[cb4photo]

Which bike should go, to make way for the new full suspension 29er?

My Karate Monkey was replaced after 4 years with my new Astrix Rook, which I am loving! One of the best values for a XC hard-tail frame the Rook is.

also have a Cross Check which was built to be my commuter / C&O Canal touring bike. and maybe a cross race in the winter to cure my racing fix till spring.

I have loved them both. But wanting the full suspension 29er, one of them will have to go. I can only have three bikes, money and space prevent me from have more.

Have used my cross check on my past three trips on the C&O Canal and for commuting and weekend rides, but I find my self grabbing the Karate Monkey set up as a mountain bike for more of the weekend rides lately even for all pavement rides. Plus I just got a pair of the on-one midge bars which will be going on which ever one I keep.

So do you do the urban monkey? I really like the idea of having disc brakes. 35mm cross tires, triple with a 48 tooth big ring, midge bars, racks, fenders maybe trying to pack a little bit lighter for my 3 to 5 day tours, spread the weight over the whole bike vs really big rear panniers which is the way I have done it in the past. Plus having the monkey, in an emergency it can always be turn back into a mountain bike.

Or is this a bad idea for doing 200 to 350 mile tours on very flat hard pack double track. I think I have read in the past that people have had clearance issues with rear panniers with the monkey. But when I look on Surly's web page the chain stays on the Xcheck are 16.7 vs the 17 for the karate monkey. With my panniers on the Xcheck I have never had any major clearance issues.

A post with out pictures, is no fun. So here are some pictures for you. If you want so see all my pics on touring the canal, go here.....
http://cb4photo.smugmug.com/gallery/4385129_965CY

 

[CB2]

I'd keep the KM. It can do everything the Crosscheck can do but is more capable offroad.

 

[Cloxxki]

I did in total more than a year of CC commuting, always 42x16 gear. Always with the same basic road handlebar, which I never got to like. IMO road bars are stupid for non-racing.

My KM was only shortly used as cummuter, after I had done all the adjustments I could think of to make it work with Midge bars. I replaced the stock fork for a Redline MC one, to tame the handling. I like a tank-like commuter. Never got the handlebars to work for me actually.

My fav road setup remains the low-BB original fisher Supercal29 hardtail. Trekking bars, a bit like flexy slightly narrower Mary bars. KM fork, which actually spices the handling over the usual White/rockshox forks. I go A>B faster than on a road bike.

Due to most of my bikes being in storage as I'm moving houses, I got to see a lot of commuting on my Surly Pacer. Harsh 23/28mm tires. Semi-nice Sals Bell Lap bars, which are the best crit bars I know actually. Cheap Shimano cassette, ancient derailer I got for free, 48t ring, super low cost per distance unit, even if I rarely execute a gear shift, and smoke up 2 or 3 cogs at most. I was too lazy to get it to work in 56x20 SS gear again, stupid Breezer dropouts and old Surly Singleator.
Still, the Pacer is just cumbersome on anything less than totally smooth and dry wide open trafficless asphalt.

I need to get the SuperCal29 rolling again. Big Aplle 2.35 tires, off course.
Long, low, light, fast. Something worth putting a couple gears on. It's like a time trial limo when on smooth roads, a top performance MTB in any traffic situations or cut-off routes.

For you, maybe the KM with FloWing bars bars would be close to the optimum. Comfort, control, speed.
Consider the MC fork or another short-offset 470+mm length fork, it you like tame handling. The Km frame itself, the pedal feedback it offers, IS a ton of fun. I just radites "performace" with every pedal stroke. Perhaps I should have a Fisher geometry be made from heavy CRMO tubing.

 

[ThreeD]

Sounds to me as if you prefer the KM. So keep it. As to the pictures....they are fantastic, I don't think I would care what bike I was on with that scenery.

 

[bobbotron]

I did in total more than a year of CC commuting, always 42x16 gear. Always with the same basic road handlebar, which I never got to like. IMO road bars are stupid for non-racing.

My KM was only shortly used as cummuter, after I had done all the adjustments I could think of to make it work with Midge bars. I replaced the stock fork for a Redline MC one, to tame the handling. I like a tank-like commuter. Never got the handlebars to work for me actually.

My fav road setup remains the low-BB original fisher Supercal29 hardtail. Trekking bars, a bit like flexy slightly narrower Mary bars. KM fork, which actually spices the handling over the usual White/rockshox forks. I go A>B faster than on a road bike.

