We Say...

Equally at home loaded, tearing down that dreamy decent, or shredding at your local trail centre, the Surly Karate Monkey is a mean machine. This years 12 speed Deore build, in that beautiful Gold, makes this one hell of a bike for £2K!

“The KM is the most fun bike I’ve ever ridden” (Tom)

They Say...

• FrameSurly Karate Monkey
• ForkSurly Karate Monkey Rigid
• HeadsetGusset S2 31.8mm
• StemGusset Staff
• GripsGusset Single File
• SaddleGenetic STV
• SeatpostGusset Lofty
• Rear DerailleurShimano Deore 6100 12 speed
• Gear LeversShimano Deore 6100 12 speed
• ChainShimano Deore 6100 12 speed
• CranksetShimano Deore 6100 12 speed 32T
• CassetteShimano Deore 6100 12 speed 10-51t Microspline
• BrakesShimano Deore 6120 4 pot
• WheelsShimano Deore 6120 4 pot
• TyresSurly Dirt Wizard 27.5 x 2.8”
• ColourFool's Gold

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 tyres now on the market, riders have begun to understand the effect that tyre width has on overall wheel diameter, and with ample tyre clearance, you can see the benefits of multiple wheel sizes all on one bike. 27+ tyres 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 tyres.

The Karate Monkey frame has recently gotten a makeover that includes the addition of features like internal dropper post routing, a new tube set 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 tyres 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.

The Frame:

At Surly we believe that the frame is the number one contributing factor to ride quality. So that’s the basket we put most of our eggs in. We’re not saying that fancy shifters and brakes aren’t great (we occasionally use them on our completes), we’re just saying that if your looking for a bike with the newest gadgets and gizmos mounted upon it, you’ll likely be happier looking elsewhere. If you’re looking for a frame that will be kick ass to ride, day in and day out for a long long time, then a Surly is where it’s at. Our enginerds spend their time making sure our framesets are the best ride out there; bar none. If you’re in it for the ride, then you’re in the right place.