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Krampus as an only bike?

13K views 36 replies 22 participants last post by  Gouda Cheez 
#1 ·
Bikes are getting more and more expensive. My son is getting older, so keeping both of us on relatively newer FS bikes is not going to be possible for much longer. I currently have a Ventana El Capitan 29'r set at 5" front and back. It is my only bike. I'm considering a Krampus as my every day ride for me, and he can have the FS bike if he wants. I would retire the Ventana but keep the components for the Krampus. My son is only 14 so it's not a huge deal yet. I live in western Pa and ride everything from flowing smooth singletrack to rocky fun stuff. Will a Krampus be up to task for some steeper stuff and some rocky stuff? Seems like a nice bike to transistion to? .
 
#4 ·
I don't understand this suggestion. I can't imagine any situation where the big wheels of the Krampus wouldn't work out fine. Plus the OP was wanting to save money, not spend it. The same goes for a Fox fork, especially given the cost and the fact that you will have very little tire clearance under the bridge.

I think the stock Krampus would be a great bike for the conditions described but the big fat tires will not make up for the fact that it is a rigid bike. Ride it as fast as the Ventana on a rocky downhill and you will suffer for it. If you are okay with that, then I say go for it.
 
#3 ·
Why not? It should be a great only bike. The rabbit holes will play nice with narrower tires as well as the knards. Before suspension, people had no questions about whether a rigid bike would make a good only bike. No matter what if you only have one bike it will be a compromise in certain conditions and awesome in other conditions.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Instead of rabbit hole rims, I plan to use velocity p35 rims, or salsa Gordo rims, which are both wide enough to accommodate the Knard tires, but will also fit regular 29er tires, making it more versatile

Fat tires will add a bit of cushion, but will never ride like a 5inch travel full sus bike, but that depends on your riding style

That said, I think the reason why the krampus appeals so much to me is because I like to be able to service everything in my bikes, except suspension forks/rear shox

Edit:
So, to answer your question, yes, I think krampus as an only bike is doable, especially so if you want to slow down and simplify your bike as well as your riding style
 
#7 ·
I haven't ridden the krampus, but I do have a pugsley that i've ridden over the whole spectrum of western PA trails. Fat tires generally aren't a problem on the fast swoopy stuff except for lugging that extra weight uphill. In the techy rock gardens, the big tires will cruise through anything, but on the techy downhills things can get a bit bouncy. If you like riding rigid and don't mind going slow downhill, go for it. If you aren't used to riding rigid, you might want to give it a try first before going "all in" on the krampus. The pugsley is a blast to ride no matter what time of year it is, but it is also nice to reach for my lighter singlespeed hardtail with front suspension for going a little faster on both the ups and downs. If your son is only 14, let him ride a hardtail or rigid bike. Personally, I feel that my balance and skills improved the most while riding bikes with little to no suspension.
 
#8 ·
You will likely miss a suspension fork as you age. I do love the simplicity of a steel fork up front but its difficult to keep up with the guys who have a SF on a fun ride.

I don't know if I could ride just one bike. So many choices but the Krampus has my attention.

Happy Hunting!
 
#13 ·
I say go for the Krampus if you understand rigid riding or can/want to learn the traits. I'm soon to be 43 and have switched to a rigid Troll and rigid Pugsley and my two duallies are collecting dust. The Troll usually rolls with super chunky Conti Trail King 2.4's. Two other things that smooth out some vibrations and such on both bikes are Ergon grips and Surly Open Bars (4130 Chromo with some flex). With the Krampus you will definitly get some passive suspesion from the tires judging from my rigid experience.
 
#14 ·
Also keep in mind that the steel frame is a lot more forgiving on the body than other materials and nice rigidity on the climbs (that FS bikes lack unless you lock out). As other's mentioned you are not going to get the level of suspension you have today, but you will get some decent float @ about 15psi in the Knards.
You can always trade back and forth with your son... but me thinks once you have the Krampus, he will have a heck of a time pulling you away from it.
 
#15 ·
You'd be going from a 5" travel FS 29er to a rigid 29er with bigger than normal tires. Those are two totally different beasts. I ride a FS MTB [6" travel 26er] and I ride my Pugsley with fat tires on the same trails I do my FS bike. I am slower on the Pugs and after a ride I feel much more beat up. By contrast I can ride my FS bike on rough trails 5-7 days a week with nothing, but muscle soreness for turning the pedals.

That's not to say the Krampus won't work for you. It's just to point out the two bikes have very little in common. If you can get access to a rigid 29er that will give you a much closer idea of how the Krampus will ride without buying one. The 3" tires will provide a tad more push ride, but be realistic it's still a fully rigid bike and you will not be able to avoid getting pounded on rocky terrain. With the 4" wide tires on my Pugs [diameter of a 29er wheel] I would estimate I get 0.5" of effective suspension from them. The 3" tires on the Krampus have a lot less volume.
 
#16 ·
You'd be going from a 5" travel FS 29er to a rigid 29er with bigger than normal tires. Those are two totally different beasts. I ride a FS MTB [6" travel 26er] and I ride my Pugsley with fat tires on the same trails I do my FS bike. I am slower on the Pugs and after a ride I feel much more beat up. By contrast I can ride my FS bike on rough trails 5-7 days a week with nothing, but muscle soreness for turning the pedals.

I have a couple rigid 29'ers, and I'd argue they don't feel a whole lot like a krampus
with 3" wide tires. At least not enough to make an informed decision
. And only 1/2" "effective suspension" on a pugs? Are you serious? What do you run your tires at? 60psi?
 
#18 ·
Yes, and keep in mind the OP asked if the krampus could handle SOME steeper stuff and SOME rocky stuff. Not if it would be a perfect replacement for a 5" FS bike. I'm sorry, it's just that your statement of fat bikes having 1/2" of suspension sounds completely redic as well as your method of judging "effective suspension." I've had lots of bikes too. I've also ridden my pugs in every condition. I've ridden rigid 29 in almost every (feasable) condition. The difference between the two is huge. To answer the original question, I think the krampus would be a great compromise. No, it won't handle everything like a 5" VS bike...but you probably don't expect it to. If I get mine built before you I'll let you know
 
#19 ·
Yes, and keep in mind the OP asked if the krampus could handle SOME steeper stuff and SOME rocky stuff. Not if it would be a perfect replacement for a 5" FS bike. I'm sorry, it's just that your statement of fat bikes having 1/2" of suspension sounds completely redic
Any mountain bike can handle some steeper stuff and some rocky stuff - including rigid bikes so that isn't saying anything.

My assessment of 0.5" suspension isn't an uncommon opinion of fat bikes. If you want to say there is 0.75" or even 1" I can chalk that up to differences in perception, but there aren't inches of equivalent suspension available on a Pugs and as the review I linked to about the Krampus notes fat tires are great on the small stuff, but beyond that these bikes are rigid.

If you are coming off a 5" FS bike that's important to understand before you spend the $$$.
 
#20 ·
A major asterisk with the 0.5 to 1" of suspension is that it's undampened - a very important thing to note. It's air suspension without the hydraulic control, so it will take the edge off sharp impacts but will be bouncy and hard to control when hitting bumps at speed.

It really comes down to your priorities and how quickly and comfortably you want to be able to get through technical and rough sections. No matter what internet-tough-guys tell you, you CANNOT go as fast through rough and technical terrain on a rigid bike as a 5" FS bike, and if you try you'll end up either crashing, or at the very least punishing your body. Now there's no reason you NEED to go that fast through these sections - it's all up to whether or not you WANT to.

I used to be a hardtail diehard, but I switched over when I realized what I had been missing out on. Now I have a rigid touring MTB, 5" trail bike, and 7" freeride bike and I'm extremely happy with the trio. If I could only have one it might be a hardtail, but it would have at least 120mm of travel up front. But that's because I want to be able to go pretty fast on technical trails.

I think the Krampus is an awesome one-bike for someone who wants to ride year-round and is willing to slow down when things get rough.
 
#21 · (Edited)
I want to chime in on the suspension benefits of fat tires.

I have a krampus with knards on rabbit holes. I also have a fat front setup with a 4.8" bud on a rolling darryl. Not surprisingly I also have a regular 29er with a front shock.

