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All alone? (roll call for 29"ers)

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All alone? (roll call for 29"ers)

Old 07-10-04, 03:12 PM
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How many out there own a Surly Karate Monkey, and if so, what do you think? Are there any other good 29er options for under $1000? I am looking to ride on very hilly dirt roads and paths, surface quite bumpy but not ridiculous. I am very tall, 6'5, and 240. Thanks.
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Old 07-16-04, 09:18 AM
  #27  
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Hey, a little news on the 29er front. Move over White Bros and Marzzochi, Rock Shox wants to play too!

https://www.fisherbikes.com/happenings/news.asp?id=110
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Old 07-19-04, 06:44 AM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by Buzzbomb
I'm just wondering if I'm the only one on this forum riding a 29"er. If there's any interest or response to this thread I'll post pics of mine, but has anyone else got one? Pics?
No, you're not the only one on the biggie hoops. ;-)

I ride a Surly Karate Monkey and just built up a new 2004 Gary Fisher Sugar 293 since I acquired the frame recently. The Fisher 293 is going on a maiden voyage trip in August and will see trail time on the Maah Daah Hey in North Dakota, some trails in Utah including Moab, trials around Tahoe and some trails in the San Francisco area. Can't really report on how she rides until that trip is completed. It's a big family trip to visit relatives/inlaws and we will be camping, biking, hiking and seeing the sights along the way.

I love the Karate Monkey and have been riding it in a geared set up (SRAM X.0) with Avid 185mm's. Rear drop out is horizontal and for a geared set up off road is not headache free while running disc brakes, but can be managed. It's the best climbing bike I have ever had the pleasure of sitting on.

I still have some 26" roots. I have two mountain bike tandems built on the 26" sized wheels. I have a Burley Koosah recumbent that uses a rear 26" sized wheel and the wife and kids are on the 26" sized wheels for their off road rigs. But my switch to the 700c wheels and the large volume tires (Bonty 2.2's) is a keeper. No way am I going back to the small wheeled off road experience. All it took was about a week of riding to convince me this was a much better experience for me.

BB
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Old 07-19-04, 07:03 AM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by Eman
How many out there own a Surly Karate Monkey, and if so, what do you think? Are there any other good 29er options for under $1000? I am looking to ride on very hilly dirt roads and paths, surface quite bumpy but not ridiculous. I am very tall, 6'5, and 240. Thanks.
Sub $1000 is certainly possible with the Surly

I'm 6'4" and 200 riding an XL Monkey. I love the bike and I ride it with the rigid fork on terrain such as you mention. I don't miss not having suspension on this bike, but plenty of people ride a Surly Karate Monkey frame with a suspension fork and love it. The big wheels soak up so much of the hit that I am content running it rigid. Your description of terrain leads me to believe you would be happy running rigid as well. You could always get a suspension fork later, but keeping the project sub $1000 with suspension forks starting at about $350 will be hard to do.

Watch eBay for used Gary Fisher two niners. There usually are a few auctions each month that every now and then feature an XL size (what you need at your height) - and sometimes go for sub $1000. Custom frames will start at over $1000, so the Surly frame (you can find it online in black or green betwen $357 and $450+ depending on who you buy it from and what their markup is) built up with your own part choice is the easiest way to keep it sub $1000. If you get the frame/rigid fork shipped and at your door in the $400 - $420 range, that leaves you with some working room for the only other 29" specific thing you need - wheelset and tires. Drivetrain, brakes, saddle, seatpost (takes a 27.2), etc... are all standard equipment you can move over from your 26" bike to cut costs.

Or the Fisher X-Caliber (this year's model) was in shops for around a grand. Doubt there are too many left in your size, so the used market or "close out" market is the place to be looking on eBay, classifieds and searching the web.

BB
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Old 07-19-04, 08:51 AM
  #30  
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how easy are those Rohloffs to accelerate? i know that the radius of the mass is pretty close to the axis... but its still a lot more mass to spin
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Old 07-20-04, 12:50 PM
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Originally Posted by redfooj
how easy are those Rohloffs to accelerate? i know that the radius of the mass is pretty close to the axis... but its still a lot more mass to spin
I don't race, but I do ride with some fast people, and I can generally hang with them. My current ride came spec'd with the Rohloff, and I want to put one on my wife's bike now that I've ridden mine for several seasons (I'm tired of having to tune and maintain her ders.). The single speed chain line really lightens the load on the chain, and while I did perform regular maintenance on my chain, it would break every so often. Not a problem now. The planetary gears run in a sealed oil bath, and mud and snow aren't a problem anymore. I also like being able to shift gears while standing still, riding, pedaling backwards, whatever. I've ridden on mine for 3 seasons of real MTB XC use, and 3 oil changes and chain cleaning and lubing is all the maintenance I've needed to perform to keep this thing running like a swiss watch. Oh, one last advantage off the top of my head, a dishless rear wheel build. The only drawback I've encountered is the extra weight, about one pound more than a full XT setup. Not a big deal to me. I guess if you found yourself in a lot of sprint situations this might be a deal killer, but OTOH, this thing is about as bomb-proof a transmission as you are gonna find.
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Old 07-20-04, 12:52 PM
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Originally Posted by BruceBrown
No, you're not the only one on the biggie hoops. ;-)

I ride a Surly Karate Monkey and just built up a new 2004 Gary Fisher Sugar 293 since I acquired the frame recently. BB
I know you! I've salivated over your KM build pics over on the 29er board, as well as some of the ride reports you've posted.
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Old 07-21-04, 05:20 AM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by Buzzbomb
I know you! I've salivated over your KM build pics over on the 29er board, as well as some of the ride reports you've posted.
Yes, I recognized the Buzzbomb handle as well.

