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lets see some komodo's

89K views 458 replies 58 participants last post by  chelboed 
#1 ·
Hey, I finally got my '07 komodo done last week, its been a slow build. Its built for AM riding mostly. I will get some pics up in the next day or so.

But, I know lots of you have em, post em up! Also, if you have a chain guide...definitely post that up haha.

Lets see em!
 
#424 ·
I have been running 1x9 setups on all my bikes for a few years now. I love it and have never felt the need for different front rings.

My AM/DH bike uses 36tooth up front with 11-32 Cassette. My Komodo has a 32 front with 11-32 cassette. My wife uses the same set up as my Komodo on her Parker.

I find the 32 front to be ok on XC trails. I could make a case for a 34 on but its not overly needed where I live. I use the 36 on my other bike because of high speed DH runs. I dont think I will ever switch back.

heres an older pic of my other bike(upgraded a few things since then):
 
#435 ·
My recent conversion to SS!

Sent using my fat thumbs!
This is your frame now - it sat around in the garage awaiting a build for a couple months before I finally got around to building it last July.

Bicycle tire Tire Wheel Bicycle wheel rim Bicycle wheel


Things have been changed since this picture was taken - KS i950 dropper post (remote), new tires, etc
Parts list:
Jamis Komodo 2008
Cane Creek angleset .5
X-fusion Velvet RL 140mm
rear: White industries eccentric disc hub x sun ringle estate (33mm) with 20t WI freewheel
front: Hope Pro 2 evo x mavic ex823
old LX 5 bolt cranks
Hope front brake, shimano SLX (fins) rear brake
thomson 50mm stem, easton monkey lite DH 711mm carbon bars
oury lock ons

~24-26lbs depending on the tires (currently some big DH mud tires)

This bike can huck! Took me a minute to get used to riding a hardtail again after putting it together. My Heckler has been down for the past two months due to much needed repairs and so I've been riding this a lot. The frame geometry, especially with the 140mm fork and angleset installed, is quite fantastic. I love plowing and jumping the same slope style gaps on this bike now that I'm comfortable. There are a few things I don't like about my set-up, but that's mostly it being a SS (I've been riding it in DH territory in Oregon where things are really, really steep and I am really out of shape), but maybe a steel version of this might work out a little better too. Still, hard to argue when I got the frame for a cheap price and I happened to have most of the parts already from a previous build!
 
#431 ·
Bump!

Anyone else out there proud of their beefcake hardtail?


Haven't been around any forums in a long time, but it saddens me to see this one die. My 2005 is still kicking...though a little different. I pulled the PIKE off it to put on the Heckler build. Decided to go with a Sektor and man I'm stoked on it. The PIKE was a little older, so the new-gen sektor was amazing in comparison. Smoother, stiffer, taller, and lighter by far.

So the "good" parts cannabalized from the Komodo went to the Heckler so now my 2005 is balling a rigid fork and linear pulls, LOL!!



I'm going to concentrate this winter on bringing her back up to spec's b/c I'm really missing how the Komodo handles when set up properly. Going to keep my eyes open for a 150mm fork and some disc brakes...everything else is still pretty decent.


Keep 'em coming peeps!!
 
#432 ·
Update!

I was able to find a rigid gnarly fork with the proper A2C for the Komodo. The 2005 was designed around a 120-150mm fork. If you split the difference and subtract 30% sag it comes up to roughly 470mm axle to crown. I had planned on finding a suspension fork for it, but my last ride on the rigid was so fun and energized that I started looking for a tall rigid fork that was tough enough to hang with the frame.

Originally, I had a Kona P2 on it, but it soon proved to be too weak for the job.



I was going to try to find a suitable suspension fork, but this bike setup rigid is fun so I found an Identiti Rebate XL 465 axle to crown to bring it back up to the proper ride height.

Lovin crap! This thing is fun!







Now I gotta find a QR disc front wheel so I can have a front brake.
 
#433 ·
So I found a local guy with an XT disc Mavic wheel that he let me have for $20. Straight and true. Even tension. Awesome. My local bike shop hooked me up with a donated 160mm rotor for free.

I got the Juicy's for $40 from another local.

So I got the fork, headset,.brakes, front wheel, and rotor for $160 total.

STOKE!

Build list:

Frame: 2005 Komodo
Fork: Identiti Rebate XL Jump
Headset: FSA Hammer
Stem: Thomson x4 75x0'
Seatpost: Thomson Elite layback
Quick Release: Salsa Flip lock
Saddle: WTB Rocket V Team ti
Handlebars: Answer Pro Taper AM 720
Grips: ODI Yeti with Peaty lock rings
Brakes: Avid Juicy 3 160/160
Crankset: Raceface Atlas AM, Diabolus VB
Pedals: Crank Brothers Candy C
Rings: Raceface Race Ring 32, e13 poly bash, Blackspire Blackguard inner guide ring
Chain: SRAM pc971
Cassette: SRAM pg990 11-34
Rear wheel: Formula sealed cartridge, Alex sx44
Front Wheel: XT 756 / Mavic x223
Tires: Kenda Nevegal 2.36" DTC

Cost to me: $320
Weight: 28#

Fun factor: immeasurable



 
#436 ·
I got home from my ride on the rigid today and told my wife..."Wow, after a couple rides on the Heckler...that rigid is a rough ride." (obvious)

So she said (mind you, my wife isn't even a biker)..."So what is that bike good for now anyways?"

