[ink1373]

has anyone tried touring on their KM? schwalbe makes a 2.35" kevlar puncture protected slick that would be ideal. mostly my concerns are about frame geometry (comfort) and loaded handling.

can anyone shed some light? i really want to get my bike collection down to minimum. touring is very important to me, but i also need to be able to hit the trails when i'm in one place for very long.

apologies to those of you who read my identical post on the 29er board.

 

[georgiaboy]

has anyone tried touring on their KM? schwalbe makes a 2.35" kevlar puncture protected slick that would be ideal. mostly my concerns are about frame geometry (comfort) and loaded handling.

can anyone shed some light? i really want to get my bike collection down to minimum. touring is very important to me, but i also need to be able to hit the trails when i'm in one place for very long.

apologies to those of you who read my identical post on the 29er board.

I do not have a KM so I have not toured on one. However, I did consider building one for touring. Many persons do tour on hardtail frames because the MTB gearing is ideal for loaded touring. Even many touring bikes feature Deore XT gearing. The KM is the closest thing to a hardtail with a RD hanger that Surly makes. The 1x1 has a more traditional hardtail measurements but you can't hang a derailleur. For loaded touring you gears are beneficial.

I wonder if Surly plans to produce another frame similar to the Gunnar Rocktour or Dahon Flo which can be used for loaded touring on trail or road. Both of these bikes use 26" wheels.

One independent builder has come out with a cyclocross frame that uses 29 inch wheels. To me this is the most innovative of all.

If you dial in the your saddle height and the stem for your reach. Yes, I think you could tour on a KM. Comfort would be the most important factor. Certainly, the frame is strong enough for loaded touring. IMO

 

[ink1373]

what independent builder with a cyclocross frame for 29 inch wheels do you speak of?

 

[georgiaboy]

what independent builder with a cyclocross frame for 29 inch wheels do you speak of?

The bicycle in the pictures has internal gearing. But, according to the comment on the page he can install derailleur gearing. The bicycle is pricy. But no one has anything like this yet as far as I have found.
http://www.antbikemike.com/29er.html

 

[georgiaboy]

my last tour was almot 800 miles, fixed gear.

it has an EBB option too. i've been a fan of ANT, and that bike, for a long time, but 1300 bucks for lugless steel ain't gonna happen.

i admit though, that that picture is pretty close to the mark, as far as my dream bike goes.

The price is marked up because no one else is offering this. It is definitely an awesome design.

800 miles on fixed gear - Amazing -

 

[ink1373]

my last tour was almot 800 miles, fixed gear.

it has an EBB option too. i've been a fan of ANT, and that bike, for a long time, but 1300 bucks for lugless steel ain't gonna happen.

i admit though, that that picture is pretty close to the mark, as far as my dream bike goes.

 

[ink1373]

its just that i feel as though i could get a custom builder like vanilla or jonny cycles to do something similar, lugged, for roughly the same price.

i don't know if i plan to do another fixed tour. probably not one quite so long. SS maybe.

 

[Solo with others]

I own two Monkeys and a Cross Check here are my thoughts...

The KM is super versatile. I think you could set it up to suit you very easily. I'm sure it can carry the load no problem. It's quicker handling than something like the Cross Check or the LHT but I think you will get stability from the heavier tires when they spin up offsetting that almost entirely.

Monkeys are heavy... but if I had to have just one bike that would be it.