Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
This week’s Reader’s Rig comes from Luke in England’s picturesque Peak District, who shares the Singular Gryphon Mk 3 he built up to be able to experience more corners of the UK by bike. Get to know Luke and his steel all-terrain rig here…
Words and photos by Luke Broster
Hi, I’m Luke, and I’ve been based in Manchester, UK, for the last 10 years, where I manage the Patagonia store. I used to do a lot of skiing, with a couple of seasons in France logged away in my early 20s. Like many since lockdown, I’ve been getting more into bikepacking and have completed a few Sustrans routes, including Lon Las Cymru, Hadrians Cycle Way, and the Mercian Way in time to get to Stonehenge for Solstice on my beautiful Salsa Vaya.
More recently, I’ve moved out to the Peak District National Park and have been making the most of the chunky gravel/borderline MTB routes on my doorstep. I’d like to minimise my flying, especially long haul, and feel super lucky to have so many great trails here in the UK, including the Pennine Bridleway, basically on my doorstep. I love the sense of freedom when travelling by bike. I’m always kicking myself for not taking more time to frolic, and I think bikepacking for me actively encourages me to slow down and take in my surroundings. We just need a proper Right to Roam in England, and I think we’ve got some of the most enviable routes in Europe. I am somewhat biased, though.
After moving out the Peak, I wanted a time-bound challenge to train for and signed up for a spot on the Rapha Pennine Rally, where I needed a bike with some chunkier tyres. Shona, Rich, and Olive at Keep Pedalling had just started stocking Singular bikes, and it was pretty much love at first sight with the Gryphon Mk3. I wanted something that would inspire confidence on descents, help me crawl my way up climbs, and roll over loose, muddy stuff. As a taller rider, I thought the idea of a 29er drop-bar all-terrain bike was too good to walk away from.
- Frame/Fork: Singular Gryphon Mk 3, XLG
- Rims: Hope Fortus 23w
- Hubs: Hope Pro 5
- Tires: Maxxis Ikon 29 x 2.2
- Handlebars: Salsa Cowchipper Deluxe
- Headset: Hope
- Crankset: RaceFace Aeffect with Raceface ring
- Pedals: DMR Versa
- Cassette: Shimano SLX 10-51T
- Derailleur(s): Shimano GRX810
- Brakes: Shimano GRX810
- Shifter(s): Shimano GRX810 12-speed
- Saddle: Brooks Cambium C17
- Seatpost: Salsa Guide Carbon
- Stem: Salsa Guide
- Frame bags: Apidura Racing Top Tube Bag 1L
- Accessory bags: Specialized Fjallraven Snack Bag
- Computer: Garmin Edge 530
- Other accessories: King Cage Iris cages, Safety Pizza, Crane Japan E-Ne Bell Chrome
They’ve built it up beautifully, and it runs like an absolute dream, feeling like a cheat code riding the type of gravel on my back door. I love my Vaya for faster, smoother stuff (champagne gravel), but after multiple occasions of fishtailing my way through mulch, I’m buzzing to be on the Gryphon. Whenever I ride the Singular, it has me absolutely beaming from ear to ear, seeking out the biggest puddles I can find. I can’t wait to explore some more remote routes and continue to uncover chunky gravel out in the Peak.
You can follow Luke on Instagram.
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