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Howler Frameworks... anyone ?
https://www.howlerframeworks.co.uk/
spent the evening in the company of the guy who designs and builds these. Some really interesting chats about suspension curves, about geometry, the what, why and how...
Some properly interesting ideas about linkage designs, frame designs and build processes..
Must admit, i'm not even sure i'd heard of them before, maybe seen one in passing in an article here and there.. but it's certainly sparked an interest.
We were mostly chatting about and looking at pics of the Fenrir
https://www.howlerframeworks.co.uk/fenrir
I liked things like the split rocker so you can break it down to do easily in a vice for replacing bearings, but also things like his dogbone linkages and why he prefers that to a flip-chip system for swapping geometry etc.
They look like a tough sell. Layout of an old Scott, £3,000 frame, 27.5” wheels, steel (gonna assume not light) and geometry figures that are unlikely to appeal to many (446mm reach for a medium)
He is in the process of doing a full 29er.... and will be followed by a mullet potentially too.
As it's full custom build, there's also discussions that can be had on geometry too i guess.
I spoke to him a bit at Bespoked, it's briefly here: https://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/best-in-show-judging-bespokeds-best-mountain-bike/
And in Tom's Rummagings: https://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/internet-rummagings-the-pick-your-own-geometry-edition/
I've got to say that Fenrir is FUGLY!! But thats just my opinion.
Fair play to him if he's trying new things.
The sigma looks nice. Fenrir is also an Otso ti bike...
https://otsocycles.com/collections/fenrir-ti
They look cool but claiming a high pivot with idler minimises brake jack (more correctly termed brake squat) is completely wrong. Minimising pedal kickback, yes, that's what the idler does, but the high pivot increases brake interaction by increasing the angle between the rear contact patch and the pivot point.
The Raven looks cool.
The main pro lane I see with companies like this is they’re competing with known and established brands like Curtis and Shand, etc, but due to the cost of materials and man hours that are needed they can’t undercut them and people will probably go with the established brands that they’ve dreamed about owning.
Even BTR struggled and I would consider them a reasonably established brand (although I think people found them a bit marmite in regards to their more industrial aesthetic).
So I know that for the money I’d be buying a Curtis as it’s what I’ve lusted after for years.