I love my Monocog 29er...

[GChambers]

But, it's beating the hell out of me. I rode 12 miles on it yesterday and my shoulders and elbows are killing me. I'm thinking upgrade. I'm hooked on the SS and would love to eventually build up a SIR 9 or ONE 9.

Due to my budget, I will be upgrading the bike a few pieces at a time. Eventually, I'll end up with two complete bikes, a "new" 29 SS and the old Cog. My question is if I buy a nice fork such as a Rock Shock or Fox, will this work on my Cog while I budget for a new frame? Anyone gone down this route? Is this a stupid idea?

Thanks for the help.

[GreenLightGo]

It'll work fine. You'll need to be sure to leave the steerer tube a little long so you have flexibility on future frame choice.

That being said - there are some tips for riding rigid that you may want to explore first - if you're open to that.

[mack_turtle]

there are some tips for riding rigid that you may want to explore first - if you're open to that.

tips? please go ahead and post a link if you have one, i'd like to read it too.

[rob1035]

first thing I'd do before you drop big cash on a suspension fork, is buy a big front tire. WTB Weirwolf LT 2.55 or something similar. A big front tire with a little bit less air pressure will really improve ride quality, and cost a helluva lot less than even the cheapest aftermarket fork.

[hallowedpoint]

Due to my budget, I will be upgrading the bike a few pieces at a time. Eventually, I'll end up with two complete bikes, a "new" 29 SS and the old Cog. My question is if I buy a nice fork such as a Rock Shock or Fox, will this work on my Cog while I budget for a new frame? Anyone gone down this route? Is this a stupid idea?

It's a great Idea! I did exactly that. I bought a Monocog a year and a half ago, rode the crap out of it and upgraded (most) everything bit by bit. Kept all the original parts and I just got my new Jabberwocky frame a couple weeks ago. I still need a new crankset, headset and stem to put the old redline back together but I will (those RL cranks don't really do my Jabber justice and they need to go).

I too really wanted a One 9 at first but decided to stay with steel, that, and the Jabbers geo is really close to the Monocog.

[medieval]

tips? please go ahead and post a link if you have one, i'd like to read it too.

There are a few easy tips for riding rigid.

First, stay loose. Don't ride with a death grip on the bars. You need to sort of "float" over the bike, if you're gripping too hard, your arms will be tense too. When it starts to get rough, stand up, keep your arms and legs flexed, and let the bike follow the terrain.

Second, be conscious of your line choices. You can't blast through rough patches the way you would with suspension. Try to pick the smoother line when possible, your body and your bike will thank you. If you can't avoid the rocks, try to loft your front wheel over them, so your arms don't take the hit.

If you decide to go with suspension, be sure to get a fork with a lockout, or a good pedaling platform. It sucks trying to hammer up a climb, when your fork is eating up all your energy. I also agree with the advice above re: tires. Running high volume/low pressure tires helps absorb trail chatter and small rocks. My arms feel much less fatigued after riding, since I changed to a Weirwolf LT on the front of my Flight.

[farrisw1]

It's a great Idea! I did exactly that. I bought a Monocog a year and a half ago, rode the crap out of it and upgraded (most) everything bit by bit. Kept all the original parts and I just got my new Jabberwocky frame a couple weeks ago. I still need a new crankset, headset and stem to put the old redline back together but I will (those RL cranks don't really do my Jabber justice and they need to go).

I too really wanted a One 9 at first but decided to stay with steel, that, and the Jabbers geo is really close to the Monocog.

So do you think the Jabber is really that much better than the Cog, if so, in what way?

[hallowedpoint]

So do you think the Jabber is really that much better than the Cog, if so, in what way?

Honestly no, it's not that much better than the cog, but that isn't a knock on the Jabber because I really love the way the Monocog rides. That being said, the Jabber frame is about a pound lighter and much cleaner looking.

[GChambers]

First, thanks for all the input. I'm gonna start shopping for a fork. I'm on 29x2.10 Jones Dry X right now. I've been running them at around 30-35psi. It's still been a little rough. A fatter tire might help but that wouldn't solve the "Shiny New Thing" urge as much as upgrading parts but I might have to give that a try.

There are a few easy tips for riding rigid.

First, stay loose. Don't ride with a death grip on the bars. You need to sort of "float" over the bike, if you're gripping too hard, your arms will be tense too. When it starts to get rough, stand up, keep your arms and legs flexed, and let the bike follow the terrain.

Second, be conscious of your line choices. You can't blast through rough patches the way you would with suspension. Try to pick the smoother line when possible, your body and your bike will thank you. If you can't avoid the rocks, try to loft your front wheel over them, so your arms don't take the hit.

If you decide to go with suspension, be sure to get a fork with a lockout, or a good pedaling platform. It sucks trying to hammer up a climb, when your fork is eating up all your energy. I also agree with the advice above re: tires. Running high volume/low pressure tires helps absorb trail chatter and small rocks. My arms feel much less fatigued after riding, since I changed to a Weirwolf LT on the front of my Flight.

I do a pretty good job with this. When I was younger I was very good on a BMX bike. I learned how to be smooth. I've got some good habits already. I'm just getting old, I guess and I can't take the beating that I used to.

Edit: On the fork lock out. That's one of the things that I love about the Cog so much. It climbs like crazy! I'm sure I'll lose a bit of that with a front suspension but it seems that is a trade off I'll have to learn to live with.

[hallowedpoint]

First, thanks for all the input. I'm gonna start shopping for a fork.

Try the Rock Shox, Reba. It's cheaper than the fox and just as good (many say better).

I rode my Cog rigid for the first nine months or so. Rigid is fun, but now I just looooove my Reba.

[medieval]

First, thanks for all the input. I'm gonna start shopping for a fork. I'm on 29x2.10 Jones Dry X right now. I've been running them at around 30-35psi. It's still been a little rough. A fatter tire might help but that wouldn't solve the "Shiny New Thing" urge as much as upgrading parts but I might have to give that a try.

I know that urge very well. It's how I ended up with my Monocog Flight.

For tire comparison, I'm running a Weirwolf LT on the front at 23 psi, and an Ignitor 2.1 out back at 25 psi. Not as smooth as FS, but it helps greatly on the little stuff.

[ADV]

I also have a monocog and was thinking about a fork upgrade but was going to go with a carbon fiber fork. Any one know what’s a good fork and how much better then steel they are?

[GChambers]

I've seen the White Bros CF fork on eBay for around $180. Never tried one but hear good things about them.

[p nut]

My MC29er also charged me with domestic violence, the way I treated her. But she was asking for it. Practically begging. I still love her.

Moved onto a Jabber. I like the geo a bit better now. Wasn't the case when I first got it, but now I feel it's a better climber and more stable on the decents. Frame is still cromo, so it's not like going from a gutted CRX to a Caddy. There may be a little bit of difference, but I sure don't feel it. Biggest change was the geo, weight and aesthetics. In reality, I'd really be happy with either frame.

[GChambers]

I'm about 225lbs. I have a hard time running the pressures much lower than where they are now. Even where they are I can feel the tire give out and roll over a bit when cornering hard and the rim bottoming out on roots and rocks on occasion.

[EstebanRapido]

I'm on my 09 Monocog 29er with a WeirWolf LT and a Thudbuster ST. Oh and some nice soft ESI grips. Those changes really did the trick. Even with the tires at 25psi or more, I jam along side the rail road on the big gravel just fine. But here and there I do sound like a bowl of rice krispies. I would never go for a shock fork because it seems to me I would have to lock it out and every little up hill.

[voodoochild]

I also have a monocog and was thinking about a fork upgrade but was going to go with a carbon fiber fork. Any one know what’s a good fork and how much better then steel they are?

IMHO, carbon is not better than steel. A little lighter, yes, but not better in terms of ride quality.

All of the advice given so far is spot on: big front tire (tubeless) at low pressure, stay loose, pick the smooth line, and a steel fork. mmmmm, good.

[GreenLightGo]

Those Dry X tires can be run in the mid-20 psi range up front at your weight. I get away with 20 psi on my rigid at 210lbs.

They have a thick, durable casing that works well at low pressures.

If anything - I second the WeirWolf recommendation for the front.

[Dag Nabbit]

If anything - I second the WeirWolf recommendation for the front.

I just put on the Weirwolf 2.55 on my Monocog and while it works fine, it isn't as large as I expected it to be. It looks the same size as the 2.3 Exiwolf I still have on the rear. I was a bit disappointed, for sure. I was hoping for a raging tire to blow through desert trail chatter, but that's just not the case. Just a word of caution if you're looking for a big tire, because this tire surely can't be 2.55". Buy the Exiwolf and save yourself a few bucks.

[BrandonNorCal]

That Weir Wolf is a hell of a lot bigger than the Exiwolf.

To the OP. I did the same thing that you are doing. I just kept upgrading the Monocog. I started with a Weir-Wolf. then upgraded to salsa rigid fork which was great. I added a Salsa 17deg bar and Ouri Grips. More improvement. Then I kept upgrading shiny parts on the Monocog for like 3 years and then switched them out to my grail frame. That Cog will do you right and if you get a Reba then you can still upgrade piece by piece as you find good deals and in the end transfer all that cool stuff to your dream frame. Then you can rebuild the cog for a winter rigid bike or a commuter from the old parts! Here is some inspiration in loosly chronological order.

Roughly as purchased but with Mary Bar.



Salsa Fork, Front Discs and Weir wolf. Brooks Saddle.



Front Gordo rim and White Industries hub. I built that wheel myself. First Wheel and it's still the one I'm using. White Industries cranks and Freewheel. Salsa 17 deg bar.



All that crap switched to my EWR OWB 29er frame. Plus White Industries Eno Eccentric hub. I built that wheel myself too. Second Wheel Ever.



As she rides now. all that plus Manitou Minute 29er. I put all the take off stuff back on the Monocog and now I have a winter bike/town bike!


photo.JPG by BrandonB00, on Flickr

[Dag Nabbit]

That Weir Wolf is a hell of a lot bigger than the Exiwolf.

Your confidence inspired me to investigate and I'm certainly not convinced of this, but pictures are worth more than words:

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/bdLZa_97JjtX8k161c0Kiw?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_cJx_mD9ukFs/TMZlZcthgXI/AAAAAAAAB5k/MrcPD0VzQdM/s800/102_1546.jpg" height="800" width="600" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/dumbsaint/102410_TireComparison_ExhaustTire?feat=embedwebsit e">102410_Tire Comparison_Exhaust tire</a></td></tr></table>

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/aaGFP-YdJSrg9gUpYL_dJA?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_cJx_mD9ukFs/TMZleuWRhlI/AAAAAAAAB5o/fTUoyVJgtJM/s800/102_1548.jpg" height="600" width="800" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/dumbsaint/102410_TireComparison_ExhaustTire?feat=embedwebsit e">102410_Tire Comparison_Exhaust tire</a></td></tr></table>

I wish it were mucho bigger though. That's why I bought it.

[BrandonNorCal]

I'm sayin it looks similar but when you compare how much air is in the WW and how much of the Exi is tread, there is tons more air in the Weir Wolf LT. It's a fast rolling balloon with shallow treads. It gave me a lot more "suspension" than the Exi. You really notice it when you dial in a low (but not too low) air pressure. If you look at my second picture, that is a picture of a WW on the front and a Exi on the back on the stock Monocog rims. That isn't just camera angle magic, the WW is bigger and it's all air. The Exi is slightly smaller but had a good amount of tread. When were talking In wee mm of travel, the volume of the WW makes a huge difference. I didn't just do quick test rides, i rode each for at least a year experimenting with different pressure and dialing in the rides. Take the WW to where it is bouncing you off of rocks like a basketball and then let a little more air out and then it will basically erase trail chatter. I mean it's not a suspension fork but it adds a lot of cush to the rigid fork and is in my opinion a significant change from the ExiWolf. If you dont like your Weir Wolf, I have a pretty lightly used WTB Stout that I would trade you so you could try something different. I didn't like it as a replacement for my WW but you might.

[Dag Nabbit]

You've put the time on it, so I'll have to defer to your experience. I've only got two rides on it so far and it works fine, but I'm now tire guru either. I haven't played with the pressures yet, and am currently running around 28 psi, but that's just because if I took the Exi down to 26 psi or less, it would spit constantly at me. I'll crank the WW down and see if it behaves better. You're probably right about the volume. I guess a tire that is advertised at 2.55", I'd expect to see the difference, but I suppose I'd rather feel it instead! Thanks for the offer for the trade, but I'll put some time on it and forget the sizing hangup.

[Dag Nabbit]

My question is if I buy a nice fork such as a Rock Shock or Fox, will this work on my Cog while I budget for a new frame? Anyone gone down this route? Is this a stupid idea?

