cryogenic

So I've finally bitten the bullet and am in the process of putting together (more specifically, having my LBS put together) what I believe to be a pretty sweet commuting rig. It's not finished yet due to some unforseen parts delays but it should be 100% complete by the end of the week... and believe me when I say I'm EXCITED. Anyway, here's the specs list... pics will be coming soon.

Frame/fork: Surly Karate Monkey (blue)
Wheelset: Bontrager Race Disc 29'er
Tires: Bontrager Satellite Hardcase 700x32c with reflex sidewall
Brakes: Avid BB7 Road
Handlebar: Ritchey Biomax 31.8mm
Stem: Ritchey Pro
Seatpost: Ritchey (model unknown, honestly)
Saddle: Fizik Alliante
Cranks: FSA Gossamer Compact. Came as a 36/46 but I'm swapping the 36 for a 34
Pedals: Shimano 520
Front der, rear der, brifters: Campagnolo Centaur
Fenders: SKS Commuter
Not sure about the rack.. he just ordered one up that works. It's not an Old Man Mountain, though. Probably a Topeak? Not sure
Panniers: Arkel T-42

Yes, it's probably overkill. However, I do not own a car and felt I deserved to splurge on a killer commuter bike. No headlight for now, that'll be next week with my next paycheck. I'm getting a killer deal on a NiteRider TriNewt.

My only real concern is with the rack & fenders. Seems that mounting them may get a little tricky. We'll figure it out, though.

artemidorus

You might want a bigger big chainring.

cryogenic

problem is that the KM has a limitation of 48t on the big chainring, so I'm screwed there. I'll be running a 12-25 American Classic cassette on the back. I updated the original post with more info. I somehow forgot the grouppo stuff. Duh.

knucklesandwich

Sweet build- no need to feel guilt if you can otherwise afford a car and choose not to.
Looking forward to pictures- my one questions is isn't the KM frame maybe a little overbuilt for commuting? Unless you're thinking you'll also have a set of wheel with mountain tires or something?

cryogenic

Yeah, it's probably overkill for commuting, but I liked the frame and the fact that it's so versatile. It was the first thing that came to mind that would do well as a medium-tire-width commuter with fenders and disc brakes. I'm probably going to drop by the bike shop today and take some pics of it and pay off what I owe on the parts. It's awaiting tires (slow shipper) and a stem (he ordered a 26.0 without realizing the bar was 31.8). I can guarantee it's the only one of its kind in my town, which is pretty cool. Then again, I'm one of the few I've come across in my area that rides Campy.

M_S

I really like my Biomax bar, but it has started to develop an occasional creek when I stand an dpedal. Of course, it could be the stem or something, but I think it's the bar. Just thought you should know (this started happening with about 2500 miles).

cryogenic

sounds like it could be the bar or the stem easily... also, my Biomax is oversized so I wonder if that will have any effect (unless yours is oversized too?)

joeyfrench

Nice, I am in the process of starting a KM build, and would love to see ideas and pics of your ride! Or any others... Anyone got pics of KM builds, mainly commuter types?

Joey

Banzai

Sounds kinda similar to my bike...only with some better stuff.

I run BB7 road brakes...darn skippy about the rack and fenders being tricky. I finally went with an Old Man Mountain Sherpa, and that pretty much solved the problems, in addition to being bomb-proof.

With my previous Axiom rack the bulky underside hardware pretty much precluded a rear fender.

artemidorus

I spin out the 46/12 * 26" big gear combination on my commuter just often enough for it to bother me. Of course, you'll have bigger wheels so you'll be better off. I would definitely get the 48T ring, and consider 11-25 if you can get your preferred cassette brand.

cryogenic

The rear cassette is a severely limiting factor due to the wheelset being Shimano-only and my stubborn insistence on running Campagnolo drivetrain components. Had I gone with the Bontrager Race Lite wheelset, I could have gotten a Campy freehub body. I went with the American Classic cassette because it seemed the best option. As it stands on my current bike, I never even bother with the top ring and I'm running a 36/50 with an 11/23 out back. I don't ride very fast at all (average 13mph on a good day) so I'm not worried about "spinning out".

cryogenic

Finally got a few pics... these are without rack, panniers, fenders, lights. I'll have more later today after I go pick it up

brunop

NICE dude. i have a KM i use for commutin' and ridin' around on the road. i just put a surly nice rack on it. ya have to use a seatpost clamp, but it works and fits great.

cryogenic

why did you have to use a seatpost clamp? from what I can tell, my frame has some form of eyelets to use... plus I had to get a disc brake compatible rack... but I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work, nor did the LBS.

joeyfrench

Oh snap, I am in hearts...

That Husker Blu is very nice.

cryogenic

so after taking it out for its first night of riding, I must say that with the rack & panniers it's REALLY heavy.... but oh my god does it ride smooth. It really soaks up the bumps and is a joy to ride. Compared to an aluminum framed road bike (Fuji Team SL) it's a huge difference. My legs are going to need some adjusting to the near-50 lb weight when loaded, but it's not unbearable. I'll get some pics up with the lights and fenders on it a little later today.. it's still early.

brunop

nice build! here's my commuter monkey with a rohloff:

cryogenic

I considered a rohloff at one point but they seemed almost prohibitively expensive... so I stuck with regular gears. One deviation I did have to make from my build list above was Planet Bike Cascadia 29er fenders instead of SKS Commuters. The SKS weren't available, so I had to substitute. Can't really tell the difference though.

brunop

yeah man, i need some fenders too.

M_S

Excellent! Love the bright blue and the look of the straight blade fork.

fish0n

Wow, what a bike! So what was the total cost of the build (itemized)?