DIRT Challenge

I have an urge to host a MTB/Cyclocross rally right in my own back yard. There is a trail that runs in a 2 mile circle and has hills, logs across the trail, and CRAZY mud puddles. It's about a 20 minute loop for the unfamiliar, so three laps would be a GREAT "Dirty Cat" ride.

Here's some shots of a blue Monkey on the loose:

My Monkey is so Blue!

My Monkey has advanced to BLUE belt!

The new 22" Surly Karate Monkey has been built and road tested.

The fit is 1,000,000 X better than the 20". Just over a fist-full of seatpost exposed on this one. A near-horizontal top tube is much more aesthetically appealing.

The other big difference between the blue one and brown is that I discarded the disc brakes for the more sensible Deore Vee brakes (linear pull). The disc brakes were WAY heavy and the pads rubbed the rotors whenever I put on a heavy stomp on the drive side pedal (not the brakes' fault, but annoying nonetheless).

It's Mo Bettah in every way and it's my last MTB purchase EVER. I can't imagine stepping back down to the 26" wheel bikes. They will feel like BMX compared to the full-size 29er.

I will likely switch to some fatty cyclocross tires vs the Schwalbe Big Apples (29x2.35). They are just ridiculously big and bouncy, but I'm not thrilled with the speed on the street (60psi max). The difference in 20lbs of pressure is HUGE for speed. I have some some cyclocross tires I got at REI that have never been mounted, so they'll probably go on this weekend.

It's amazing to be so far off of the ground and the tires really do feel like you can roll over anything.

Pix to follow.

Bye Bye Karate Monkey

My second Surly bike that turned out to be too small (for my taste, not in a performance or necessary sense).

20" Brown Karate Monkey was sold last night. I paid $275 plus shipping, I sold for $299 plus shipping. An appropriate profit to off-set the work associated with packing it up and still over $100 below the cheapest retail source (and no tax).

Bought the 22" Monkey in Husker Blu and a new headset from Jenson USA. I HATE SALES TAX on internet purchases. IT's B.S.!!! Anyway it's going to be a bad MOFO just like the brown one, only with a horizontal top tube instead of angled. Other than that, it will be the same bike.

I'll be switching from Disc to Linear-pull (Vee) brakes also. With a bike as HUGE and BURLY as the monkey, watching weight is not terribly useful, but for the amount of "Gucci" I get from the disc brakes, they are difficult to fine tune, and they rub if I stand-up-pedal with any real intensity (like ascending a big azz hill). They prevent you from mounting racks on the rear as well, not that I will likely do that, but you never know... I haven't decided whether to install gears or keep it single... I intend to swap down from the Schwalbe Big Apples to some cyclocross tires just to reduce the beach-cruiser feel of it. Might make the commute a little more reasonable.

Pic is me riding home from school on the KM. Parting is such sweet sorrow, but since I'll be building his Big Blue Brother in a couple of days, GOOD RIDDANCE!