Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
The Singular Cycles Kookaburra is a prototype of an upcoming model from the one-man British brand. With cantilever brakes, large tire clearance, and thin tubes, this neo-retro model is sure to pique the interest of customers old and new. For more on this sneak peek, read on below…
The Singular Cycles Kookaburra is a very early prototype of a potential new model from Singular Cycles in the UK. As something of a cross between one of the earliest Singular models, the Osprey, and a new fat tire monster gravel model, the Kite, the Kookaburra is distinctly new.
From Sam Alison, “It’s been a while since there’s been a rim brake Singular in the range, so the time is right to address that. Two former models in the line-up – the canti braked steel Kite CX bike and the mid-reach caliper Osprey lugged road bike – were certainly among the nicest riding frames I’ve ever produced. The slimmer-profile tubes which the rim brake allows give a much smoother ride than something with the beef needed to deal with the forces of a disc brake. The Kookaburra uses very svelte traditional steel frame construction – 1″ top tube, 1 1/8″ downtube – along with a fully lugged construction. A 1″ threaded steerer for the ultimate in bar height adjustability (and a bit more flex), space for fat 55mm rubber, the Kookaburra is a cruiser for all surfaces.”
It’s always cool to see designers like Sam openly iterate on their design process and give us some insight as to how their brains work. As far as the potential Kookaburra goes, it’s interesting to witness this recent resurgence of love and admiration for cantilevered frames. Having some insight as to the logistics behind what motivates new models, it seems a trend motivated entirely by passion and a desire to bring back a well-loved albeit slightly dated braking system.
Though a “build it and they shall come” mindset seems to work in the bike industry, I wonder how many people have old, fat tire rim brake wheelsets lying around for builds like this one. Either way, the aesthetics of this potential build are nothing less than gorgeous and consistent with the classic nature of what Singular Cycles offers. Sam is offering test rides of both this model and the others in the Singular fleet, so if you’re around the small village of Studham, England, you could be in for a treat.
Visit SingularCycles.com to find more from the brand.
Further Reading
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