Commuting - 26" wheels on a karate monkey?

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trackandtrials
02-09-06, 01:22 PM
Hey fellow bike-to-workers-

I don't really know what forum to post this in, but as it's a commute bike... :rolleyes:

Anyways, I'm buying a KM, and would like to use my current disk-brake 26" wheels and tires for a while, to spread out the cost of buying the frame/fork and new wheels/tires. I'm just wondering if this will be a bad idea. I know the changes will be a lower bb, and less trail (right?) - will this make the bike unstable? I'm thinking it'll be for a couple of weeks (until my next paycheck). Is there anything I'm not thinking about that makes this a bad idea?

Thanks,

Jeremy

rykoala
02-09-06, 02:05 PM
You already mentioned the major things. I don't have any practical experience in it but I don't see why it would cause a problem.
darkmother
02-09-06, 02:09 PM
It'll work just fine. Go for it.

trackandtrials
02-09-06, 02:18 PM
Sweet. Thanks guys - just wanted to double check. I'll post some pics when I get it built up.
marqueemoon
02-09-06, 03:18 PM
As long as you're not running it fixed gear, the lower bb should not be a big problem, but be careful cornering. Fenders would look really funky with that setup.
jo5iah
02-09-06, 04:34 PM
that setup will look funky on its own, fenders or no. funky != bad. my monkey has some fattie tires on it (schwalbe big apple), that still leave several inches of fork clearance and a couple of inches in back. happy monkeying around...
trackandtrials
02-09-06, 04:37 PM
nope, not fixed. As far as fenders go, if the weather here in SF stays as it is, I won't need them...
tedi k wardhana
02-11-06, 06:34 AM
please excuse me asking: what wheel size does a karate monkey originally come equipped with? 700c wheels?
I have a frame with 700x35c original wheels and tyres.
Would like to go off road, but here in jakarta, 700 knobbies are rare.
is it possible to put 26 wheels and knobbies on my frame?
_dhan_
02-11-06, 07:35 AM
as I understand it, 29" mtb wheels are the same diameter as 700 road wheels (both are 622mm). That might make it a little easier to search for knobby tires

edit- of course sheldon brown has some tire sizing tables (http://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html) giving all the gory details. Make sure you consider the width of the rim when choosing new tires.
Pigtire
02-11-06, 08:01 PM
please excuse me asking: what wheel size does a karate monkey originally come equipped with? 700c wheels?
I have a frame with 700x35c original wheels and tyres.
Would like to go off road, but here in jakarta, 700 knobbies are rare.
is it possible to put 26 wheels and knobbies on my frame?

Unless you are running disc brakes, no it won't work. Another option, if you have a welder relocate the brake studs lower on the frame/fork. One more, if you want to run 2.1+ mtb tires make sure your frame can fit those puppies.