One of the classiest looking 29″er frame sets I have seen is the Singular Cycles Swift model. Unfortunately, since Singular is based in the U.K., you couldn’t grab one of these fine 4130 ChroMo sleds here in the U.S. of A.
Picture: Singular Cycles
Now that’s all about to change as The Prairie Pedaler, a bicycle shop located in Prairie DuChein, Wisconsin, has signed on to become the exclusive dealer in the U.S.A. of Singular Cycles frame sets. Shop owner, Marty Larson tells us that build kits will also be available to set up any Singular Swift, Peregrine, Gryphon, or Hummingbird and have it shipped to your door as an option too. Marty expects frame and forks to arrive in late May.
The prices for these frames have yet to be determined here, but we are told that they will be “very reasonable”. Each frame set will be supplied with a matching rigid fork, or a suspension fork can be substituted as an option. Each Singular frame is made with an eccentric bottom bracket and comes loaded with a shiny Phil Wood eccentric as well. Cable stops and derailleur hangars are there for your geared pleasure, if that’s the way you roll. We are told that a very limited number of these frame sets will be hitting these shores in 2009.
For more information contact The Prairie Pedaler at: theprairiepeddler@gmail.com
Way to go Marty!!!
Congrats US of A. I ride a rigid Swift SS on the trials and a Peregrine as a touringbike and I love them both.
Looks nice and simple. What is the retail on the Swift?
grannygear: I was told to expect a “very nice price” on these when the prices are set, but I wouldn’t think that they would be “really cheap” either.
I’m sure pricing will be set soon.
Hi Guitar Ted,
This isn’t really related to your topic, but in setting up my ’08 X-Caliber, I was wondering if tilting the Bontrager Big Sweep handlebars slightly downward would make them feel better. What did you do for your HiFi Deluxe 29er test bike? I’m built with long legs and short torso, though I don’t know that that would make a difference on handlebar positioning.
Also, you mentioned in one of your comments in the HiFi Deluxe: First Ride Impressions article that you prefer a Salsa 17 degree bar. Would you recommend this bar over the Bontrager Big Sweep? The bar that comes on my bike is the RACE version, which is only 620 mm wide, but I could get the RACE Lite 640 mm wide version pretty cheaply ($20 with trading in my handlebar).
Thanks for your help. I always read the articles on your site, and that’s what made me decide on a Fisher 29er.
Mike
Finally you will get them too. If you have a chance, try a Singular. They are very nicely build and you feel, see and enjoy the efforts Sam, the guy behind Singular, has put into the frames. I had the pleasure to meet him once at our seasonal test event in Switzerland and it was only fun. Very well done!!
Mike: I always seem to gravitate towards a slight tilt downward on highly swept bars, so you might give that a try. Also, it isn’t that I disliked the Big Sweep, I just preferred the greater sweep of the Salsa bars. I can swap out to the Big Sweep and be happy too. The Salsa bar just tends to be a bit more relaxing to ride, at least for me.
All that to say that the Race Lite at $20.00 is a smoking deal. I wouldn’t pass that up!
Jochen: Thanks for your comments and affirmation that Singular Cycles frames will be nothing but good. I am hoping to obtain one for testing on the site. Stay tuned. (And also- I most likely will get a Gryphon for one of my personal rigs anyway!
)
Thanks for your reply! (The $20 for the Race Lite Big Sweep included trading in my new 620 mm RACE Big Sweep handlebar–though I still think it’s a pretty good deal).
By the way, my local dealer is still trying to convince me that running tubeless on my 2008 X-Caliber isn’t worth it. He claims it’d be really hard to set my bike up tubeless even with the Rhythm wheels and Jones ACX tubeless ready tires, and that it wouldn’t be worth my time. (He doesn’t use tubeless by the way–I’m not sure if he rides a 29er or not.)
Even if I probably won’t be racing much….(I’ve never done a MTB race, but I’m thinking about the Big Ring Classic at Nine Mile in Wausau, WI this summer, so we’ll see how that goes)….do you think it’s still worth it to run the bike tubeless? (I would try setting it up myself instead of paying the shop.)
Also, if you think it’s still worth it to run it tubeless, I’ll probably try the Slime tubeless tire sealant you mentioned last time since we have a whole gallon of it at home (we have a farm with tractors, etc.).
Thanks,
Mike
These are really sweet framesets and every Singular that I’ve ever seen was as nice as the others. Sams done a really great job of design on these and all the other model Singulars. My wife is on her second Swift (the first was stolen a month after she got it). Sams such a great guy that he gave her a great deal on a replacement (wasn’t covered on insurance). Anyway, I’m really lusting for a Peregrine to build up with full 29′er wheels for SS Alpen riding.
Mike: Tubeless is definitely worth it. The bike you have has the wheels and tires already set up for it, you just need the plastic Rhythm rim strip, snap it in place,put in the tubeless valve stems, put about 4oz of Slime in each tire and air it up.
You may need to get upwards of 50 psi to set the beads and they will go with a loud snap. (Bontrager techs and race mechanics sometimes go to 60 psi!)
Once the beads set, air down to about 30psi and go for a ride that lasts about 20 minutes. After that, you are good to go.
