29" Aluminum SS Frames

"Marty" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Who sells them? I've been eyeing up the Surly Karate Monkey. Nice frame.
I like steel, but I want to ride this bike year round and I live in MN.

I'm

Quoted message said:

concerned that the winter salt would eat a steel frame up. Is that a

stupid

Quoted message said:

concern? I want 29" because I want to build it up with 700c wheels and
cross/road tires. Any ideas?

Thanks.
--
Marty

Kind of indirect advice, but if you're looking to go 700c/cross tires, why
not the Cross-Check over the Karate Monkey? Mine should be built by the end
of the week, and I love it just hanging in the work stand. Maybe you just
want a little more mtb and a little less road in your bike. But, salt
should be a problem on roads - not trails - so maybe you would be more
comfortable on a Cross-Check. And, because it's Surly, it's ready to go SS
(basically, that just means horizontal dropouts).

If you keep the bike clean salt shouldn't be a problem - worry about the
drivetrain before the frame.

Chris

Marty said:

Who sells them? I've been eyeing up the Surly Karate Monkey. Nice frame.
I like steel, but I want to ride this bike year round and I live in MN. I'm
concerned that the winter salt would eat a steel frame up. Is that a stupid
concern? I want 29" because I want to build it up with 700c wheels and
cross/road tires. Any ideas?

Thanks.

A 700x28 cyclocross tyre has about the same rolling diameter as a
26x2.3 MTB tyre, so you can run the wheels you want in pretty much any
MTB frame, as long as the brakes can be made to fit. This probably
means using discs. On the other hand, I wouldn't worry too much about
the salt eating your frame, as long as you don't mind some cosmetic
corrosion.

Kinky Cowboy*

*Batteries not included
May contain traces of nuts
Your milage may vary

"Marty" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Who sells them? I've been eyeing up the Surly Karate Monkey. Nice frame.
I like steel, but I want to ride this bike year round and I live in MN. I'm
concerned that the winter salt would eat a steel frame up. Is that a stupid
concern? I want 29" because I want to build it up with 700c wheels and
cross/road tires. Any ideas?

Thanks.

I wouldn't concern myself with road salt! I really wouldn't worry about it ...

LGF

"Chris" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Marty" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Who sells them? I've been eyeing up the Surly Karate Monkey. Nice

frame.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I like steel, but I want to ride this bike year round and I live in MN.

I'm

Quoted message said:

concerned that the winter salt would eat a steel frame up. Is that a

stupid

Quoted message said:

concern? I want 29" because I want to build it up with 700c wheels and
cross/road tires. Any ideas?

Thanks.
--
Marty

Kind of indirect advice, but if you're looking to go 700c/cross tires, why
not the Cross-Check over the Karate Monkey? Mine should be built by the

end

Quoted message said:

of the week, and I love it just hanging in the work stand. Maybe you just
want a little more mtb and a little less road in your bike.

Yes, that is exactly what I want. Mostly MTB, with a touch of road in a SS
setup. A big kid BMX bike that's just as happy to be on the road as it is
on a dirt trail. I have not seen many (or any) of these. Maybe for good
reason?

Quoted message said:

But, salt
should be a problem on roads - not trails - so maybe you would be more
comfortable on a Cross-Check. And, because it's Surly, it's ready to go

SS

Quoted message said:

(basically, that just means horizontal dropouts).

I'll take a look at the Cross-Check again.

Quoted message said:

If you keep the bike clean salt shouldn't be a problem - worry about the
drivetrain before the frame.

Thanks Chris.
--
Marty

"Kinky Cowboy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Marty said:

Who sells them? I've been eyeing up the Surly Karate Monkey. Nice

frame.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I like steel, but I want to ride this bike year round and I live in MN.

I'm

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

concerned that the winter salt would eat a steel frame up. Is that a

stupid

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

concern? I want 29" because I want to build it up with 700c wheels and
cross/road tires. Any ideas?

Thanks.

