Any Karate Monkey owners?

[Solo]

Not the new one, with 650b+ but the older version.

In particualr the OPS version. Just looking for some owner feedback.

I know it might be viewed as a bit 'old school' now (by some) but it seems to tick boxes I am looking for in terms of bikepacking and general mile munching.

Especially interested if you have ridden both the ops and a solaris.

TIA

[benp1]

Don't have the KM, but do have an El Mariachi which is similarish I think

Also have a Solaris

Solaris is set up as a HT for bigger outings. Love it, have done most of my bikepacking on that, but I haven't ridden it in about 5 months!

El Mariachi is rigid. It's my local pootle and dog ride bike. Gets used most days, was set up SS but now running an Alfine 8

I really like both. If I HAD to keep one it would be the Solaris, but they're set up so differently it's hard to compare

[Keiracon]

My go to bike - had it 3 years. Does everything and is very adaptable. Geared, singlespeed, rigid, hardtail, road or off road use. Quite heavy but comfortable for all day riding.

[Teetosugars]

Pretty sure Steve Makin has one?

[GregMay]

Pretty sure Steve Makin has one?

Steve has every bike known to humanity, sometimes in multiples of three.

[Pickers]

Not a Karate Monkey, but I do have an Ogre - similar in many ways.
It's not light, and it's not fast.
For mile munching and bike packing (dare I say touring in hushed tones) it is very good indeed.
I've had mine about 2 1/2 years now, done overnighters and a two week tour round Scotland.

[Solo]

Thanks for the replies so far. Please keep them coming.

Just a bit of background on my reasoning:

Had my Solaris for about 2 years, it's well equipped with XT and Hope. But I only really have ridden it a handful of times in the past year.

My riding has changed. It's slower and less extreme (in terms of...Shall we say...gnar) due to injury etc.

I've pretty much done all my riding on a Pugsley which I love.

I'd bought the Solaris to replace a Spesh Carve Expert which I really liked but a)wanted steel and b)my son really wanted the Carve.

The other day I took the Carve for spin and enjoyed it. It left me thinking I'd like a steel bike that is similar. Kind of the mix of Carve and Pugsley. Which pretty much had me arrive at the KM.

[gairym]

I had an old Karate Monkey and sold it to buy a Solaris.

I really liked the KM but found it a little cumbersome compared to the singletrack devouring ride of the Solaris.

Just a little lighter and livelier but other than that not massively different.

As a pure bikepacking bicycle I think the KM ticks more boxes so it all depends on use.

[Solo]

I really liked the KM but found it a little cumbersome compared to the singletrack devouring ride of the Solaris.

Due to weight or geometry?

[gairym]

Yes

[Solo]

Weight I'm prepared for. It's a cheaper build and my Solaris is a light build anyway.

It'll be lighter than my Pug I'd imagine.

Looking at geometry charts the KM is close to the Carve which I did enjoy riding.

[Solo]

@ Gairym

what travel forks do you run on the solaris?

Just wondering if I should drop mine back to 100mm before changing bikes!

[gairym]

I had a pair of 100mm Rebas on the Solaris.

Sold it six months ago and think it was a mistake!

Had 80mm Manitous on the KM which were perfectly fine too.

[Solo]

Thanks.

I started @100mm, then up to 120mm. It seems OK except the raised BB height.

Maybe I'm bored?!

If you want to buy another Solaris....

[Solo]

Just one more quick question.

Any comments on sizing?

Height/ frame size/ bar & stem set up?

[Solo]

Quick update.

I pulled the trigger and bought one.

Arrived yesterday. Built it up last night and had a brief shakedown ride today. Early days but looks promising.

[Solo]

Further update. I'd only got 3 or 4 rides in before 2016 ended. Then I was injured and only got my first ride of 2017 in yesterday.

So, the KM Ops, it was the perfect mile muncher. So totally ticked the box. Less playful in the twisty bit of singletrack I like in the local woods. But not sure if that is partly due to being bigger / heavier than the Solaris. Or just what is designed for (geometry etc).

My big dilemma comes from what my wife said when I said, in essence, the above.

I'd bought the KM reduced but in my mind the sale of the cotic was paying for it. The wife suggested keeping both seeing, in her words, as 'you love bikes and they both do different things'!

So, are they different enough? I'm not sure. But it is tempting.

[Charliecres]

If I were you, I'd get a Swift, a Stooge and a Jones or two built up too. Just to be sure.

[Solo]

If I were you, I'd get a Swift, a Stooge and a Jones or two built up too. Just to be sure.

Sounds like a plan