Since I am on summer vactation as of yesterday - I am going to get the chance to do some two niner riding and take pictures to post in August of the Maah Daah Hey trail in North Dakota, Moab in Utah, various trails in Colorado between Denver and Grand Junction, some trails in Lake Tahoe and San Francisco Bay Area trails (I'll ride what's left of Mt. Tam and a few others in the area). Not the "coolest" time of year to be going, but I'll have to ride early when the temps are in pre-suffer mode and hydrate myself like crazy.

But first, I'm heading out across Iowa with 10,000 other cyclists for a week long ride from the Missouri River to the Mississippi River. I'm hoping the temperatures drop as it is in the 90's and very humid at the moment...

BB
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Old 08-04-04, 04:58 PM
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Originally Posted by leadbutt
How plush is the bike? I've heard the 29"er's are comparable to having a 26" softail...I realize you have the susp. seatpost, too...but I was wondering...

I met a guy recently at a local trail who purchased a Rohloff to use on a new Blur...haven't seen him since tho...
I doubt it. But a 29" wheel should have a little more "flex" in the spokes than a 26" wheel. For improved rear suspension emulation get chromoly or titanium frame and combine it with a suspension seat (the best being the thudbuster (which I DO own)).

BTW, mtbr.com has a dedicated 29er forum. They're a little more detailed than this board.
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Old 08-04-04, 05:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Buzzbomb
I don't race, but I do ride with some fast people, and I can generally hang with them. My current ride came spec'd with the Rohloff, and I want to put one on my wife's bike now that I've ridden mine for several seasons (I'm tired of having to tune and maintain her ders.). The single speed chain line really lightens the load on the chain, and while I did perform regular maintenance on my chain, it would break every so often. Not a problem now. The planetary gears run in a sealed oil bath, and mud and snow aren't a problem anymore. I also like being able to shift gears while standing still, riding, pedaling backwards, whatever. I've ridden on mine for 3 seasons of real MTB XC use, and 3 oil changes and chain cleaning and lubing is all the maintenance I've needed to perform to keep this thing running like a swiss watch. Oh, one last advantage off the top of my head, a dishless rear wheel build. The only drawback I've encountered is the extra weight, about one pound more than a full XT setup. Not a big deal to me. I guess if you found yourself in a lot of sprint situations this might be a deal killer, but OTOH, this thing is about as bomb-proof a transmission as you are gonna find.
If your wife is just a "recreational" paved trail rider, you may want to use a 7-speed SRAM hub and save $900 ;-)


But you're right. I too covet the Rohloff speedhub. Deraileurs never seem to work right when you bang your bike around off-road and get into mud.
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Old 08-04-04, 05:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Buzzbomb
Hey, a little news on the 29er front. Move over White Bros and Marzzochi, Rock Shox wants to play too!

https://www.fisherbikes.com/happenings/news.asp?id=110
Things certainly seem to be picking up now. I think the RockShox offering is significant because SRAM may start pushing 29ers on their riders.

Personally I feel that in 5 years, 29ers will dominate the higher end of the market. In related news, I think that in 3 years, disc breaks will dominate the ENTIRE market because they're just plain BETTER!!!!!
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Old 08-04-04, 06:21 PM
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Originally Posted by BruceBrown
Sub $1000 is certainly possible with the Surly

I'm 6'4" and 200 riding an XL Monkey. I love the bike and I ride it with the rigid fork on terrain such as you mention. I don't miss not having suspension on this bike, but plenty of people ride a Surly Karate Monkey frame with a suspension fork and love it. The big wheels soak up so much of the hit that I am content running it rigid. Your description of terrain leads me to believe you would be happy running rigid as well. You could always get a suspension fork later, but keeping the project sub $1000 with suspension forks starting at about $350 will be hard to do.

Watch eBay for used Gary Fisher two niners. There usually are a few auctions each month that every now and then feature an XL size (what you need at your height) - and sometimes go for sub $1000. Custom frames will start at over $1000, so the Surly frame (you can find it online in black or green betwen $357 and $450+ depending on who you buy it from and what their markup is) built up with your own part choice is the easiest way to keep it sub $1000. If you get the frame/rigid fork shipped and at your door in the $400 - $420 range, that leaves you with some working room for the only other 29" specific thing you need - wheelset and tires. Drivetrain, brakes, saddle, seatpost (takes a 27.2), etc... are all standard equipment you can move over from your 26" bike to cut costs.

Or the Fisher X-Caliber (this year's model) was in shops for around a grand. Doubt there are too many left in your size, so the used market or "close out" market is the place to be looking on eBay, classifieds and searching the web.

BB
RST has a cheapo $80 29er fork available.
https://harriscyclery.net/site/page.c...=49&SKU=FK8029
https://www.rst.com.tw/pr/front/rst/Mountain/macro.htm

Last edited by willtsmith_nwi; 08-04-04 at 06:22 PM. Reason: Correct price
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Old 08-04-04, 06:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Buzzbomb
Here a few pics of my 29"er. This is the off topic Rohloff shot. Check out that chainline...
I think your tires are backwards ;-) Shouldn't the wide profile hit the ground first on the back???
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Old 08-05-04, 05:08 AM
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Originally Posted by willtsmith_nwi
I think your tires are backwards ;-) Shouldn't the wide profile hit the ground first on the back???
I had to look back at the pic, and yeah, you're right. My bad. I have since mounted up my kevlar Nanos, and am lovin them (they are on right :^) )
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