[ncj01]

I just got done talking my buddy into selling his KTM300 and buying a bicycle.

If you're in the Central US, call me on the 300.

Back to topic: What 29er options does he have? Budget will be 1800 on the high end. Giving heavy consideration to used, or frame-only for build up options.

My only clear top contender is a Monkey.

Anyone?

 

[jgsatl]

how tall is he?

 

[ncj01]

6-3

 

[jgsatl]

yeah...i'd say 20" karate monkey with some beefy wheels. heck, i bet he could build up a well appointed km for roughly $1000.

bb7 brakes...cane creek s3 headset...salsa stem....surly torsion bar....some wtb dd fr rims on xt hubs. budget and burly enough.

 

[jgsatl]

ok, little more than my $1000 remark...especially if he needs everything (i often forget not everybody has boxes of old bike parts that their wife keeps yelling about).

wtb dual duty on deore hubs: $150

and the rest:

$1390 at speedgoat.

plus i forgot cables for the bb7s. another $30 or so.

 

[ncj01]

not bad, not bad...

 

[WEBERTIME]

Inbred...

$250 for Frame and Headset... http://mtb.unrealcycles.com/catalog/item339.htm
I got one (waiting on a Niner) and I'm 6'5" 280lbs and like it a lot. I'm running it as a 1x9 with 180mm BMX cranks and a 32t Profile ring.
Rock Shox Tora's (stiffer than a reba and more reliable and available than RST M29's) are $270 at Chain Reaction Cycles...
Halo Freedom Rims are $39ea. at Speedgoat (AMAZED how solid these rims/wheels are)
Outfit the rest with Clyde friendly stuff that I am sure you know about, and you/he could easily complete a very solid build for under $1800.

 

[Pmac83]

Yeah, start with a KM. I weigh 185; there are times when I wish I was heavier so I could get more spring out of it. You can get to pop up over stuff pretty easily. Just go with steel where you can get it (stem, bars, fork) and it will feel pretty smooth.

 

[jgsatl]

not bad, not bad...

hey..you could sell him your cc headset and your xtr drivetrain!

 

[TLL]

Def go the Karate Monkey over the Inbred. While I like the Inbred (owned one) the KM is more suited to a big fella.