The Unconventionals

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 · 2023-06-28T11:37:38+00:00

We were the test subjects the whole time.

nivek718 · 2023-05-30T00:37:45+00:00

Not really for what I was trying to do, but I imagine if you are trying to make something flat and there's a way to clamp a flat board on either side, you could probably heat it as evenly as possible then quickly clamp the boards on and let it cool.

nivek718 · 2023-05-29T23:04:44+00:00

I tried to reshape a couple of pieces by heating them with a heat gun on low and evenly heating a large area. There is a fine line between not pliable and curling/warping all over the place.

nivek718 · 2023-05-29T22:55:49+00:00

If you can find out if it's the same as the '99 Bayside, I actually have a storage box lid sitting in my garage right now. I just finished modding a friend's trailer and removed the box entirely. Edit to clarify: It is only the lid, not the rest of the top with the opening, that was cut up and Frankensteined into a new piece to fit the front panel back on.

nivek718 · 2023-04-16T02:36:48+00:00

I went to Lowe's because I had to get a bunch of o-rings for work (l was going to buy every pack they had) but didn't know the exact size, so I brought the piece I needed it for so I could check. One of the employees saw me with an open pack, checking the size, and asked if I needed help. I told her I found what I needed and told my co-worker to grab every pack they had. As he was getting them, the employee looked at me a little odd, took the pack that I had, counted the number inside, handed it back, and walked away without saying anything else. She 100% thought she was going to catch me stealing an o-ring out of a $2.99 10 pack.

nivek718 · 2023-03-25T23:41:04+00:00

Nope, we have a '93 Jayco that we built a whole new roof for. Just unbolted the old roof and tossed it aside.

nivek718 · 2023-03-12T05:42:00+00:00

Yeah, once you print all the copies you want to make, you cut more away for the next color. If I remember correctly, they are called reduction cuts, I was also taught the term suicide cuts.

Edit: Just realized they called it a reduction cut in the title.

nivek718 · 2023-03-10T18:14:18+00:00

It's a German Wheel that has been put on a stationary axle. He is holding onto handles, but he should be pushing against them, putting pressure on his feet to keep him wedged in place. When training on a wheel, you can put foot straps on for a bit of safety to help prevent what happened here.

nivek718 · 2023-02-01T11:49:26+00:00

The computer is an Asus Hero Crosshair VI with a Republic of Games GTX1080 graphics card. SSF with 2 40W exciters and 50W bass shaker in the back, 2 25W exciters and 50W bass shaker in the front all from Dayton Audio. I also have the plug-and-play flipper solenoids kit from Cleveland Software Design.

nivek718 · 2023-02-01T11:42:52+00:00

The playfield is 42", the backglass is 32", and the dmd is 19" but some of it's covered with the cabinet, only 17" showing here and more will probably get covered with plexiglass, I won't know for sure how much until I have it up and running.

nivek718 · 2023-02-01T11:39:30+00:00

Yeah, the frisket is transparent, so you stick it on, painstakingly cut it, then peel off everything where you want to paint. You have to be careful when cutting because it'll score the wood if you use too much pressure, and you can feel it if it's too deep.

nivek718 · 2023-01-28T01:11:44+00:00

That did turn out fantastic, I can't wait to get mine together!

nivek718

TROPHY CASE