First ride: Singular Gryphon...

I had nearly forgotten how much I like riding singlespeed mountain bikes, but the recent build-up of a new Singular Gryphon reminded me how much fun singlespeeding can be. In fact, I've been enjoying it so much, it's got me thinking about which 2013 events I might be able to ride on a singlespeed.

Classic steel lines, drop-bars and a clean singlespeed setup = a good looking bike!

First introduced in 2009, the Gryphon frameset bears a striking resemblance in profile to the Salsa Fargo (a bike that itself is very close to my heart for a number of reasons). And while it's true there are some similarities in geometry and fit, the ride quality of each frame is determined largely by its intended use. For while the Fargo is designed to be used for long-haul bike packing, the Gryphon is designed as more of a standard mountain bike. So, while the current version of the frame does include a rear rack mount, it's not designed as a bikepacking rig. As such, the tube diameters and wall thicknesses have not been beefed up to accommodate the increased load of a cyclist plus a week's worth of gear.

Color coodination... When the parts are here to make it work, why not?

This manifests itself as a distinctly smoother, faster, more compliant ride on the Gryphon frame, when compared head-to-head with a steel Fargo. When you ride a steel Fargo, you are constantly reminded of the "bigness" of the bike. You never get the feeling that the bike is particularly fast, but you do feel like it can take whatever you can give it, in terms of terrain or load. Conversely, the Gryphon feels like a light, fast, lively frame that just so happens to be able to accommodate fat tires. The difference between the two frames can be felt in first five pedal strokes. It's that distinct.

A fantastic fork... Reynolds 520 steel fork blades deliver a ride quality that must be ridden to be believed. Carbon? Pfffffttt...

The fork is a specific area where the Gryphon positively shines. It is perhaps one of the finest riding chromoly forks I've ridden. It simultaneously tracks accurately and offers a fantastic ride quality -- notably smoother than a Fargo fork.

I built my Gryphon using a mix of parts including the wheelset and saddle/seatpost from my old Salsa Vaya, some TruVativ downhill cranks, some Avid BB7s and an old Salsa bar/stem I had in the parts bin. It all went together super smoothly, and the cool Phil Wood-style EBB made achieving perfect tension on the chain very easy. Cool...

Comfortable cockpit -- Long days in the saddle will be spent here.

Long-story-short, my new Gryphon is a keeper -- one I intend to ride and enjoy for a long time to-come. Of course, I'll be posting updates on the bike down the road as I get more miles on it, and will let you know how the relationship progresses. Also, keep your eyes peeled for 'first ride' reviews of my new Singular Kite cyclocross/gravel bike, and my Singular Swift 29-inch hardtail.

Thanks to Marty Larson at The Prairie Peddler and Sam Alison at Singular Cycles Ltd. Marty is the U.S. importer of Singular Cycles and is my 2013 bicycle sponsor. Visit the Prairie Peddler site or e-mail Marty for more information, pricing or availability of Singular framesets.

Thanks for reading! Now get out and ride!!