[Closed] Singular Swift - new build

Nice, simple and clean. 😀

Mines at the lbs having it's bb and headset installed at the moment, can't wait to get it built up 😛

we had the pleasure of camping next to Sam of singular fame at the 24/12 this year, (my little lad liked that cos he is called Sam too), so i got to see their bikes up close, (the first time I've seen them apart from in pictures) I have to say with the styling/colours etc they look ****in lovely, if I had the money I think I'd get one.

nice bike mate.

I am interested in just how people get on with rigid forks though, i rode some of the gap route a few years back with the Mrs and used her fully rigid for some bits and it shook me to the point where my biceps were burning from being shaken around too much. I couldn't imagine using them for any long periods of time..

This replaced my Surly 1x1 which I always rode rigid. I normally ride the Thetford trails but it also saw duty in Wales and Scotland as well as the Peaks. With big tyres (Ralph 2.4s) and carbon forks a lot of the front end grief is soaked up. You just tend to ride differently in the end, different lines, different weight distribution, "light" hands on the bars etc. You just get used to it!

I am interested in just how people get on with rigid forks though, i rode some of the gap route a few years back with the Mrs and used her fully rigid for some bits and it shook me to the point where my biceps were burning from being shaken around too much. I couldn't imagine using them for any long periods of time.

As above, you just get used to it or, in my case, never get used to suspension because you've never ridden with it. I've never done more than 14 hours off-road on a rigid fork though 😉

I'd be fascinated to know what percentage of people on here had never ridden rigid forks. Makes me feel quite old, having been skint in 1997 and all... 🙂

I currently have some aluminium rigids on my Soul. I know, it's heresy and all that, but it does feel like a proper bike, going where I want it to, rather than sloshing about with the sus forks on the front.

Oh, and being a short*rse, it makes the front end a more reasonable height, too.

Which, is the only thing I don't particularly like about the above otherwise-very-nice-indeed Singular: there's no need to have the front end jacked up so high.

Slowjo - Looks lovely, can't wait for mine to arrive. Just out of curiosity, what size is it?

I really like rigid forks, if nothing else they make me a better rider on my full susser (line choice, body english, etc). Although long decents can leave you feeling pretty beaten. All good fun though!

body english

Arrrgghhhhh 👿

I don't like the phrase much either but can't think of another that encapsulates all of the varied rider/bike positions required for good bike handling while still being relatively self explanatory to someone who is unaware of the concept, and is already understood by many who are aware of the concept.

And, frankly, if that gets on your goat so much then I suggest it's time for a sit down and nice cup of tea. Preferably in a room with calm colours. Then read the news and see what is really worth putting angry satanic smileys on. 😉

If you have an alternative to body english then I'm more than willing to use it!

p

It is an XL

slowjo - Ta muchly.

If you have an alternative to body english then I'm more than willing to use it!

Ri9ding my bike and usually falling off! 😀

That's a big frame, is that set up in your normal riding position?

PS - slowjo. Lovely looking bike, that.

Looks great nice simple build

welcome to the swift fold!

see you swift has the new fork with forward facing dropouts - this is a good idea as the originals face rear and if the skewer is not done up or decent very heavy braking can move the wheel in the drop out (mine only did this when I had not really wound the skewer up and was bedding in front brake on the tarmac. ps good choice of brakes - simply and reliable - i went for the same.

reckon you could of gone for a size large rather than xl? I ride an xl and my seatpost is a far bit further out.

Kingtut - yes it is pretty much spot on (same tip of the saddle to centre of stem measurement as my 26 inch bikes) though I may shorten the stem by 10mm, depends how it goes. I have done the riding round the garden bit and it feels good but it needs some trail time before I decide on the final setup.

rootes1, I had a long chat with Sam before I bought it. The thing is I have a very long body so everything has to be a bit of a compromise. A mate of mine who is a mere 6ft 1in (I'm a smidge off 6ft 4ins) has longer legs than I do. I had a 22" 1x1 before this and it looked like a gate but it was so comfortable I put up with it 🙂

I have ust been into the shed and had a measure, the cockpit length on the swift is 5mm shorter than on my XL Superlight and the Swift is pretty much identical c2c along the top tube to the Surly. The Surly had less seat post than the swift has so hopefully I'll be ok.

welcome to the swift fold!

see you swift has the new fork with forward facing dropouts - this is a good idea as the originals face rear and if the skewer is not done up or decent very heavy braking can move the wheel in the drop out (mine only did this when I had not really wound the skewer up and was bedding in front brake on the tarmac. ps good choice of brakes - simply and reliable - i went for the same.

reckon you could of gone for a size large rather than xl? I ride an xl and my seatpost is a far bit further out.

Never had a loose front wheel on my swift and its the oldest swift around sounds like you left the skewer loose to me :D.
Didnt come loose comming down the alps either

Welcome to Fam Singular all the same

very nice, those bars look scarily high to me, i have a Lrg frame and use flat bars, the fork is suprisingly supple over roots and stuff, but i'd like a sus fork for more rocky terrain

here's mine
[img] [/img]

As I said, I haven't actually taken it out yet so I have still to discover the perfect combination. I have about 6 different sets and styles of bar in my shed to choose from, from flat XC racer type bars to DH ones. There are also 5 or 6 spacers under the stem to allow a decent amount of adjustment. I suppose it is the normal "new bike" thing, set it up one way and be prepared to change it several times until you find the best fit. 🙂

the king of sweden,

<<Never had a loose front wheel on my swift and its the oldest swift around sounds like you left the skewer loose to me :D.>>

like i said it only moved a little and was doing heavy braking on tarmac (lots of grip) to get heat into new disc pads. Been fine ever since offroad etc - though I make sure the qr is real tight

but the point is that *IF* the skewer was a little loose or came undone - braking would pull the wheel out of the forks - it would not with front facing dropouts - not an ideal design.

as a note just from a mechanics point of view rear facing dropout on a fork with disc caliper in the usual position is not ideal as when the braking as the wheel is trying to pivot around the braking point and if you take a radius the hub is wanting to come out of the rear facing dropout. of course rear facing dropouts are fine if you are using caliper, canti of v-brake as the point of rotation is different.

