[hsakkire]

For all the Singular Swift owners, I have a few questions.

I plan to replace my Karate Monkey once my Milk Money arrives. The Monkey is great but I need a little more travel up front (ie 100mm). Personally, I don't like the way the KM handles with 100mm. It slackens the HA more than I like in tight NC singletrack situations. I'm looking for a SS HT with 100mm up front.

So, I was planning to get a new Inbred when they're finally available but Martini informed me that the Swift can run 100mm with no problem. For whatever reason, I thought that the Swift was for 80mm only. I'm familiar with the Inbred as I owned one and foolishly sold it.


Questions:

- For those that have tried 100mm forks, how do you like it? Any issue in tight stuff?
- EBB - any issues? I have owned 2 EBB bikes ; a Rig and a XXIX. The Rig was awful and wouldn't stop creaking from day 1 while the Raleigh was silent and trouble free.
- Anyone have experience with both an Inbred and Swift? Thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Manicmtbr]

You need CB2 in here, because he is supported by Singular, but raced a KM prior to that.

 

[euphemism]

- For those that have tried 100mm forks, how do you like it? Any issue in tight stuff?
- EBB - any issues? I have owned 2 EBB bikes ; a Rig and a XXIX. The Rig was awful and wouldn't stop creaking from day 1 while the Raleigh was silent and trouble free.
- Anyone have experience with both an Inbred and Swift? Thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

The Swift is great with a 100mm fork - I had my Manitou Minute on there and it handled great .. no problems at all with the tight stuff ...having a really wide bar also helps immensely with the Swift's handling ...

As for the EBB, I have only great things to say about the Phil Wood unit ... I have one on my Retotec SS and have raced it very hard for well over 5 years now and there hasn't been a squeak ... I have the old style geared Swift, so can't comment on that specficially ... having said that, I would be surprised if it was any different ...

Having extensively ridden both the Inbred and Swift, I would say the Swift offers a more refined ride ... seems smoother somehow and is a little bit lighter ... While you can't really go wrong with an Inbred, the Swift seems a notch above ...

 

[seat_boy]

Looking a the Swift geo, it looks like it's built around the same fork as the KM: 470mm long (OK, 465 for the KM) x 45mm rake x 72degree HA. I don't see it handling significantly differently than your KM with the longer fork.

 

[CB2]

Looking a the Swift geo, it looks like it's built around the same fork as the KM: 470mm long (OK, 465 for the KM) x 45mm rake x 72degree HA. I don't see it handling significantly differently than your KM with the longer fork.

I have a Swift from a previous run of framesets, it has a 72* head angle, 485mm a/c fork with 47mm (or 48?) of rake.
But the latest iteration of Swifts still has a degree steeper HT angle, and longer fork with more offset than a KM. They might only be small differences, but they add up. If Marty says it isn't a problem, I'm sure it's not.

That being said, there was no difference in handling for me when I put a 100mm Manitou Minute on my Swift (compared to the stock fork). I tried the Minute on my KM and it made it handle like a chopper.

Right now I have a Niner carbon fork on my Swift. It is 470mm a/c with 45mm offset. I like how it handles with it a lot (as in I put it on and didn't really have to think about it), and that it has lowered the front end 15mm.

I was extremely skeptical about the ebb, but after more than a year and plenty of crappy weather, it is still creak free. I do next to nothing as far as maintenance for it. The Phil Wood ebb made me a believer.

To be frank, I am under no obligation to race my Swift for 2011, and if I wasn't happy with it I wouldn't. I was successful racing my KM in 2009, and it would actually build up a little lighter than the Swift, but the Swift handles, and rides better, plus with the ebb it's is easier to change gears.

 

[hsakkire]

Many many thanks to everyone for responding. This Is why I joined the forum

I didn't realize that the geometry changed. Now I need to make a decision. Hmmmmm.

 

[BobShort]

I usually run my Swift with the stock rigid fork, but I did throw my Fox 100mm on there once and it handled fine.

Zero issue to date with the EBB. I think Singular got it right. No creaking or slipping, Wheel changes are a brease, and changing gearing only takes a minute.

 

[~martini~]

One thing we hadn't talked about yet is the size you're after. If it's a L or XL, I still have those in the first iteration of long fork geometry.

