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Let's see your KM builds

632K views 2K replies 430 participants last post by  Dry Pivots 
#1 ·
I'm about ready to order my Dark Black Karate Monkey frame and have been building it up on paper. I couldn't find any one thread with a lot of KM pictures on it, so if you don't mind post up some pics so I can get some ideas. Descriptions too if you want.

Thanks!
 
#925 ·
I've got BAs on my KM. Really enjoy them for my work commute. Smooth, quiet, and fast. My seven mile route is 50% pavement and 50% non-techy single track. There's a 100 foot stretch along the route that's kinda gnarly and I just walk up that because the BAs lose traction. Down is no problem to ride.
 
#930 ·
my 2014 KM,race face 32 tooth chainring and a white industries dos enos 20/22 with a tugnut.(lol,its frickin hilly around here,dont mock my girly gears!)
Bicycle tire Tire Bicycle frame Wheel Bicycle wheel


i also own an ogre so the 9 speed rear end from that has seen duty along with an xt typeII derailleur on the karate monkey and i just got an alfine8 so im sure that will see duty on the monkey
 
#932 ·
KM Commuter

My KM is now my commuter. Although the bike is heavy, I like how the 50mm BA tires roll over unseen stuff that might have otherwise punctured the 28mm Gatorskins on my previous commuter.

The front fender has a lot of clearance, because the tab that attaches to the top of the fork only reaches so far.

 
#945 ·
#950 ·
Monkey No 2, secondhand unbuilt and still boxed Grey frameset, built it with budget LX 3x9 and cheap Rock Shok forks and 2.2 Gato tyres on used Rabbit Hole wheels



Then added 2.5 Minion tyre and the ridgid fork for winter, rear tyre was too tight for UK mud clearance... :thumbsup:



So fitted a 2.3 Minion on the back, ideal now...
 
#953 ·
Just received my black KM mds frameset today. While switching the dropout chips I realized it lacks the rack braze-ons that are clearly pictured on Surly and QBP's website? Planing on calling them tomorrow but does anyone know if this was some sort of running change? I had actually planned on making use of those and may have decide to ditch this build if that's the case.
 
#958 ·
I think it's just the bike that is called the ops. QBP lists the frame as MDS. But yes, it's the frame that is used for the ops bike. Every picture I can find of the mds frame shows rack braze-ons, in both colors, including the ones on Surly's and q's website. A mistake was made somewhere. It's either false advertising or bad qc.
 
#955 ·
So, guess it's time for an updated photo of my '08 Monkey as I finally got a 29+ setup on the front using Velocity Dually45 rim laced to a Nukeproof hub, loving it so far.

Was wondering about what to do about the rear as previous wheelset was WTB ST i25s laced to the Nukeproof hubs, the Dually 45 for the front works well with the 29+, but was debating about using one in the rear since it can only take at biggest a 2.4" tyre. Was thinking a Blunt35 might be a better option better suited to the 2.4" tyre, but seeing a lot of you guys are running yours with RH F&R so thinking maybe Dually F&R, but then think I might go for the Blunt to drop a few grams to help keep spin up decent.

Bicycle tire Bicycle frame Tire Bicycle wheel Wheel
 
#960 ·
17.75" with the qr dropouts, which should be about the same as the old one with monkey nuts, 17.5" with the ta drops, 17" slammed ss track ends.

Talked to the guys at Surly, nice fellas, and it seems like there was a running change. As I understand it the spray tan frame are gonna loose their braze-ons but the black ones should have them. They are gonna go rip open some boxes and find me a good one and let me swap them out.
 
#961 ·
awesome. my faith in Surly for being righteous dudes has been restored.

however, they need to correct the geo chart on their website. I want a hardtail that I can set up with a rear derailleur that has a really short CS. 17.5" is not "short" in my experience. they need to specify the length with the different attachments. the geo chart is associated with the complete bike and the frameset, so if the complete bike comes with the thru-axle dropouts and that's 17.5", that's false advertising because the geo chart clearly states that the CS is 17".

it looks like they didn't bother to publish new stats for the new frame/bike but just copied the specs from the OG Monkey. come on guys, that's just lazy. considering how hard Surly is working to divorce themselves from "corporate" bike shops and cater to the bike connoisseurs at IBD's who build custom bikes from the frame up, you would think they would get stuff like that right.
 
#962 ·
When compared to some newer, more agro, frames (Nimble9, Chromag Rootdown, Spot Honey Badger) the KM can seem a little "outdated", even it it was revolutionary in its time. It may also seem like some of the updates may be more bandaids to keep it alive, rather then make it "better". But IMO the KM is, and always has been pretty spot on. At least geo wise, the way you had to take the wheel off the old ones was pretty dumb.

But now that you mention it I'm interested to take some measurements with the 100mm fork I plan to use. 80mm forks basically don't exist, not to mention the OPS comes with a 100, so it seems a little silly to list the geo based on one.

It's also a little funny that a guy that works in a store that isn't cool enough to sell Surly, and had to buy his frame at a competitor down the street, noticed this issue.

Anyways, hopefully I can get the new frame built up soon and start riding it. I really do love the feel of the KM. Cheers to Surly on that one.
 
#963 · (Edited)
Correction, the pictures on the websites are of sample frames. The MDS frame does not have rack mounts. Anyone that has one with mounts has a mistake. Looks like the KM now is only for MTB duty, and has been made less versatile (read: Surly) then before. Super bummer. The guys were apologetic about the mistake and offered to work with me but it looks like I may have to a different direction. First world problems I guess.

" If you guessed that we took what was already a versatile and capable 29” trail bike and made it even more versatile and more capable, then you’d be exactly correct. "

Many not EXACTLY :sad:
 
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