Help me pick a rigid frame for my ATB build
08-28-23, 11:59 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Help me pick a rigid frame for my ATB build
Hi everyone,
I recently decided to go a weird direction with my karate monkey and it turns out I like it. However the bars I've slapped on there have created a situation where I've managed to validate replacing my medium Karate Monkey frame with something larger, possibly a large Karate Monkey. I like the bars so much that they've taken the central point of the build. I've attached a picture of my current set up rather than trying to explain what I'm looking to do. Some frames on my radar are:
Karate Monkey
Lowside
Kona Unit.
It would be easy to just grab a large KM but I'm wondering if perhaps some tweaked geometries or something with lighter tubing might suit me better. I'm out of my element, Donny. Teach me some lessons, please!
What else should I be looking at thats a fully rigid MTB?
I recently decided to go a weird direction with my karate monkey and it turns out I like it. However the bars I've slapped on there have created a situation where I've managed to validate replacing my medium Karate Monkey frame with something larger, possibly a large Karate Monkey. I like the bars so much that they've taken the central point of the build. I've attached a picture of my current set up rather than trying to explain what I'm looking to do. Some frames on my radar are:
Karate Monkey
Lowside
Kona Unit.
It would be easy to just grab a large KM but I'm wondering if perhaps some tweaked geometries or something with lighter tubing might suit me better. I'm out of my element, Donny. Teach me some lessons, please!
What else should I be looking at thats a fully rigid MTB?
08-29-23, 06:56 PM
#4
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Hi everyone,
I recently decided to go a weird direction with my karate monkey and it turns out I like it. However the bars I've slapped on there have created a situation where I've managed to validate replacing my medium Karate Monkey frame with something larger, possibly a large Karate Monkey. I like the bars so much that they've taken the central point of the build. I've attached a picture of my current set up rather than trying to explain what I'm looking to do. Some frames on my radar are:
Karate Monkey
Lowside
Kona Unit.
It would be easy to just grab a large KM but I'm wondering if perhaps some tweaked geometries or something with lighter tubing might suit me better. I'm out of my element, Donny. Teach me some lessons, please!
What else should I be looking at thats a fully rigid MTB?
I recently decided to go a weird direction with my karate monkey and it turns out I like it. However the bars I've slapped on there have created a situation where I've managed to validate replacing my medium Karate Monkey frame with something larger, possibly a large Karate Monkey. I like the bars so much that they've taken the central point of the build. I've attached a picture of my current set up rather than trying to explain what I'm looking to do. Some frames on my radar are:
Karate Monkey
Lowside
Kona Unit.
It would be easy to just grab a large KM but I'm wondering if perhaps some tweaked geometries or something with lighter tubing might suit me better. I'm out of my element, Donny. Teach me some lessons, please!
What else should I be looking at thats a fully rigid MTB?
I also have a medium KM and plan to move to a large Bridge Club. Since it came out, the Bridge Club just ticks all the boxes for me.
08-29-23, 07:21 PM
#5
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There are plenty of terrific Cannondale rigid MTB's on Craigslist almost everywhere. If you're not fixated on steel, check around.
08-29-23, 10:36 PM
#6
Senior Member
Considering what bikes you are looking at, I'm assuming you want something more modern? If you are looking at vintage, as others have mentioned, buying a used 26" rigid mountain bike is the way to go.
As for modern, are you only looking at bikes that are sold with a matching rigid fork? I ended up picking up a used Ritchey Ultra and threw a bird fork on it (the fork is no longer sold). There are a number of used bikes for sale now that you could potentially do this too.
As for modern, are you only looking at bikes that are sold with a matching rigid fork? I ended up picking up a used Ritchey Ultra and threw a bird fork on it (the fork is no longer sold). There are a number of used bikes for sale now that you could potentially do this too.
Last edited by katsup; 08-29-23 at 10:41 PM.
08-30-23, 07:12 AM
#7
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Thread Starter
Considering what bikes you are looking at, I'm assuming you want something more modern? If you are looking at vintage, as others have mentioned, buying a used 26" rigid mountain bike is the way to go.
Looking to stick to modern so I can swap the parts over from my Karate Monkey, not that their particularly fancy I just want to keep this simple.
As for modern, are you only looking at bikes that are sold with a matching rigid fork? I ended up picking up a used Ritchey Ultra and threw a bird fork on it (the fork is no longer sold). There are a number of used bikes for sale now that you could potentially do this too.
Looking to stick to modern so I can swap the parts over from my Karate Monkey, not that their particularly fancy I just want to keep this simple.
As for modern, are you only looking at bikes that are sold with a matching rigid fork? I ended up picking up a used Ritchey Ultra and threw a bird fork on it (the fork is no longer sold). There are a number of used bikes for sale now that you could potentially do this too.
Thats a great looking ATB, I'm trying to keep costs down by moving the parts from my KM onto another frame which pretty much puts me in the modern steel category.
I've been through enough builds to know that if I go through this route I'll just end up on a 3k retro build...which actually sounds awesome. Oh no...
Last edited by Wspsux; 08-30-23 at 07:15 AM.
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08-30-23, 07:16 AM
#8
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08-30-23, 02:26 PM
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That's a valid concern. I'm currently riding a Rivendell Hunqapillar and given that Rivendell road bikes are considered by many to be stout, I'm sure their off-road touring bike is probably truly bombproof. Based on a communication with Surly many years ago, I'm sure my KM is less stout than a Bridgeclub, but I don't like the size and to be honest, I think it's ugly
08-31-23, 12:15 PM
#10
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Bikes: 1992Giant Tourer,1992MeridaAlbon,1996Scapin,1998KonaKilaueua,1993Peugeot Prestige,1991RaleighTeamZ(to be upgraded),1998 Jamis Dragon,1992CTWallis(to be built),1998VettaTeam(to be built),1995Coppi(to be built),1993Grandis(to be built)
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Here are my three full rigid ATB:
1995 Scapin
1998 Kona Kilaeua
1992 Merida Albon
1995 Scapin
1998 Kona Kilaeua
1992 Merida Albon
