Karate Monkey

The Karate Monkey was one of the first production 29ers. It put the 29˝ platform in front of a lot of people at a price within reach of many a bike nerd. Since then, 29” has become a full-blown category, with entire bike companies dedicated to the platform. In contrast to the old standard 26” wheels, 29˝ wheels have unique benefits: delivering increased traction, smoothing out terrain, carrying inertia, and generally fitting tall riders better.

The Karate Monkey helped set the standard for 29er geometry. While its tucked-in rear wheel keeps it nimble and maneuverable, its lack of shifting componentry keeps the bike simple — and the rider filled with a cathartic rage.

With a frame and fork made of custom-designed Surly CroMoly “’Natch” steel, the Karate Monkey delivers a resilient, lively, durable ride. The Karate Monkey frame has recently been updated to include 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 spaced to what we call Gnot-Boost spacing. 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.

The Karate Monkey SS is the sensei for all of your single speed sensations.