This is a 29in wheeled bike (aka 29er), which needs to be said as it isn’t obvious at first glance. Even with the skinny steel tubed frame and big wheels, this bike looks right.
The Swift has been around since 2007 and was first available in either singlespeed or geared versions, but since 2009 cable guides, rear mech hanger and an eccentric bottom bracket have been added so the one frame can be run as either.
The versatility of the bike doesn’t end there, with the geometry designed to accommodate either a rigid or 100mm suspension fork. The frame (including bottom bracket and seat clamp) weighs in at 2.7kg (5.9lb), plus 1.1kg (2.5lb) for the rigid fork, so on paper it isn’t the lightest, but then steel never is.
It’s the ride and feel that count, and this is where the Swift excels. We chose to run it rigid and singlespeed, which suited the flowing trails of our testing ground. The large 29in wheels rolled over and absorbed smaller trail obstacles with ease.
The bike is simply great fun to ride, with precise, quick steering, and it’s confident and stable on the descents. Singular haven’t cut any corners, with the frame rust treated and finished off nicely, an elegant Swift head badge, and the headset, bottom bracket and seat tube faces all reamed and ready to go.
This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine.