[dankilling]

I need some help. I want to put together a commuter/tourer/grocerey getter/sometimes trail rider/baby puller....I have narrowed it down to a choice between the Karate Monkey and the Cross Check frames. I have a spare set of road wheels, and pretty much all of the parts I need to build up either one, but I had some questions I was hoping you all could help me with.
1- would my existing 700C wheels work on a KM? I dont have money currently to build 29-er wheels.....
2- which one would YOU prefer, and why?

Thanks for the help!!!

 

[clownempire]

I need some help. I want to put together a commuter/tourer/grocerey getter/sometimes trail rider/baby puller....I have narrowed it down to a choice between the Karate Monkey and the Cross Check frames. I have a spare set of road wheels, and pretty much all of the parts I need to build up either one, but I had some questions I was hoping you all could help me with.
1- would my existing 700C wheels work on a KM? I dont have money currently to build 29-er wheels.....
2- which one would YOU prefer, and why?

For what you are talking about, I'm sure a KM would work, but it's kind of overkill. I'd go with the XC. They take either 130mm or 135mm road wheels, so you might be able to get some use out of your existing rear wheel assuming it's one of those two most common sizes. (I even had an old 126mm that I ran on my XC for a week. It worked, but I didn't like bending the chainstays that much.)

Regarding your existing 700c wheels, it depends on the hub spacing.

I use my XC for road rides, commuting and just bought a set of heavy duty 29er wheels to take it on the local singletrack. I had most of the parts as well. I think the XC the bike you want, based on your criteria.

 

[Englehardt]

I have a KM SS and I'm planning on buying a Cross Check frame and building it up as a 2 speed. I don't like riding the KM on the road with the fat tires. I bought skinny tires and it doesn't handle like a road or cyclocross bike. It handles like a mountain bike with skinny tires. So I'm going to take all of the expensive parts off of my KM and put them on a Cross Check. I plan on rebuilding the KM as a pure off road trail bike with less expensive parts. I'll use the Cross Check to cumute and ride the crushed lime stone trails.

As for the wheels, you can force them in the KM I have done it, it seems like it bends the frame more than I would like to.

If you plan on doing a single speed it will be a real pain to get the gears right for a commuter/tour/trail bike.

I need some help. I want to put together a commuter/tourer/grocerey getter/sometimes trail rider/baby puller....I have narrowed it down to a choice between the Karate Monkey and the Cross Check frames. I have a spare set of road wheels, and pretty much all of the parts I need to build up either one, but I had some questions I was hoping you all could help me with.
1- would my existing 700C wheels work on a KM? I dont have money currently to build 29-er wheels.....
2- which one would YOU prefer, and why?

Thanks for the help!!!

 

[l-dub1]

Yep...

These guys are speaking the truth! I have had an XC for a while now and it's done everything from road rides / cross races / fixed gear on & off-road / trailer puller / drunken pub crawls... you get the picture. I was in the same boat at the time: spare road parts with 130mm rear hubs galore. The XC just worked for me. Like you've read, slap on the big treads and ride the XC off road. You'll scare the hell out of yourself but you're going to be stoked... it's a blast.
I'm in the process of finally getting a KM for the arsenal (2 years later) and I agree with the post above; you can put road wheels on the KM but it's never going to be a road bike. On a positive note the XC introduced me to riding bigger wheels (sorta like a 29'er) off-road and now I know that I have to have a set of bigger wheels for the dirt.
The XC will take me on longer dirt road journey's this year and the KM will handle the serious trail duty. In either case and in all honesty you can do a lot on either bike, so you're in the right ballpark for what you describe. Check out the guy touring on the KM over on the 29'er board. Cool pictures of a KM far from home!
Cheers.

 

[bhc]

Unless it is really tough off road, the xc can be any kind of ride you set it up for. I have two sets of wheels, one with 700x44 twister pros, the other 700x23, and either set is just plain fun for the intended terrain.

 

[dankilling]

Ok- so I decided on a Cross Check...one, in black, is on its way to my LBS! Build-up round one will be done with the parts I have laying around...Vuelta wheelset, Race Face cranks, flat bars, V-brakes...etc.. I tried to get one in green, but they were sold out of green within 6 hours of when my LBS was notified frames were in stock!!!! Oh well...I think I will do a black/blue/silver theme...should be cool, I will post pics as soon as I have some.

 

[zaby]

I've got a KM thats running 36x15 fixed on Schwable BIg Apples. I use it for everything (as it's my only bike right now).

I think you've made the right choice though. I kinda wish I'd of gone for the XC as the KM can be hard work on such large tyres. I might do what was said on here and build up an XC with my KM stuff, which is all good kit (Salsa, Surly, EAI, Stronglight, Nitto) and use the KM for trails and the like.

Only problem is my girlfriend will kill me if I buy anything else right now

 

[Tracerboy]

Black is the new black. Good choices in all respects!

 

[dankilling]

Woo-ha, here she is!

New parts spec-
56cm Cross Check
FSA Orbit headset
40mm fatty tires
Parts-bin spec included-
105 double cranks
Octalink BB
Time ATAC pedals
Vuelta wheels
Thompson seatpost/stem
Easton flat bars
SD7 front brake
tektro rear
AD 7 levers
XT 8speed shifters
XT FD
Avilio RD
Selle Italia Trans Am gel saddle
topo bar-ends
ODI lock ons
Planet Bike blinky light

Did 26 miles on her yesterday and could have gone all day! What a blast to ride....