I've used both a Knard and a Chronicle on the front of my Stooge and the Chronicle is much better in the mud and slop. Knard is good in the dry though.

Just a wee update from the fb Stooge feed, about the ti frames

"...new website very shortly and they'll be on that, but in a nutshell, £1300 for frame only, bit more for frame and ti fork, £300 deposit and then an 8 week turnaround, frame and forks should be about 3 lbs lighter than the steel..."

https://www.facebook.com/StoogeCycles

Yorlin wrote:Just a wee update from the fb Stooge feed, about the ti frames

"...new website very shortly and they'll be on that, but in a nutshell, £1300 for frame only, bit more for frame and ti fork, £300 deposit and then an 8 week turnaround, frame and forks should be about 3 lbs lighter than the steel..."

https://www.facebook.com/StoogeCycles

Yep, sounds about right on the weight front, it's a seriously fast bike. I don't know how the Ti fork will ride but a mate has ordered the first. We'll compare them side by side with the Enve on mine. The Enve fork is stunning though, lightweight, precise steering but still so comfy. The Ti frame is lovely too, almost identical to the mk1 steel but a lot lighter and more rear clearance.

My mate is probably going for the polished frame - I think it's lovely but the matt is very stealth.

I tried a stooge the other day, granted for about 2 miles. Didnt like it. Felt too small, like it was trying to chuck me over the bars and like I needed a lot of layback on the post, like I was pushing the pedals forwards rather than down. But I like frames to me quite big. Im 5ft 11in and ride a large krampus and salsa el mar.

Sorry to be a nae sayer, most people like them it seems.

FLV wrote:I tried a stooge the other day, granted for about 2 miles. Didnt like it. Felt too small, like it was trying to chuck me over the bars and like I needed a lot of layback on the post, like I was pushing the pedals forwards rather than down. But I like frames to me quite big. Im 5ft 11in and ride a large krampus and salsa el mar.

Sorry to be a nae sayer, most people like them it seems.

Nothing wrong in that: not every bike is suitable for or fits every single person. Some bikes just feel "right". I demoed a couple of bikes, spending a couple of hours riding round trails on each. Back at the shop, the owner handed me his Solaris, even just riding round the (rough) car park there was something different. I went for the Solaris and haven't regretted it since.

There's not just height to consider when sizing a bike but also your body proportions. I'm slightly shorter than you and ride a large. According to the sizing charts I am smack in the middle of medium but I'm "short" in the leg and "long" in the body and arms so the extra TT length suits me.

It's sometimes surprising when we don't quite 'get on with something', especially if we were expecting to. At 5' 11" I'd have thought you were the perfect height for a Stooge Dave and the geometry is usually sited as helping prevent that chucked over the bars feeling.

It's a small detail but mine feels quite different (in a good way) with the BB set in the lowest position - lower CoG I suppose.

Have to agree with Stuart that the geometry is spot on. I also run the B/brkt in the lowest position, gives lower C of G, as the man says! You don't need too much seatpost extension also.
I found it took a bit of playing around with bar/ stem/ seat position, but when you get it nailed it's well worth the hassle.
Lovely frame, looking forward to giving some hammer!!!

I found it took a bit of playing around with bar/ stem/ seat position

Oh yes, I've never had so many different bars on one bike in such a short time

FLV wrote:I tried a stooge the other day, granted for about 2 miles. Didnt like it. Felt too small, like it was trying to chuck me over the bars and like I needed a lot of layback on the post, like I was pushing the pedals forwards rather than down. But I like frames to me quite big. Im 5ft 11in and ride a large krampus and salsa el mar.

Sorry to be a nae sayer, most people like them it seems.

How high was the stem on the one you tried? I think it's a bike that benefits from a high stem as it inspires a lot more confidence, especially with a big tyre.

Incidentally, I'm about the same height as you but ride a medium El Mar. I put it side by side with my Stooge and the bars on the Stooge are about 4 inches higher! Agree on the layback though. I think with it being one size you need to do a lot of work on the setup, any other bike I've had I've just accepted the kit it came with whereas this one needs more adjustment to fit perfectly.

s8tannorm wrote:It's sometimes surprising when we don't quite 'get on with something', especially if we were expecting to. At 5' 11" I'd have thought you were the perfect height for a Stooge Dave and the geometry is usually sited as helping prevent that chucked over the bars feeling.

It's a small detail but mine feels quite different (in a good way) with the BB set in the lowest position - lower CoG I suppose.

Riding your stooge Stuart I was very surprised by how similar it felt to the setup on my KM, albeit with a lower saddle, not really sure what point I'm trying to make anymore....

Riding your stooge Stuart I was very surprised by how similar it felt to the setup on my KM, albeit with a lower saddle, not really sure what point I'm trying to make anymore....

Perhaps you were trying to express your surprise Ben ... after looking at the bike, you might have been expecting it to ride quite differently from other bikes, however after throwing a leg over it (albeit a slightly bent one) you discovered that it just rides like a bike and isn't too dissimilar to other bikes you've ridden, including your own KM?