The krampus is a rigid bike! 29x2.4" tires with a 4" travel fork is far more plush on big hits than the knard or Bud. One thing about using tires for suspension is that you can't run a pressure that would allow them to bottom out. If your fork bottoms out, no big deal; if your knards bottom out, you get a pinch flat, a cut tire, a dented rim (i've got 3 cuts in my 2 tires and at least one dent in my rear rabbit hole rim!!!! ....all sorts of bad stuff can happen when you bottom out your tire suspension. So if you ride fast rocky stuff, you'll probably end up adding pressure to prevent tire and wheel damage. These higher pressures make riding other sections of the trail more jarring. I'd rather be jarred than have severe tire and wheel damage, so I run fairly high pressure in my knards. My pump isn't accurate at these low pressures, but I'm guessing its in the high teens.

If you know you won't be hitting fast rocky, pinch-flatty stuff or if you're willing to slow down a bit and be more careful, you can run the lower pressures and experience the awesome floaty feeling as you zip around the smoother trails. I can't trust myself to do this; if I see a big rock on the trail, I'll either try to use it as a lip or a landing if I've got enough speed, increasing the risk of a pinch....vestiges of many years riding bmx....

Knards do have excellent traction! They'll still slip on wet roots, but on muddy climbs, I've been amazed by what I can get up. The high bb and high center of gravity(makes for slower falling) of the krampus combined with the knards makes for really fun turning; when the tires break loose on fast turns, it's a lot easier to avoid falling down or to get clipped out fast enough to kick off of the ground and recover the turn. I'm amazed at how many times on my krampus I've managed to lose traction in a 20mph turn, start to fall over, clip out, and take a big fast step where I kick myself back upright and continue the turn with barely a loss of speed. I also have a big bruise on my knee from a couple of days ago when that didn't work out and I crashed in the turn and nailed my knee on the stem.

I really like my krampus and also don't like having a fork that requries rebuilding. nonetheless, a suspension fork is starting to sound like a ton of fun.
 
#22 ·
Well, I made the plunge after my 5" Ventana El Capitan broke after 4 years of awesome use! I bought a Krampus and took it out for 2 days at Big Bear Lakes in WV which has a nice variety of terrain and.............. I LOVED it! I had an absolute blast! I was as beat up as expected from 2 days of riding but I didn't feel any worse that I have in the past on my full suspension? Main difference was slowing down on some of the rockier sections and being a bit more picky about my lines. Overall, I could not be happier!! Such a fun machine! Simple too! And THAT I really value!!
 
#23 ·
Glad you resurrected this thread PaMthKkr (btw, nice signature... hopheads unite!). I was thinking about my Krampus as my only bike option just the other day. After a few months with the bike, I can say it is my go to piece for a ride. I still love my fat bike and 9'er single speed, but this thing is just so much fun to ride. It handles everything I throw at it very well. I love the 1x10 set-up... simple, effective.
My only real gripe was the heavy front end that was pretty jarring on rooty single track. That has since been remedied with the White Brother Carbon fork. She sits just under 30lbs. and the lighter front end makes it very balanced and compliant. Steel and carbon is a marriage made in heaven.
Glad to hear you like your choice. The more and more you ride it, the more you'll love it.
Cheers!
 
#24 ·
Mmmmmm! Hops!!! I am totally fine w/the weight of my large Krampus (Appx 30 Lbs) I really enjoyed picking out fun, tight lines and nailing them w/little body English adjustments! I never felt THAT much slower on the rockier DH sections and my friends always heard me coming! I simplified even further by eliminating my front shifter/Derailleur! Totally fun bike! Can't wait to ride again!!
 
#25 ·
PaMtnBkr, I was in a similar situation with you. I retired my 2008 Turner 5Spot, bought two Surly Trolls. One Troll had the parts, wheels, etc transferred over from the Turner. The other Troll built up new. No regrets because I have a riding partner in my son, albeit working to build up his skill. No more jumps and gung-ho all mountain riding, but I am enjoying mountain biking the way it was 20 odd years ago - steel is real and rigid. The rigid fork didn't last long though, using 100mm suspension forks. Saved some money by internally adjusting the travel of the Fox Float from the Turner and bought a shop soiled Rockshox SID. Love the feel of steel!
 
