[Closed] The Buzzard has landed...

+1

"They are fiercely territorial, and, though rare, fights do break out if one strays onto another pair's territory, but dominant displays of aggression will normally see off the interloper."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Buzzard

everyone else stay away!

There is something about that bike that looks wrong. Maybe it's just the perspective of the picture though.

Perspective is a bit odd in the pic. Bars could maybe do with dropping a smidge and I think I may have finally found my personal bar width limit wth the 800mm Nukeproofs. Other than that, I'm happy.

Matt, I hear Buzzards are particularly aggressive towards Yelli Screamies. I'd take extra care not to leave any offal on your saddle.

Is that a medium frame?
Looks lovely!

Buzzards rely on bluster, Yellis rely on stealth.

Nicely built by the way. White rims are a brave move.

How to respond .... Nimble 9?

Don't show this to Clink, please!

I've a pair of Canfields ready to ambush that buzzard

Oh god yeah Clink will be posting his frames on the classifieds as we speak ready for a new Buzzard

So it's had it's maiden flight and I'm impressed. It does what I hoped it would - combines the fast, smooth rolling of big wheels with the playfulness and agility of a 26in hardtail a la 456/Soul.

It was super-confident on a couple of technical drops that I sometimes think twice about on my C456 and happy over jumps and being muscled through tight woodsy switchbacks.

I got used to the 800mm bars very quickly but they may yet get trimmed as I had a couple of close encounters with trees.

It's not light but it's not Cyril Smith either. My shonky scales read 28lbs or so but I can't say I noticed the heft over a fairly rapid 2-hour ride.

Think I'm in love.

@ Atomizer Yes it's a medium and fits me fine at 5ft 9 ish

Did you weigh the frame by any chance?

I got used to the 800mm bars very quickly but they may yet get trimmed as I had a couple of close encounters with trees.

Not ridden mine in anger yet but I had a close encounter with the garden gate!

Looks a bit short along the top tube?
Or am I just not looking correctly

@ Mbnut - no but Sam reckoned about 5.6lb, I think, and that seemed about right. V similar to my Inbred 29er

That does look very nice indeed! Nice build and it sounds like you're going to love riding it!

Enjoy 🙂

ps shed door woodworm very orderly.

Top tube is shortish but it's fine for me. The pic makes it look shorter than it is

Would be interesting to compare against my 2souls QH

I thought Singular just did singlespeeds?

Does it fell like steel?

I thought Singular just did singlespeeds?

Nope.

Looks good!

Steel feel? Dunno, feels very smooth, definitely not harsh but then neither's you Yelli

I rode Cheez's Buzzard today, back to back with my Yelli Screamy.

There are fair differences in the build (Mine is more XC - lighter wheels and singlespeed) but in terms of the frame ride itself, I didn't see much in it.

Compared to a Yelli Screamy, the Buzzard frame is a tiny bit heavier, a tiny bit shorter ETT and half the price but rides very similarly.

That could really do with a short cage rear mech.

Dood, he knows that, frequent chain drops.

Mikey, you're so right. Lots of chain dropping today. Short cage mech and proper chain device needed - other than that, it's amazing.

Really pleased with mine too...

Short cage rear mech + pauls components chain device = zero chain drops

Mine looks more in proportion than that, pics of mine on singular facebook page

Glad to hear those who've got them are liking them!

Clobber's bike (joining the dots...)

[img] [/img]

Any more pics?

If anyone wants to demo one there is one at Kinetic Cycles in Welwyn GC, and shortly will be one at UBYK in Oxford. Not sure but I think Plush Hill in Shropshire also are getting one built.

Kinetic's demo (size L)

[img] [/img]

Sam, do you have any XL's around to demo? Ideally at head for the hills in dorking. Clobber's one looks just right, makes my yelli, although i love it, look like its been beaten with an ugly stick.

^^ slippery slope!

I don't know what you mean 😀

FWIW I was initially put off by the burly look of the Buzzard images on the Singular site, and some of the photos. I don't need a burly bike, I'm more into flowing fun. Ahem. (I remember thinking "that's a 29er BFe, not the bike for me").

Anyway in the flesh, it doesn't look that way, it's more proportional in my opinion. Cheez' has big tyres on his at the top of the page, that makes a difference, and a little extra travel. I'd probably buy a Buzzard if I was buying today instead of, errr, 4 weeks ago! VFM is certainly a factor there, my second hand Yelli frame cost more than a new Buzzard, and isn't warrantied of course.

But I like the look of my Yelli too - this is a medium, de-decalled with 2.25 tyres and 800mm bars, forks at 120mm ->

[img] [/img]

Yeah, to be honest i go through phases of thinking it looks good so i should probably just mark down to new bike-itis. I do like my swift hence why i'm also drawn to this, also like thin steel tubing rather than alu purely from an aesthetic point of view. Taking the kiddy style stickers off does improve the yelli, I've taken the top tube one off mine.

Off topic how do you get on with the nobby nic on the front? Can't stand the hans dampf so looking for something else and i'm currently using a mud x which is great until a point. Dampf is great when its dry, fine when its wet but in that claggy damp in between i find it nigh on useless. Squirms everywhere when pushed and doesn't clear well at all. Wish maxxis would bring out the minion in something other than a 2.5 inch 1kg monster.

Thinking about a butcher on the front of mine when it gets beyond ardent territory.

Gotama if you're ever over my way Peterboroughish, you're welcome to try the buzzard in XL flavour...

That's a '13 Snakeskin 'Nic. I'm no tyre guru, I don't claim to push them close to their limits, but I do wonder if the knob coverage could go a bit wider - the sidewalls look quite bare and vertical to me and I do think I've had it squirm once or twice. I'm tempted to put a '13 Ron on the front, which looks a bit beeffier than the previous versions.

But Schwalbe make millions of tyres, it's likely they know more than me!

I don't think I need bigger than 2.25 tyres for my riding but Cheez' Buzzard has big OnOnes (smorgasbord? monkey?) on Flows and I flippin' well noticed on the bermy run in of Evian. That bike just rolled over it like it was carpet. More effort to drag it back up though, of course. Overall my Yelli setup is more XC than his Buzz.

(I am thinking a may take a 10mm spacer out of my forks and put it back to 130mm).

Forgot about the chunkymonkey... GREAT front tyre!

Thanks Clobber, southern fairy though so unlikely to make it that high. Incidentally can you get the butcher in big wheel over here? I didn't think you could. Tried having a browse on Jenson USA as they ship to the UK and they don't seem to do spec tyres.

On ones look interesting, might give one a try.

Maxxis Ardent 2.4 x 29 work well IME. Quite fat but not as tall as Hans Danpfs to better for shortish chainstays.

Gotama, no xl demo just now but should be building one for myself shortly. Unless you are really tall a large should still give you a pretty good idea of how they ride.