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MountainBikeReview.com's Forum Archives - 29inch Wheeled Bikes
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Surly coin toss...decisions, decisions... (10 posts)
|  Surly coin toss...decisions, decisions... | Hollywood
Oct 12, 2002 5:47 PM | | was at Interbike and sat at the Surly booth for a while, admiring both the Karate Monkey and the Cross Check.
I had planned on building a singlespeed Cross Check as a commuter w/700c wheels, road tires and flat bars.
But now after scouring this board am debating doing that with a KM, then also having the ss mtb option with it. I have 2 mtb's now so don't really
i need
another one.
Just looking for some versatility and a tough commuter/coffee getter/erand runner/traffic passer.
KM for off road only? thoughts? WWJD?
thx,
H'wood |
| Go with the KM.... | martini
Oct 13, 2002 12:28 PM | | for it can be used for anything. I used to think that CX bikes were the ultimate in versatility, but after riding a 29er for a season, my thinking is changing...
The crosscheck is a great bike(had one, its what sold me on 29er's), and it does have a nice ride. Off road though, it is super twitchy. I ran mine with both flat bars and drops, rode it both on road as a commuter, and off as a crosser and a few MTB races thrown in. All SS of course. For light off road duty, its fine, but if it starts getting steep, be careful.
On the KM, you'll have more stable geometry, better clearance for tires/fenders, more mounts for racks and such(think touring, mount up a set of WTB dirtdrops, barcons and you're set). All the tires options you can think of as well.
Personally, I like options and versatility. I feel like you could get 'more' for your money out of the KM.
marty |
| Really? | Hollywood
Oct 13, 2002 10:35 PM | | I probably wouldn't use the CC for off-road, or even CX honestly. Mostly all road and able to handle curb hops, gravel patches, etc.
Would the KM be weird with skinny road tires and street riding tho?
thanks for your input Martini!
Jeff |
| Really? | cronometro
Oct 14, 2002 4:09 AM | | I have used my CX a lot for commuting and all around fun. I have run from 25mm to 40 mm tires. The propaganda says you can run 45mm but be careful. I know panaracer smokes fit at that width but mythos semi slicks at 40mm do not have much clearance.
Any way the CX is a fantastic all around bike. The geometry is stable and comfortable.
The frame is stiff enough for club rides but flexible enough for single track. Good luck with your decision. |
| same situation... | mcd
Oct 14, 2002 12:27 PM | | I'm going through the same thing. I have some cash saved, and was all ready to purchase the cross check, when the rumours started about the karate monkey. I'm an mtber only, I pretty much hate road riding, something about the cars. I recently moved to a place with over 100 miles of paved roads though, almost as many dirt roads, and no singletrack anywhere near. I started researching cx bikes. Like I said, I was all set to get the cross check, but for about the same cash it sounds like I'll be able to get a 29er mtb that can take slicks which fits my style more, and in the future I'll be able to put a shock on it, beefier tires, discs and have a real mtb. |
| More Monkey Q's... | Hollywood
Oct 14, 2002 9:56 PM | | are there such thing as SS disc road wheels? Or do I even need to swap wheels for dirt/road on a 29"? Just swap rubber? I'm thinking; skinny wheels/tires for commuting, beefier wheels/tires for mtb. Right? I need a Tylenol.
H'woody |
| I'd just swap tires... | martini
Oct 15, 2002 5:03 AM | | Cheaper that way. The rims you can use for the KM are limited only to how skinny you think you can go, and still keep a 2.1 tire on the rim. I'm using the Salsa Delgado cross rims on my Hunter and can easily get 25c-28c tires on it for road riding(or CX), yet the 2.1's I have stay on with authority. Hell, for road riding, I typically throw on a set of 32c or 38c ritchey cross tires and hit up all the gravel roads I have around me.
marty |
| monkey wheels | Andy in Wi
Oct 15, 2002 10:14 AM | | ss disc wheels are out there, just have someone build a 700c wheel with a paul disc hub. Or, use cassette spacers. |
| Cross Check | EricTheRed
Oct 18, 2002 9:33 AM | | I got a cross check running it ss w/ a flip-flop hub, Mavic MA3 rims and i use it mostly for commuting (fenders lights everything for snow and night) i have several places on my commute that require me to jump/roll over curbs and if i have a high enough psi (~70) i will be fine, its not as soft as my mtb but its TONS faster. I also use it for EASY singletrack, if its harder singletrack then i'll take my mtb. So far i think this bike will actually help me improve my mtb and my energy conservation (cause its a single speed). Over all i love it.
-e |
| thanks y'all (nm) | Hollywood
Oct 24, 2002 9:10 AM | | |
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