Years ago the Karate Monkey helped start the 29” wheel movement and, as time’s gone by, many companies – Surly included – have experimented with even more wheel sizes.
With so many different types and sizes of tires now on the market, riders have begun to understand the effect that tire width has on overall wheel diameter, and with ample tire clearance, you can see the benefits of multiple wheel sizes all on one bike. 27+ tires have the same rolling diameter as a 29” wheel, yet you get all the traction and floatation benefits of extra-wide knobbies. And that’s just the tires.
The Karate Monkey frame has recently gotten a make over that includes the addition of features like internal dropper post routing, a new tubeset that uses the same trumpet tubes found on our Instigator 2.0, and a slight tweak in geometry that is more progressive and trail-oriented. The Karate Monkey uses a horizontal dropout with a derailleur hanger that features Gnot-Boost spacing, which gives the rider the ability to run any kind of mountain bike hub they choose. 10 x 135mm QR, 12 x 142, or 12 x 148 Boost™ will all work in the Karate Monkey frame. The frame uses a 44mm headtube for broad fork compatibility and is ED coated for an added layer of internal protection. If, at any point, you decide you want to throw on some skinny meats, standard 29” wheels and tires can be swapped in with no issue. If you want to round-house kick some trail right in the face, the Karate Monkey is your sled.
