I’m fresh back from a lovely 6.5 mile ride on the new and improved diamondback. My first impression is that it feels ridiculous, but in a good way.
When my hands are on the grips, my back is almost exactly perpendicular to the pavement. Since there is no weight on the front tire, the steering feels really light. I felt like I should be wearing a top hat and tails, smoking a pipe, and tipping my hat to people as I ride by and saying things like “tallyho,” or “jolly good” or something vaguely Victorian-British sounding. I’m probably going to swap out the B17 for the B72, since all my weight is resting squarely on my…arse…
A gentleman cycler
It was kind of fun, but I think I’m gonna start saving up for the Karate Monkey. I don’t think I’d want to do long rides in this configuration. It would be ideal for a 6 mile park-and-ride commute. If I can drag my ass out of bed a little early, I may try that. I’m thinking of ditching the car at the Weis Market next to Holy Spirit Hospital. Think I’ll get towed?
Today: 6.5 miles
This week: 6.5 miles
January: 58
2007: 58 miles
I fell short of my meager mileage goal by a whopping 42 miles this month. Pitiful. That means I’ll have to ride 142 miles in February.
Tallyho!
Yeah, a sprung Brooks would be the order of the day for the Alba’s. Before you go Monkey, have you considered the Kogswell P/R? Just a thought… the option for 3 different forks is a mighty nice option indeed.
Jolly well then…
off for some tea and cuke sandies-
-Me
No, I never considered a P/R because I assumed it would be too expensive. But it looks like its about the same as the monkey. I’m not a big fan of 650B tires though, because they’d probably look almost as goofy as 26″ tired on a bike sized for me. Plus, I want to be able to run studs, and I don’t know of any 650B studded tires.
I’m not 100% sold on the monkey, but I don’t want something too similar to my Trek 520, either (no sense in having 2 bikes exactly the same).
I have heard rumors of a 650B studded tyre, but who knows.
I sell the P/R for $500. The KM is about $450, if I recall. Plus the P/R comes with a headset, seatpost, and fenders. And, as Me mentioned, a choice of forks.
I love the P/R, but I would lean toward the Karate Monkey myself. Loads of clearance even with huge tires, disc and canti/V-brake options, single speed, derailleurs, gearhubs, etc.
My friend Sam did the Great Divide MTB route, stem to stern, on his KM. Toward the end he broke one of the rear rack eyelets, and had a car mechanic weld it back on. Otherwise, he had no problems.
I think I remember reading that PJW is going to start importing a 650B Nokian for next season.
The only thing I don’t like about the KM is the short chainstays. (well, I also don’t like that it’s not lugged and that it doesn’t have a threaded steerer, but I can get over it).
I”m thinking I’ll set it up with the moustache bars and big apples for use as a trail/mountain bike in the summer. and then run 45mm nokians and albatross bars for use as my winter commuter.
I already scored a chep 700c front wheel on ebay. Now I’m trying to decide if I should have my mother-of-god, 48-spoke, phil-wood mountain bike wheel rebuilt for 700C, or if I should just commission another wheel.