A 700x28 cyclocross tyre has about the same rolling diameter as a
26x2.3 MTB tyre, so you can run the wheels you want in pretty much any
MTB frame, as long as the brakes can be made to fit. This probably
means using discs. On the other hand, I wouldn't worry too much about
the salt eating your frame, as long as you don't mind some cosmetic
corrosion.

Interesting. I do want disc brakes on my setup. Been looking at the Chris
King SS Disc Rear Hub - nice. Been avoiding looking at the price though. I
like track fork ends for rear dropouts (i.e. horizontal rear dropouts). I'm
not interested in an EBB setup. But, I'm concerned about adjusting the rear
disc break with the track fork end dropouts. Is that a major hassle? I've
never owned a bike with discs before.

Cosmetic corrosion. Errr! Damn salt!

Thanks.
--
Marty

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article <[email hidden]>,

Chris said:

"Marty" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Who sells them?

- - Van Dessel. You can get a Buzz Bomb frame for $299.

http://vandesselsports.com/b_buzzBomb.shtml

Quoted message said:

I've been eyeing up the Surly Karate Monkey. Nice frame.

Quoted message said:

I like steel, but I want to ride this bike year round and I live in MN.

I'm

Quoted message said:

concerned that the winter salt would eat a steel frame up. Is that a

stupid

Quoted message said:

concern?

_ If you wash the bike regularly, I wouldn't worry about a
painted steel frame very much. New England Road salt never
did much to my bikes when I lived there.

Quoted message said:

I want 29" because I want to build it up with 700c wheels and

Quoted message said:

cross/road tires. Any ideas?

Thanks.
--
Marty

Kind of indirect advice, but if you're looking to go 700c/cross tires, why
not the Cross-Check over the Karate Monkey? Mine should be built by the end
of the week, and I love it just hanging in the work stand. Maybe you just
want a little more mtb and a little less road in your bike. But, salt
should be a problem on roads - not trails - so maybe you would be more
comfortable on a Cross-Check. And, because it's Surly, it's ready to go SS
(basically, that just means horizontal dropouts).

_ I think the big choice between the two is

1. How fat a tire do you want to run on the back?

_ While the Cross Check will fit up to 45 mm on the
back, in any kind of mud the tire packs up too quickly.
35-38 is the max in mud.

2. Do you want to climb steep ( 20+ gradient ) dirt hills?

_ On the Cross Check, you have to stay seated to keep
traction on the rear wheel in these conditions. I don't
know if the Karate Monkey is any better, but it looks
like it should be.

_ I like my Cross Check a lot for mixed rides, but in
a lot of ways it's a kind of "neither fish nor fowl".
If you want a tough road bike that can take relatively
fat tires, it's a good choice. With flat bars it's a
very fast fire road bike and if you're willing to
walk a little bit every once in a while a very servicable
mountain bike.

_ Booker C. Bense

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"Marty" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"

Yes, that is exactly what I want. Mostly MTB, with a touch of road in a

SS

Quoted message said:

setup. A big kid BMX bike that's just as happy to be on the road as it is
on a dirt trail. I have not seen many (or any) of these. Maybe for good
reason?

You just pretty much described the Karate Monkey exactly. The shop from
which I recently puchased my CrossCheck frame is run by a guy that just
built his KMonkey into a 'cross commuter. If you're near Maryland (our
roads get salty in the winter...though if you're in New England you might be
asking, "what winter"😉 go see the dude at College Park Bikes.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

But, salt
should be a problem on roads - not trails - so maybe you would be more
comfortable on a Cross-Check. And, because it's Surly, it's ready to go

SS

Quoted message said:

(basically, that just means horizontal dropouts).

I'll take a look at the Cross-Check again.

Go ahead, but you sound like a KM man to me. The 'cross check is just a
little faster(?) as a commuter because of the roadie tinge, but "big boy
BMX" it is not.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If you keep the bike clean salt shouldn't be a problem - worry about the
drivetrain before the frame.

Thanks Chris.
--

I try.

