and not steel?
As others have asked though, why change for a heavier component?
I'd assumed that I'd get a Swift fork when/if the MRP needed replacing. Once I realised that they'd all sold out and the next batch would be tapered I picked up a set from ebay as spares (decent straight steerer forks are only going to become more difficult to source); since I had them it seemed worth giving them a try.
If you’ve already changed the fork then why are you asking us if you’ll notice?
It's a fair point but as above it was a bit too windy first ride out to be objective and I was also trying to dial out any preconceived impact (occasionally I have pretentions of being a proper cyclist and am aware that weight is a bit of a 'thing').
Had a second go and if there's any change it's not much and lost amongst the other factors like how I'm feeling on the day, weather etc.
what you will notice is the different ride. The singular sort of filters out some of the small buzz pretty well.
I was hoping for a bit of this as I've been having some ongoing issues with pins & needles and hand numbness but after a couple of rides I'm not convinced that the steel fork's going to help.
Slight change in the geometry as well?
The MRP's 465mm a-c with 44mm rake; the Swift fork is 470mm a-c with 55mm rake (I've a couple of mm less spacers under the stem). I'm pretty sure that I'm not good enough to notice the difference but I'm pretty sure that it was once mentioned to me that the Swift fork was the was to go as it had the correct rake for the frame.
Anyway I'll give it some time and see; can always put the MRPs back on if I want to.
occasionally I have pretentions of being a proper cyclist and am aware that weight is a bit of a ‘thing’
On a ~13kg rigid bike I think you probably need to give up on worrying about weight
I was hoping for a bit of this as I’ve been having some ongoing issues with pins & needles and hand numbness but after a couple of rides I’m not convinced that the steel fork’s going to help.
It's not. That is more likely to be down to hand position and weight on the hands.
It’s not. That is more likely to be down to hand position and weight on the hands.
Probably substance for another thread but I'm fairly sure that my ride/hand position is decent enough. I've tweaked a number of things and tried a variety of grips (the Ergon 'winged' grips made it worse) and followed other threads on hand issues. I've got some ESI grips on order to try.
I have had some ongoing hand issues (not just cycling) particularly over Winter (Reynauds has been suggested) and I did wonder about Carpal Tunnel as it starts with the thumb/index finger & speads (GP pretty much said not and seemed to suggest that it was the inevitable outcome of cycling 🙄)
It's a very heavy bike for what it is anyway- a rigid hardtail with medium to high end bits on it like that I'd hope would weigh well under 25lb. So, while you may not notice that single 330g in isolation there's a lot of other 330gs hidden away somewhere that are going to add up to a negative effect. I'd stick the carbon fork back on and see where else I could shed some weight. Once the weight is down I bet it'll feel quite a bit more sprightly.
Probably substance for another thread but I’m fairly sure that my ride/hand position is decent enough.
When you start that thread, let me know, and I’ll chip in with “are you really sure? because the angle of your saddle would suggest something’s weird in your positioning, and that might well have a bearing on the loading on your hands.”
It’s a very heavy bike for what it is anyway- a rigid hardtail with medium to high end bits on it like that I’d hope would weigh well under 25lb.
I guess that it is, although a large steel frame & steel forks is never going to be light.
I'm beginning to wish I hadn't asked 🙂 I've been riding bikes of similar weights, in gravel guise, for years and just got on and enjoyed it, now I'm eyeing up gravel bikes I can't afford and wondering how much how much I could raise if I split the Swift; that'll learn me!
I shall continue to bimble on and garner some pride in the fact that as I approach 52 I can still wind such a tank up through the Gorge 😉
When you start that thread, let me know, and I’ll chip in with “are you really sure? because the angle of your saddle would suggest something’s weird in your positioning, and that might well have a bearing on the loading on your hands.”
Exactly what I was thinking. I couldn't ride 500 metres down the road with a saddle at that angle. The body is continually falling forward needing you to hold it back with your arms/hands.
Put the saddle dead level or even 1 or 2 degrees up and you will find way less weight on hands.
I guessed that it was the nose down bit; I've tended to ride it that way as it's always felt more comfortable but I will give it some rides with it completely level and see if that helps the hands.
Thanks for the suggestions Bez/Kerley.
although on par with something like a Vagabond
Sadly sold my swift as I wanted something with all the fittings for racks etc and guessed that buying a vagabond frameset was cheaper than getting mounts fitted and swift frame repainted, boy was I disappointed & to add insult to injury vagabond frameset was at least 800g heavier than the swift 😒
boy was I disappointed & to add insult to injury vagabond frameset was at least 800g heavier than the swift
I don’t think anyone’s ever claimed that the Vagabond is light, whether as a frame or built up.
reggiegasket
Member
why do you think almost every decent fork in the world is made of carbon and not steel?
Except that’s not really true, is it? Besides, the Swift fork will have the longer 55mm offset, which will be noticeable.
Sadly sold my swift as I wanted something with all the fittings for racks etc and guessed that buying a vagabond frameset was cheaper than getting mounts fitted and swift frame repainted, boy was I disappointed & to add insult to injury vagabond frameset was at least 800g heavier than the swift 😒
They seem to keep getting delayed (originally due back in the Spring) but there's meant to be an update Swift coming out soon (boost, tapered steerer) and I'm pretty sure that it'll have rack mounts and a touring fork option.
My current Swift has rack mounts on it @PJay, I thought it would have been same gen/model as yours but maybe not. Going by the colour scheme anyway.