I 'bout pissed myself. She's totally right in the obvious sense, but I still love riding it and that's all that matters. Hard to explain to most of my friends, but rigid 26" is fun in a different way I guess. Though it's a smooth trail and rock ledge drop slayer...this one just happens to be extra unforgiving on baby-head chop.



 
#437 ·
My red ProTaper moved over to my heckler. I tried a syncros bulk 710x40mm, but I didn't like the width and sweep compared to the ProTaper.

Got a killer deal on a new ProTaper...so I'm back in business.

I've experimented with many bars. The EA70 was my bar of choice until the wide ProTaper.




 
#439 ·
I saw this in the AMHT thread....I digg it, man. Great bike. Good long-term investment. My newest Komodo is 8 years old and no signs of weakness. The longer I own it, the harder I ride it. I now have a tall 465 axle-to-crown rigid steel DJ fork on it. (see above) Zero compliance with this fork. Its much harder on the frame than a suspension fork...but it doesn't slow me down or make me shy away from having fun on my bike. I'm that confident in it. I'm quite certain this 8 year old frame will outlast my body, hahaha.
 
#440 ·
Hey Komodo lovers. I am about to undertake a project. My 2003 komodo is ready for some sprucing up. I'm going to strip it and get it powdercoated. Has anyone done this or a repaint? Any tips in dealing with the integrated headset cups or BB area?

I'll post some progress pics when I get underway... add a little life to this thread ;)
 
#445 ·
The Heckler is officially dead!!

I had my Heckler built up for a few years, but I never really settled in to it. Just never felt right. I'm back to my faithful and dare I say "perfect" 2005 Komodo.

I pulled all the Pimp Juice out of my Heckler and injected it into my Komodo. Heckler on the chopping block and out the door.

There's that magical reach and stack that just feels right...and 2005 was my year. Live the gussets and geometry.

So I'm pulling the Identiti Rebate off and I got a 150mm Sektor, Cane Creek 110 headset, and QR15 cones for my Hope Pro 2 front hub.

 
#446 ·
Here's the progression/digression of my 2005 Komodo. At times, I robbed parts from it to try out other dual suspension frames... But I've always come back to this frame.

Number 4 was pretty perfect...that's where I'm headed with the new fork. Back to perfect.



It began as Freeride hardtail with a Marzocchi 55 R fork, but the "R" cartridge sucked, so I found the Domain U-Turn. Loved it, but found myself riding more XC so I built it as a 25-26# with the Fox Float. Moved to some burly singletrack, the All Mountain PIKE build was essential. Enter the Heckler... Komodo takes a back seat and goes rigid... Fork takes a dump... Identiti Rebate build is where it's been for a while. Killer rigid AM build, but back to that perfect setup now.

It's funny that it all began with this 2004 frame that I bought for $140. The stays flexed too much under hard braking, so Jamis sent me my 2005.

Stoke!
 
#447 · (Edited)
I have somewhat sat-out the last 3 years during the transition of plus bikes, but when I built my '05, the only thing I wanted more was to be able to run 3" tires that don't kill me. That wasn't possible back then, but the new generation Jamis Komodo looks to be just about everything I had ever wanted in a hardtail. My choice would likely be the 27.5+ but I'd really take either. Part of me says buy the 26+ just to show people that 26 is alive and well.

Nice, nice job, Jamis. The Dragon Slayers look incredible, but that topic belongs in another thread.





My only suggestion would be a Pro version that is all 130mm Fox 34 instead of devoting all the swank to the Reynolds lovers, but I understand the motives and respect the decision. Keep the Komodo alive, y'all!!

That said... I'm saving up for one of these babies!!!!

Post your new Komodo Plus bikes, peeps. They belong in here.
 
#448 ·
Well, thanks to Christmas I'm back to where I want to be. My wife bought me a pair of Stan's Flow EX rims 2 years ago. I was going to use my Pro 2 hubs and rebuild...but I've been running anodized red for 10 years now and I'm just tired of it.

I took the plunge on some Hope Pro 4 Evo bolt up hubs in purple.

Had to move some components around so it doesn't look like the old lady Red Hat club, and got a new Sektor Dual Position fork.


 
#451 ·
Hey guys, bit late to the party but saw this frame up on facebook for sale a week or two ago and had to have it! been browsing everything here, some mint bikes.

Anyway, here's my offering. an '08 komodo. Plan is to build it up with my old 36 VAN forks, just waiting on headset and working out what travel I want (suggestions appreciated :) ).

For now it's my DJ and park bike, and I can see why everyone loves these!

Tire Wheel Bicycle tire Bicycle wheel rim Bicycle wheel
 
#452 ·
Hey guys, bit late to the party but saw this frame up on facebook for sale a week or two ago and had to have it! been browsing everything here, some mint bikes.

Anyway, here's my offering. an '08 komodo. Plan is to build it up with my old 36 VAN forks, just waiting on headset and working out what travel I want (suggestions appreciated :) ).

For now it's my DJ and park bike, and I can see why everyone loves these!

View attachment 1121604
Well, if you're tall then that bike will have to be a DJ or Street bike. It looks pretty small. That said 80-100mm fork would be about right.

If you're short and it would fit you to pedal it a while, mines set up at 150mm as a trail bike. I've had it anywhere from 120-160mm to rigid. It works well everywhere but really shines at 150.

Mine is the 2005 on the previous page.
 
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