The day before yesterday, Sunday, November 2nd, was International Single Speed Day, and at Circles, we unveiled a bike currently under preparation for our RAL brand called the "Exposure."
We will be announcing further details about this bike in due course, so please look forward to it. However, we actually had another project in the works to celebrate International Single Speed Day, so I'd like to share that with you in this blog post!
It has been two years since the inaugural MADE 2023. I was truly surprised that Todd of BLACKCAT BICYCLES would set up a booth at MADE that legendary first year. Of course, we were delighted by our long-awaited reunion, and the frames we had requested from him at that time are finally ready to be unveiled to you all.
Let’s do a quick recap. BLACKCAT BICYCLES is based in a small town called Aptos, near Santa Cruz, California.
(Although it's a slightly older article, please be sure to read this article for more on BLACKCAT.)
Todd, who performs frame building both simply and meticulously, fully utilizes the vast knowledge and wisdom—from the foundations of bicycle manufacturing cultivated during his long tenure at SANTACRUZ BICYCLES to the latest materials—that he gained while training under Rick Hunter of HUNTER CYCLES. He is a rare frame builder who even handles his own paintwork.
What we had requested from Todd is a full-rigid MTB named the Swami, which is a production model (though, naturally, each frame is still entirely handmade by Todd) that he has been focusing on for the past few years.
The Swami is not a regression to 90s cross-country mountain bike geometry, nor is it an attempt to forcibly push the limits of geometry; rather, it follows what Todd considers "new-school" geometry, designed to enable a comfortable ride across as wide a variety of terrain as possible. The frames we requested with sizing specifically for the Japanese market have finally been completed and have arrived.
Different tubing optimized for each size is used, and the fork blades and steering columns are also selected according to size. Although it is a stock model, each frame is built with optimal geometry and material selection carefully thought out by Todd.
The S size is designed for 27.5-inch wheels, and the M size for 29-inch wheels, with both ensuring ample 2.6″ tire clearance.
With the original unicrown fork, its beautiful round top, and the sexy S-bend stays in the rear triangle that ensure tire clearance while delivering the best ride Todd envisions, this bike is truly packed with all his signature traits.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the particularly distinctive details.
Head Tube: Original Lug + Fillet Finish
The head tube, featuring a fillet finish with custom lugs, is not only beautiful to behold, but also plays a functional role in terms of strength. It maintains steering precision while ensuring flexibility for the connecting top tube and down tube, and for the frame as a whole, resulting in an unparalleled ride quality.
Additionally, the M size utilizes an EC34/EC37 headset and a fork steerer that tapers from 1-1/8″ to 1-1/4″, which helps maintain lightness while ensuring strength. (The S size has a shorter head tube and sufficient strength is ensured with a 1-1/8″ straight steerer.)
Swinger Dropout
Designed by Todd in 2005, this mechanism is arguably the best method for chain tension adjustment, a fact confirmed by how many mass-production brands have mimicked it since.
Naturally, this structure allows for single-speed operation, and it also comes with dropouts featuring a derailleur hanger, enabling geared use if preferred.
S-Bend Seat Stays
These very sexy S-bend stays, which are so aggressive that you might worry about clearance when installing wheels with tires, have become a signature "Black Cat" style.
These stays, which meet the requirement for tire clearance while providing a comfortable ride, are a true artisanal tradition of Black Cat, with Todd shaping each one using his own meticulous bender setup.
Original Paint
As a rare individual who is both a frame builder and his own painter, no two bikes Todd creates have the same finish. We left the finish of these frames entirely to his artistic sensibility.
We are always excited when we open the boxes; between the aforementioned details and this beautiful, unique paint, his frames are at a level where they could easily be called works of art.
But these "works of art" are not just for looking at, nor merely for satisfying the desire to own them—once you start pedaling, they immediately become the ultimate fun tool, so I don't believe they are overpriced at all.
BLACKCAT is truly an art piece you can ride. Considering that they rarely appear on the used market, even in the U.S., you might get an idea of just how satisfied the owners are.
BLACKCAT BICYCLES Swami Frame Set
Sizes: S (27.5″), M (29″)
Price: 924,000 JPY (tax included)
Main Specs
・Tire Clearance: S size / 27.5×2.6″ – M size / 29×2.6″
・Original Unicrown Fork
・Designed for modern long top tube + short stem configuration
・12x148mm Boost Swinger Dropout
・52mm Boost Chainline + 32T Chainring
・30.9mm Seatpost + Stealth Dropper Routing
・Original Head Tube Lug + Down Tube Gusset
・M size has 36mm/40mm Tapered Head Tube (compatible with EC34/EC37 headsets)
・73mm Bottom Bracket
Geometry
| S Size | M Size | |
| Head Angle | 68° | 68° |
| Seat Angle | 74° | 74° |
| Effective Top Tube | 600mm | 625mm |
| Chain Stay Length | 430-445mm | 435-455mm |
| BB Drop | 60mm | 80mm |
| Fork Length | 418mm | 440mm |
| Fork Offset | 42mm | 52mm |
| Reach | 443mm | 453mm |
| Stack | 553mm | 612mm |
We have also prepared an original complete bike
And so, I have brought my vision of the Swami to life. This is being sold as an original complete bike.
No suspension, single speed. A refreshing simplicity with no extra frills. In the mountain bike world in particular, equipment evolves at an astonishing rate, and it is hard to keep up with that wave, but taking a step back from that big wave can help you realize that there are actually other ways to enjoy the ride.
Reducing choices leads to stripping away the noise from your thinking, and I believe there is a sense of freedom in single-speed riding that becomes apparent precisely because you keep pedaling in such a limited situation.
Of course, the frame is designed so that you can switch to a geared setup by changing the included dropouts, but this is a bike I hope you’ll try building as a single speed at first.
BLACKCAT BICYCLES Swami Frame Set
Size: S (27.5″)
Price: 1,397,000 JPY (tax included)
BLACKCAT BICYCLES also accepts orders in the form of proposing custom geometry tailored to the owner for the models (categories) he is currently planning, so please feel free to consult with us.
