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Karate Monkey
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Karate What? The Karate Monkey (KM), is a bicycle frame manufactured by Surly Bikes. It's a 29"er frame, meaning it accepts 700c wheels with large diameter tires. Drivetrain Options The Karate Monkey is unusual among mountain bike frames in that it has both horizontal track ends and a derailleur hanger. This allows the owner to run a single speed drive train, using the track ends to tension the chain, or a multi-speed drivetrain, using a derailer to tension the chain. Brake Options The KM has both disc brake tabs and cantilever bosses. Using a disc brake on the rear wheel can be tricky, because of the horizontal track ends. To remove the rear wheel when using a disc brake, you have to loosen the caliper. Short Chainstays The KM has exceptionally short chainstays for a 29er, which are made possible by its curved seat tube. The short chainstays keep the bike's wheelbase short, which makes it more maneuverable. However, the short chainstays, when used with a large tire on the rear wheel, don't leave a lot of room for a front derailer. Many tires will rub on the cable fixing bolt and the cage of the derailer. Several work-arounds have been created. Surly makes Monkey Nuts, which are spacers that hold the rear axle further back in the track ends, making room for the front derailer. Down Tube Clearance for Suspension Forks Some Karate Monkey owners discovered that when using a suspension fork with tall top cap controls, such as a Rock Shox Reba with Poploc, during a crash, the poploc would collide with the downtube of the frame and break off. In 2007 the KM was redesigned to accommodate forks with tall top caps. See Also
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