- but anyhow Sam had redesigned the fork to have a different dropout (plus some extra tyre clearance I understand - so all good)

you could of course do what cotic did and swap the position of the caliper

slowjo,

<<rootes1, I had a long chat with Sam before I bought it. The thing is I have a very long body so everything has to be a bit of a compromise. A mate of mine who is a mere 6ft 1in (I'm a smidge off 6ft 4ins) has longer legs than I do. I had a 22" 1x1 before this and it looked like a gate but it was so comfortable I put up with it >>

should of got that Ti sample that Sam was selling as it was a large frame with xl toptube!

:eek! He didn't tell me about that!

rocketdog - check out Jenson USA as they are currently selling 29er Manitou Minutes for around the £150 mark 😯 😯 😯 😯

Which, is the only thing I don't particularly like about the above otherwise-very-nice-indeed Singular: there's no need to have the front end jacked up so high.

The reason is so that a suspension fork can readily be used. The website elaborates a bit more on the front end geomtery but it was basically built around '1st Gen' 29er suspension forks with offset the same as 26" forks. The frames still work well with longer (100-120mm) travel 29er forks, though a slight front end re-design is in the works for the next batch which will bring the front end (eespecially on the medium) down a touch. I don't know quite how much of a shortarse you are, though this is one of the reasons (getting the front end lower) I'm not an advocate of 29ers for shorter people. Wheels should be proportionate to both the frame and the rider.

Nice bike John will see you out on the thetford trails soon have just got an orange R8(with girly gears im afraid) and in the procees of getting it set up
Do you still ride early sundays and tuesday night ride .
Cheers Ady

Looks gorgeous to me, but I agree with rocketdog, those bars look waaay too high.

blimey BIGsi £168 delivered! 😯

not bad is it. Ok they are 120mm and not 20mm bolt through but if thats what your looking for i can't see how you could go wrong 😛

i don't need convincing 😉

Cool bike! Looks great. Was looking at a Singular before CTW scheme stopped at my work. Got a GF Mamba XL and fits a treat. Swapped out original bars for wider and higher - more comfy more control. Love 29ers. Enjoy it.

Hi Ady

Give me a call or drop me an email and we can organise a ride. An R8 mmmmmmm, nice bikes.

John

So... to all you doubters who commented on my handlebar height.........

You were ahem...... right! Had a short ride at lunchtime and ended up dropping the bars by four spacers. It is a bit more comfortable now. 😳

That's watch shakedown runs are all about!

you will want some of these soon:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Salsa-PRO-MOTO-XC-flat-handlebars-bars-31-8-11deg-29er_W0QQitemZ370255120088

Got some nice bonty flats on mine

I have got some Raceface flatties in the shed but they may be a little narrow.

yea i originally put some ea70's @ 580mm on, ok but when i tried the 620mm Bontys it was much better

I've got Titec flattracker on mine. Taking it to Woburn Sands on Saturday for it's first proper ride. Only problem I have with it is the tubeless tyres won't stay up.

Very nice, i cant wait to build mine now. If only i had some nicer parts for it 🙁

John i seem to have lost your E.mail and phone no if you still have my e.mail let me know when you are up for a ride.
Taking the R8 for its first proper test on sat afternoon at brandon will be a bit of stop/start ride as want to get it set up to suit me .

Best looking bikes on the market IMO 🙂

Ady YGM

GATE!

pleb! 😉

TBH most of my bikes do look like gates but IMO this one doesn't.... it looks surprising well proportioned. Well that's what I believe and I'm sticking to it!

those forks do not look well proportioned. the front view looks very tall/skinny.

im a tall fella myself, so sadly end up riding a few gates, but being SS and slim tubed, this is gatey as ****.

admit it!

my xl swift looks less gatey than the old cannondale m2000 (in 22") i used to ride in early 90's

its the 29er wheels that balance the look out for bigger frames

ps didn't stop someone gaffer taping a gate hinge to my c'dale head tube once when left at a shop... and it even had a horizontal top tube!

Not bad. For a middle class middle aged organic vegetarian

I dont think any pictures do Swifts justice, they're simply stunning in the flesh (metal?). Unless you have a hard-on for serious oversized tubing, the steel build allows slimmer tubes, which gives it a classy look. (imo of course)

tracknicko.... I'll give you the point that the fork looks a bit leggy but otherwise, it looks very well proportioned to me. A helluva lot better than my old surly used to look with 26" wheels. The proof of the pudding however, is in the eating and at the end of the day if I had a five bar gate that rode like a dream that would be fine by me. Having said that, tall peeps don't really have any option do they?

Walks off [sobbing].... it's not a gate, it's not..... see if I care[/sobbing]

As an aside how does the Phil wood EBB perform in the swifts?
It's the only thing which is putting me off buying one. I have a rig and the Bushnell EBB in that is either moving or creaking

faultlessly 🙂

i think mine looks in proportion:

[img] [/img]

and that is an XL