Experiment with air pressures. Don’t go over 35 or less than 20, but check it out and have fun! I think you’ll really like it.
Thanks! I’ll definitely try them tubeless then.
Also, (if you have time) I was wondering, “just in case” I would get into MTB racing more, are there any parts you would recommend replacing/swapping on the 2008 X-Caliber. The full spec.’s are at this site, if you don’t already know what’s on it: http://fisherbikes.com/archive/model/396/fullspecs
Besides switching to the Race Lite Big Sweep like I mentioned before, I will also need a different stem since I have LONG legs and a short torso, so I’ll be switching that, though I’m not sure to what stem, yet. I’m also planning on swapping my Truvativ Stylo Gigapipe crank and BB from my 26″ bike (before I sell it). Other than that, are there any other easy weight reductions that could be made cheaply/on a budget?
Mike: I’d just run what ya brung for now. Those are all solid, workingman parts that if you should bash during a race, you won’t feel the hurt quite so badly in the wallet. Once you determine your desire for racing and how much you want to commit to it, I would review the parts then. But for now, I’d ride it as is, (with tubeless tires) and aim to have some fun.
Stupid question but the front end gometry stuff we are talking here applies only to the Swift and not the Peregrine? Is that right?
big chris: Not a stupid question, and actually, I am not sure what the front end geometry is for the Peregrine. I will have to look into that, but my first assumption would be that it is different.
I like that Peregrine a lot. They need to expand the sizing a bit IMHO. looks to fit people between 5’4 and 5’11. Large could be a squeeze for a big guy
I ask because it basically looks like a cross bike set up for bigger tires
I see a few pics on their site of one built up with single cahinring and geared cassteet in back?
Is that something more and mor guys re running? If so how is chainline in that set-up? is that typically an 8 speed rear? I have thought of doing that but fear the cross chain type of grind
With that said, where would I ride that bike in socal. we tend to have few rolling hills and it is usually a mash up and blast down. gona make room for another beautiful bike i dont ride…ha
My Peregrine has a 44T cog at the front and a 13-25T cassette.
I only use it as a commuter and since I run 44/15 on my fixed gear it feels pretty good and is light/easy enough.
One thing you have to remember is that a normal racer crankset won’t work due to the wide chainstays. I ordered a compact Truvativ Rouleur that I had to return to my LBS so now i run a SLX crankset instead and it works great.
The only thing I don’t like is that it’s pretty easy to have some toe overlap, at least with 175mm cranks but I can live with that since I love my Peregrine too much to even care about it.
I am 187cm tall (6′ 1.6″) and I actually ride a 56cm Peregrine and a Medium Swift SS but then I like small frames. Even Sam thought that I should buy a Large Swift my we are all different and like different sizes.
Toe Overlap is rather significant info thanks for the note and thank GT for this forum. good info for all that might be missed in norman reviews etc.
Can someone confirm the toe everlap? I find that to be significant and a real design problem. respectfully. How can a bike built for touring have angels that create toe overlap? I would want this for TOuring or SS and in both cases Toe Overlap is unacceptable. Looking at the geometry specs I do not see how this is possible but
If so this is a real dissapointment
I can confirm it (maybe I was a little bit unclear earlier). I have a 56cm frame, crankarms at 175mm and wintershoes (that are larger than my summershoes though (size 46 I think) and when having the EBB in an upright position (a little bit to the front) there is toe overlap.
If you run a normal crankset with a 34 or something cog as the small cog I think that you can adjust the EBB backwards and then avoid the toe overlap but with the 44T cog in the middle/inner position I can’t adjust the EBB more backwards.
When the spring is here in Sweden I will remove the fenders and then I hope it will be better.
I can take a picture on it if you want with my shoe on the pedal.
OK cool I get it thanks for the clarity
pics are always welcome by me but at your schedule
all the best
Look here, the text is in swedish but you can see from the pics that there are some significant toe overlap, especially with my wintershoes.
I hope that the overlap will go away when I remove the fenders though.
http://spindelbenen.blogspot.com/2009/03/toe-overlap.html
Johan: I checked out your link, and I am sorry, but that hardly qualifies as “significant toe overlap” especially since the bike pictured is fitted with mudguards.
Also, I would ventureto say that at least 30% of the 29″ers I have ridden have a small toe overlap if you place everything in the right positions to get it.
And honestly, in riding 29″ers since 2003, this has never been a problem for me while riding, even with bikes that actually do have “significant toe overlap”
Your mileage may vary.
To my mind, this is a non-issue with the Singular pictured in your link.
Hello Guitar Ted!
Don’t be sorry, be happy
Honestly, this is my first bike with toe overlap so I don’t know how much overlap it takes to be significant but with my wintershoes I’ve had some incidents in the beginning but after get used to it I can’t say that I think of it any more.
I wrote (in swedish of course) in my blog that I think that the overlap will go away with my summershoes and without the fenders/mudguards.
However, I can recommend both the Peregrine and the Swift to anyone. I just hope that Sam will make a roadbike frame soon.
Sorry if I created some confusion regarding the toe overlap, but as I said, I’m a rookie when it comes to toe overlaps.