Due to most of my bikes being in storage as I'm moving houses, I got to see a lot of commuting on my Surly Pacer. Harsh 23/28mm tires. Semi-nice Sals Bell Lap bars, which are the best crit bars I know actually. Cheap Shimano cassette, ancient derailer I got for free, 48t ring, super low cost per distance unit, even if I rarely execute a gear shift, and smoke up 2 or 3 cogs at most. I was too lazy to get it to work in 56x20 SS gear again, stupid Breezer dropouts and old Surly Singleator.
Still, the Pacer is just cumbersome on anything less than totally smooth and dry wide open trafficless asphalt.

I need to get the SuperCal29 rolling again. Big Aplle 2.35 tires, off course.
Long, low, light, fast. Something worth putting a couple gears on. It's like a time trial limo when on smooth roads, a top performance MTB in any traffic situations or cut-off routes.

For you, maybe the KM with FloWing bars bars would be close to the optimum. Comfort, control, speed.
Consider the MC fork or another short-offset 470+mm length fork, it you like tame handling. The Km frame itself, the pedal feedback it offers, IS a ton of fun. I just radites "performace" with every pedal stroke. Perhaps I should have a Fisher geometry be made from heavy CRMO tubing.

I wouldn't describe Big Apple tires as light.

 

[Cloxxki]

Their weight to speed ratio is good, then

Actually, I regard the BA as standard chice for urban/touring, so the rest of the bike in question was just relatively light, having V-brakes and 1700g frame, plus some parts from the days I raced the exact same setup.

I should build an 8kg Big Apple bike some day, for the heavy callers.

 

[cb4photo]

Has anyone tried to put panniers on a KM?

 

[GeoKrpan]

The KM makes a better tourer. I have ridden road and cyclocross bikes for years and a drop bar does not compare to a riser or flat bar. There is simply more pedaling leverage.
It is far easier to stand and pedal on a riser or flat bar than a drop bar.
Rim brakes are scary compared to disk brakes.
The longer stays of the KM are better for pannier heel clearance.
The KM frame is unquestionably strong enough for loaded touring.

My "adventure bike" is a Jamis Exile that I have 1x9-ded.
The Exile has a rigid fork and I have installed an Axiom Odyssee rear rack that needs no braze-ons and works with disk brakes. For panniers I simply zip tied on two wire reinforced wicker baskets that I bought at Pier One for $12 each.
I take my two Chihuahuas for a four mile ride to coffee in the mornings.
Oh, and I put on Big Apple 2.35s. These tires must be experienced. I would have no qualms about setting off cross country on these tires. They are heavy but you would never know it from riding them.

 

[ATBScott]

If you are doing any "road riding" unladen, the Cross Check might be nice, but if all your stuff is really the gravel path type of stuff, and generally loaded, I would choose the KM also. One other reason - 'cross bikes are kind of "in" right now. Take off all vestiges of racks and stuff, and you'll probably sell it pretty fast. Offer the racks as an extra if the buyer is a commuter or wants to tour. You can still run 32c tires on the KM if you want, but think how cool it'll be with a set of Conti 47mm on it for rougher roads, or a pair of something like Rampages or Fat Alberts on it for real riding. Something that you can't put on the CC.

 

[cb4photo]

Thanks to everyone who has replyed,
I am surprised that so many of you say to keep the KM, I was expecting more to say to keep the CC.
But I do love the KM, just never tried it as a touring bike or the around town bike.
Still would like to hear from anyone who has used panniers on their KM.
Thanks,
CB

 

[ATBScott]

I haven't toured with a KM, but I used my XXIX and it was a great tourer off-road. Even with 35 lbs gear, I was able to ride some pretty technical sections and it rocked. While the CC might be good for loaded touring on dirt or gravel roads, the KM will be good for loaded touring on trails and rougher terrain that you wouldn't want to take the CC on.

 

[zarr]

I love my bikes too much to get rid of them. If you need to hear from someone else who believes keeping your bikes keeps you happy, here I am. If you have folks in your house you would like to show proof to that there are other bike people who don't want to part with their bikes, please feel free to show them this reply.---zarr P.S.- Merry Christmas to one and all.

 

[enio]

keep karate monkey !!!

 

[cb4photo]

By the way Merry Christmas !!!!!