Quoted message said:

Marty

Chris

Looks like Gary Fisher will have a SS 29'er frame next year. Since its a
Fisher, I assume it will be alluminum. It uses normal dropouts, but uses an
excentric bottom bracket so disc brake rear wheels will be easier to remove.
I have no idea if it will be sold as a frame or as a whole bike.

-kurd

"Marty" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Who sells them? I've been eyeing up the Surly Karate Monkey. Nice frame.
I like steel, but I want to ride this bike year round and I live in MN.

I'm

Quoted message said:

concerned that the winter salt would eat a steel frame up. Is that a

stupid

Quoted message said:

concern? I want 29" because I want to build it up with 700c wheels and
cross/road tires. Any ideas?

Thanks.
--
Marty

Marty said:

"Kinky Cowboy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Marty said:

Who sells them? I've been eyeing up the Surly Karate Monkey. Nice

frame.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I like steel, but I want to ride this bike year round and I live in MN.

I'm

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

concerned that the winter salt would eat a steel frame up. Is that a

stupid

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

concern? I want 29" because I want to build it up with 700c wheels and
cross/road tires. Any ideas?

Thanks.

A 700x28 cyclocross tyre has about the same rolling diameter as a
26x2.3 MTB tyre, so you can run the wheels you want in pretty much any
MTB frame, as long as the brakes can be made to fit. This probably
means using discs. On the other hand, I wouldn't worry too much about
the salt eating your frame, as long as you don't mind some cosmetic
corrosion.

Interesting. I do want disc brakes on my setup. Been looking at the Chris
King SS Disc Rear Hub - nice. Been avoiding looking at the price though. I
like track fork ends for rear dropouts (i.e. horizontal rear dropouts). I'm
not interested in an EBB setup. But, I'm concerned about adjusting the rear
disc break with the track fork end dropouts. Is that a major hassle? I've
never owned a bike with discs before.

Cosmetic corrosion. Errr! Damn salt!

Thanks.

I'm running a Planet-X hub in my single-speed
http://www.on-one.co.uk/products/ss_dischub.shtml
it's no King, but 1/3 of the price over here. I suspect that it's the
Joytec(h) unit rebadged.

I had a little trouble with the disc, had to fine tune my gearing to
get the hub towards the front of the fork-end and I have to remove one
of the caliper bolts to get the wheel out. This may or may not be true
with your combination of frame/caliper. If in doubt, the Identit Dr
Jekyl or Mr Hyde frames have cool adjustable dropouts which let you
run a SS disc witha QR and no caliper clearance hassles, but they
might be a bit too MTB for your taste. Anyway, I cured my problem by
switching from 32x15 to 34x16 gearing, and there's enough scope to
move the wheel to take up chain wear.

Kinky Cowboy*

*Batteries not included
May contain traces of nuts
Your milage may vary

"Kinky Cowboy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm running a Planet-X hub in my single-speed
http://www.on-one.co.uk/products/ss_dischub.shtml
it's no King, but 1/3 of the price over here. I suspect that it's the
Joytec(h) unit rebadged.

Yea, the King rear disc hub is REALLY expensive. I'll be shopping
around for sure. May still get it if I can save enough because it's so
nice.
Thanks for the Planet-X tip.

Quoted message said:

I had a little trouble with the disc, had to fine tune my gearing to
get the hub towards the front of the fork-end and I have to remove one
of the caliper bolts to get the wheel out. This may or may not be true
with your combination of frame/caliper. If in doubt, the Identit Dr
Jekyl or Mr Hyde frames have cool adjustable dropouts which let you
run a SS disc witha QR and no caliper clearance hassles, but they
might be a bit too MTB for your taste. Anyway, I cured my problem by
switching from 32x15 to 34x16 gearing, and there's enough scope to
move the wheel to take up chain wear.

Do you have any web links for the Identit frames? I sent VanDessel an email
requesting more information on the Buzz Bomb rear dropouts
(http://www.vandesselsports.com/b_buzzBomb.shtml) - they appears to be
something similar to what you have described with the Identit. I think Kona
has something similar too, but not in a 29".

Thanks again!
--
Marty