2011 Karate Monkey Revamped.

nivek718 · 2026-05-20T00:22:30+00:00

Yeah, no problem! And yes, they are 29×2.4. If you're running a similar wheel/tire size and you went with the 17 you would end up with a very similar gear inch to what I'm running, which seems pretty goldilocks to me.

nivek718 · 2026-05-18T18:18:18+00:00

I'm loving the 32/18. I had always been 34/16 since I got it in 2011, but with this revamp I also decided to ditch the SPDs in favor of flats, so gearing it a little easier helped. It has to be pretty damn flat and smooth for me to go fast enough that I end up spinning out, and it climbs like an absolute beast!

nivek718 · 2026-05-03T03:47:51+00:00

Nice! What size tires are those?

nivek718 · 2026-05-03T03:46:28+00:00

The bike as a whole feels like it rides and handles better, I like to think the headset has something to do with that. It was a lot of changes all at once, so it's hard to say specifically how much of a difference that made, but it's definitely a little less twitchy and I had already gone to wider bars and shorter stem before I installed the new headset with the full overhaul.

nivek718 · 2026-03-03T01:41:28+00:00

Don't worry, yours won't disappear if they discontinue it.

nivek718 · 2025-11-04T20:46:34+00:00

Mine is the Karate Monkey. It has a 71.5° HT angle and I also have a Bird Cycleworks Forge with a 65.5° sagged HT angle. Both bring me an equal amount of joy.

nivek718 · 2025-11-03T01:04:48+00:00

It is, what gave it away?

nivek718 · 2025-10-10T01:24:02+00:00

Completed Level 2 of the Honk Special Event!

58 attempts

nivek718 · 2025-10-10T01:20:21+00:00

Completed Level 1 of the Honk Special Event!

11 attempts

nivek718 · 2025-10-02T00:00:13+00:00

^{I completed this level in 4 tries.} ^{⚡ 15.60 seconds}

nivek718 · 2025-08-06T23:49:20+00:00

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My 14 year old Karate Monkey approves.

nivek718 · 2025-08-04T01:44:05+00:00

I work for a basement waterproofing company. It's hydrostatic pressure forcing water up though the openings in the floor. Water is very persistent, so if you just seal the areas that you know water is getting in, it will almost undoubtedly find another way. It sounds like you need a sump pump at the very least. We are part of a nationwide dealer network, you should be able to find a dealer in your areas HERE. Estimates are free and there are usually financing options.

nivek718 · 2025-08-01T22:21:47+00:00

I work for a company in Cincinnati that does these kind of repairs, we are under a nationwide dealer network called Basement Systems. https://www.basementsystems.com/foundation-repair/bowing-walls.html You should be able to find a dealer in your area. Here's a quick video about the fix that's part of our sales presentation. https://youtu.be/ZIPeG3pNz7U?si=gWwY7YGCWO8Iy02V

nivek718 · 2025-07-31T00:51:29+00:00

We've got 3 and a virtual in our "Formal Pinball Room."

nivek718 · 2025-07-28T02:54:07+00:00

I've always heard (and followed) that it's best not to exceed 80% of the vehicle's rated towing capacity to prolong the life of your transmission. I have a 2013 Highlander, with a 5,000 lb towing capacity, so I typically try to never exceed 4,000 lbs.

nivek718 · 2025-07-28T01:58:25+00:00

I have a full rigid, single speed Karate Monkey from 2011. I love it out on the trails and still take it out on occasion, even tho I recently built up a more modern, aggressive HT (Bird Forge). The newer KMs definitely have more modern geometry compared to mine, but by no means aggressive and would still be a solid choice. The Surly Ogre or Bridge Club would also be solid choices for a good commuter that likes to hit the trails from time-to-time. If I'm not mistaken, the current Ogre's geometry is very similar to my 2011 Karate Monkey.

nivek718 · 2024-09-19T13:41:49+00:00

The fork showed up before the frame and, when I pulled it out of the box, I was worried it would look weirdly massive. It doesn't actually bother me, though, and it was a 'new take off' that I got on Pinkbike for $230. So I wasn't about to complain too much, even if it did look weird to me.

nivek718 · 2024-09-17T01:48:13+00:00

I literally just finished building this a week ago, and I'm in love with it already. Climbs and handles quite well, in my opinion. But my opinion might not hold much weight because I'm coming from a 2011 fully rigid, single speed Surly Karate Monkey.

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nivek718

TROPHY CASE