 

[pimpbot]

I have a swift, and I ran it 80mm at first, then 100mm.

My old Monocog29er I ran 80mm, but I stretched it out to 100mm. It handled like krapp.

The Swift, I started off at 80mm but wanted more cush for my wrists. I stretched it out to 100mm and found it handled just as well, but had the cush.

Yeah, go for 100mm. Worked fine for me.

 

[hsakkire]

One thing we hadn't talked about yet is the size you're after. If it's a L or XL, I still have those in the first iteration of long fork geometry.

Good question.

I like an ETT of 23.5 - 23.75. This allows me to run an 80mm to 90mm stem.

Top of saddle to middle of BB w/ 175 cranks is 28.5 inches

I'm assuming that the medium would be best.

Thoughts?

 

[LyNx]

Really, you didn't think the KM handled fast enough with a 100mm fork with the new offset, or did you use an old fork with 38mm offset? Did you have the Monkey Nuts installed, or were the stays as short as possible? Have to ask, cause for my liking I sure wouldn't want any bike to handle faster than the KM handles, I even tried it with a 120mm fork 43mm offset and it was fine on the tight tech for me. But, then again everyone I guess is different.

 

[hsakkire]

Really, you didn't think the KM handled fast enough with a 100mm fork with the new offset, or did you use an old fork with 38mm offset? Did you have the Monkey Nuts installed, or were the stays as short as possible? Have to ask, cause for my liking I sure wouldn't want any bike to handle faster than the KM handles, I even tried it with a 120mm fork 43mm offset and it was fine on the tight tech for me. But, then again everyone I guess is different.

Lynx,

I assume that you're directing this question to me. I ran it with a 2nd generation Reba (2009) set to 100mm. I run the bike as a SS only and try to get the wheel as far forward in the dropouts as possible. It's not all the way to the front as I have to take up some chain slack but it's to the forward side of center if that makes sense.

I really didn't like it at all but I'm very sensitive to even small changes on my bikes. That's why I can rattle off all my measurements from memory.

It really bothered me in slow, technical situations where I would be turning. It's hard to articulate the feeling. I've always called it wheel flop but maybe that's not the best way to describe it. It definately feels like a "chopper" would feel as CB2 describes. I also couldn't get the front weighted as much as I like during high speed corners. But, that's just me.

Right now, my Monkey has a 1st gen Reba that I have converted to a Pike spring with adjustable U-turn. It's the best performing fork I own. I can dial it out to about 90mm of travel at most before I feel it's detrimental to handling.

YMMV :thumbsup:

 

[sandman012]

HI, am am considering purchasing a Swift ... I am really concerned about the HA @ 72deg. Most 29ers of this ilk seem to have a 71HA. I ride alot of tight twisty rooty rocky New England single track, and I have been riding a FS with relaxed geo, and even my Rocky Mtn Hammer has a HA of 70.5, and that bike handled great for me.

I would plan on running front susp (and short-ish stem, wider bars); 100MM seems the way to go with this bike from what I've read. Does 100MM fork relax the HA or is that the size fork the frame was built for?

I really love the look of this frame, the great reviews, etc; else I would just go for something with 70/71HA, so I'd like to give it a fighting chance based on other's experiences and my concerns.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[sandman012]

I guess all the Swift owners are out riding.

 

[Bunzl]

Not sure how much help this is but i've just got a swift with the standard rigid fork which i believe is 80mm corrected. The headangle does not feel steep at all and it handles very nicely for the riding that it was designed to do. It doesn't seem to hang up on roots nor does it feel unstable on steeper stuff. Beautiful single track bike and climbs like a demon. My other bike is a yelli screamy with a 140mm fork which makes your rocky mountain look steep!

 

[sandman012]

it handles very nicely for the riding that it was designed to do.

That is helpful, thanks.

In the quote above, I assume what it was designed to do is common sense, easy to moderately technical X-country? (assuming some amount of technical skill)

 

[Tikesdad]

I have a Swift. Buy one put a 100mm suspension fork on it with a shortish stem and wide bars. You will love it for your NE riding. I ride alot of tight trees and in the mid-west with a 100mm corrected rigid fork, shorter stem and wide bars and I love it. I also loved it when riding in Utah. Though when riding it in Summit County I only really liked it.