#27 ·
I now have 4 very different types of rides in and I am still very happy! I am climbing better than ever for obvious reasons and surprisingly have not really slowed down too much on the DH sections. Those Gnards really roll up to speed quickly on anything even slightly downhill! They do just OK on slippery wet rocks and logs but then again, don't all tires lose some grip in those conditions? Comfort wise. I find myself standing up a bit more but this has helped w/getting more aggressive power to the ground when I need to use it. End of the ride I still feel as beat up as I did on my FS bike except for wrists and shoulders. Overall, this has been a swap out I never expected to enjoy as much as I am! Thanks for everyone's input!
 
#28 ·
I'm several miles into my Krampus now... the more I ride, the more I love it. However, I have to say the thing I hate most is the Knards. Sure, they roll fast, but... as you mentioned, PaMtnBkr... on anything less than dry hardpack, they are loose. I've had several close calls, and last week, the front finally washed out from under me and I took a hard fall (bruised ribs hurt like hell!). I can't wait for someone to create an aggressive tire (i.e. Surly Nate, Schwalbe Hans Dampf) 29+ tire. I'll continue to run the Knard on the rear, but I need something (now!) for the font that will hook up better on the aggressive turns.
 
#29 ·
I can't wait for someone to create an aggressive tire (i.e. Surly Nate, Schwalbe Hans Dampf) 29+ tire. I'll continue to run the Knard on the rear, but I need something (now!) for the font that will hook up better on the aggressive turns.
There is room in the front for a knobbier 29+ tire, but the clearance in the rear with the Knard is maxed out....so any knobby rear 29+ tire will need a narrower casing than the Knard to get the side knobs to fit.

I expect you'll see something new from Surly in the 29+ tire world by Interbike this fall.
 
#31 · (Edited)
I'm glad someone resurrected this thread because I wanted to weigh in...

About 6 months ago I bought a Krampus frame and had my LBS build me a wheelset (Rabbit Holes on XT hubs). I built it up and after a few changes am now running 30t wolf tooth front w/ 10 speed rear, XT shadow plus rear der, Hope M4 brakes with WAY too big of rotors (the front rubs on turns no matter what), and a Whiskey carbon bar. I sold my only mountain bike, a 29er hardtail w/ 100mm front fork to finance this, so the Krampus is my only mountain bike, and I love it. I ride hardpack singletrack and the only downsides I've found are the Krampus is a little less nimble in tight turns (ie, switchbacks) and I climb a little slower than before. However, the pros greatly outweigh the cons. I am faster downhill than I was on my 29er and when running the right tire pressure (13 psi) you flow right over roots. Between the higher downhill speeds and the faster cornering I feel it more than makes up for the slower uphills. All in all, I would make the same choice again 10 out of 10 times, and I have more fun riding the Krampus than I did my 29er.
 
#33 ·
This is pretty much how I feel. My 5" FS 26er bike has not moved since I got the Krampus built up a few months ago. I have only really jarred my teeth a couple times. The big fat tires allow you to bomb over stuff that you would think you need suspension for. I am pretty happy with it and unless you always ride rock gardens it could def be your only bike.
 
#34 ·
I hope to test out a Krampus one day. Seem like great bikes. As an only bike, not sure if I could live with that. For me, I not only love fast, open trails, but tight and twisty as well. For me, one bike would be something like a KM or Jones that have tight wheelbases, but you can also put a fat/semi-fat front for the rough stuff. Maybe a test ride would change my opinion....
 
#35 ·
My $0.02
When I built my KRAMPUS as a single speed back in April I hadn't really thought about which bike I would ride in which conditions.
I love riding this bike. I have other bikes and I'll still ride my FATBACK in the snow and I prefer to race my NINER ONE9 for obvious reasons , but for every other ride I just grab the KRAMPUS..... It's an incredably FUN bike to ride and the KNARDs with 9psi corner and climb like crazy.

the only drawback is this:
on almost every ride I come across some know-it-all who says
" riding a snow bike in the summer????"
that gets old fast....
 
#36 ·
the only drawback is this:
on almost every ride I come across some know-it-all who says
" riding a snow bike in the summer????"
that gets old fast....
Funny I was just saying to a friend that one of the things I love about the Krampus is that nobody has noticed it's not just a "normal" 29er.

On my Pugsley I get as many stupid questions as the number of people I ride past that day.

It's nice to be incognito on the Krampus.
 
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