Thanks for the help.

I suggest you forget the fork and get one of these. Its a little cheaper.

Rigid humor

I'm in the same boat with my Monocog. Got it for 300 and put another 300 into it already. One day I'll get one of those fancy shmancy frames and do the parts swap. Great idea, btw.

[EstebanRapido]

I pretty much agree with all the Exi vs Weir Wolf talk. Athough, really it just isn't any wider then the Exi, but it is larger. The circumference is easily larger. Isn't that the reason you got a 29er in the first place? I think they dig into the turns just a little bit better then the Exi but I still long for a non-LT weirwolf 29er. At first I thought that the "LT" stood for "light truck." But the low treads keep it rolling quick. I really need that on those slow 3.5 mph climbs. Has anyone listened to an Exi and a WeirWolf on the road. When you get those two tires turning at about 30mph, the make some wild music together.

[rob1035]

I ran the 2.55 lt on the front of my cog and was very happy with the noticable difference on the trail. If you're looking for a huge visual difference, .2" isn't going to look that impressive.

What other large, fat, high volume tires are out there? For reference...

[popsicleian]

I'm on the path to doing pretty much the same thing to my SE Stout 29er. I bought it for $315 from Jenson and I can't shake the urge to keep replacing the crappy stock parts. This is what I've done so far:

Ergon Grips
BB7 discs w/G2 rotors
Avid SD7 levers
RST M-29 suspension fork
Easton XC One SS rear wheel

I'm on the lookout for a decent new front wheel as well. I keep trying to convince myself that I'll be done with the upgrades once I buy the front wheel, but chances are the boat anchor seatpost, stem, bars, and saddle will start taunting me. I should have just bought a nicer bike to begin with.

[cherokee9040]

I have to say I love my Monocog 29er as well. I've had it for almost 3 months so far and have ridden it on the road, on rocky rooty trails, and fast smooth singletrack. I noticed I got pretty fatigued after about 20 miles, especially on a trail that has large palmetto roots crisscrossing the trail. My wrists, back and arms felt like they were either on fire or I was hitting a nerve. I did some research here on mtbr and some other forums online and decided to change up my seat angle down, seat height up, seat position forward, and rotated my levers up. I didn't do them all at once and only a little bit at a time. I made a change right before the ride, tried to notice if it made a difference and and found stuff that worked for me. Pulling up on my bars when I encounter an obstacle instead of relying on my tire and momentum to carry me over has also smoothed out my ride. Since I've made the changes, I am faster on the trails, I get less fatigued and I feel better the next day.

I have looked at suspension forks recently though and wanted to try my buddy's Giant 29er with a front suspension fork. It was simply not as fun. I didn't feel as planted on the trail and it drug on like I went from a nimble (yes, even at probably close to 25-30 lbs) sports car to a plush caddy ride and I couldn't feel what was going on under me nearly as well.

[1SPD]

I've seen the White Bros CF fork on eBay for around $180. Never tried one but hear good things about them.

I have a White Brothers carbon rigid fork and love it. I too like my frame but know that I want to upgrade. I will either be picking up a cheapie carbon frame and staying with a 26er or building up a 29er and crossing over my parts. The latter will be more expensive obviously since I will need a new frame, fork, and wheelset. Tuff decsion for me right now. Especially knowing that I wouldn't mind picking up a road bike again as well.

[1SPD]

I am also running Race Kings in a 2.2 f/r and this has really helped to smooth out my ride. The downside is that the sidewals have a tendency to stretch if you hit something really hard.

What I mean is, I got my rear wheel wedged between two rocks and fell over. This resulted in my rear wheel bending and needing to be rebuilt. The tire never went flat mind you. We mounted the tire again and now the tire has a wobble in it. I have tried countless times to reset it and straighten it on the rim but I have only managed to decrease the wobble and you can actually see it wobbling from side to side from the rear. But, the rim is fine and the tires were/are fairly new so I have continued to use it. They are light and quite fast. Love them but they are damn near impossible to get to work with a Stans kit. I know some guys have been able to do it but mine just don't want to frickn seal! They have definitely kicked my butt when trying to convert them.

May be switching them out for the WWLt as noted above for the front and running my old ignitor that is on my wifes bike on the rear

[EstebanRapido]

Give that Thudbuster a try. It is a big help too