I owned a 1st gen Karate Monkey for ten years, and thought it was a great bike. I rode it for years as a single speed city bike on 700x38's and it was fun, but too stiff for those tires. Too bumpy. A year before I sold it I built some real 29er wheels for it, and it was transformed. Such a great bike; those big 29er wheels made my 26er feel like a bmx bike. It was a small frame, though, so silly looking as soon as I raised the seat high enough for real riding. I'm always looking for another Surly in my size, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.
Get one!!
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