New Bike Day!

It's coming.....
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So I started shopping for a non 26" bike a few years ago, (Around the same time everyone was buying those nifty Chameleons.) After doing a frustrating SS conversion on a non SS friendly hardtail, I decided that I wanted my first 29/27.5 bike to be a SS capable hardtail. I considered the Cham, Ibis' T̶r̶a̶n̶n̶y̶ DV9, a couple of Chromags, a handful of niche steel hardtails from England, (Stanton, Pipedream, Cotic, etc) some Konas, the stellar niner SIR9, some Jamis with Dragon in the name, and the quirky Salsa Woodsmoke. I would have considered the niner ROS9 or Salsa El Mar, but they don't exist anymore. What I decided on was the either the Cotic SolarisMAX or the closest thing QBP has to the El Mar, The Karate Monkey. Cotic was updating the Solaris so for my birthday in 2018 I bought one of the last large purple KMs. Two and half years later, (One piece at a time,) it is finally a bike!

upload_2020-11-22_18-32-46.png


This bike will have a number of different configurations, so of course after the first ride, I have already installed a dropper and changed the pedals

upload_2020-11-22_18-38-57.png


The AR24 wheelset and Nevegal2 were donations, but both have been positive
surprises for me. This is my first non-Shimano bike in a long time. Since I was trying SRAM, I figured I would try their first product, Gripshift. Jury is still out on it, but it works just fine, and doesn't shift gears when I bunnyhop like it did back in the day. I can't quit mineral oil so I went with Magura. I am really liking these brakes. The fork is a take off from a 2016 Norco Optic, and so far it is probably the smoothest plushest Fox I have experienced. Gearing is good so far, but I might change my tune when faced with real climbs like Mathis, 3Bs, or anything in the Santa Anas. I am loving the buttery feel of the steel and I can't wait to put more miles on this bike!
 
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Grassblade23 said:
So I started shopping for a non 26" bike a few years ago, (Around the same time everyone was buying those nifty Chameleons.) After doing a frustrating SS conversion on a non SS friendly hardtail, I decided that I wanted my first 29/27.5 bike to be a SS capable hardtail. I considered the Cham, Ibis' T̶r̶a̶n̶n̶y̶ DV9, a couple of Chromags, a handful of niche steel hardtails from England, (Stanton, Pipedream, Cotic, etc) some Konas, the stellar niner SIR9, some Jamis with Dragon in the name, and the quirky Salsa Woodsmoke. I would have considered the niner ROS9 or Salsa El Mar, but they don't exist anymore. What I decided on was the either the Cotic SolarisMAX or closest thing QBP has to the El Mar, The Karate Monkey. Cotic was updating the Solaris so for my birthday in 2018 I bought one of the last large purple KMs. Two and half years later, (One piece at a time,) it is finally a bike!

View attachment 70906

This bike will have a number of different configurations, so of course after the first ride, I have already installed a dropper and changed the pedals

View attachment 70908

The AR24 wheelset and Nevegal2 were donations, but both have been positive
surprises me. This is my first non-Shimano bike in a long time. Since I was trying SRAM, I figured I would try their first product, Gripshift. Jury is still out on it, but it works just fine, and doesn't shift gears when I bunnyhop like it did back in the day. I can't quit mineral oil so I went with Magura. I am really liking these brakes. The fork is a take off from a 2016 Norco Optic, and so far it is probably the smoothest plushest Fox I have experienced. Gearing is good so far, but I might change my tune when faced with real climbs like Mathis, 3Bs, or anything in the Santa Anas. I am loving the buttery feel of the steel and I can't wait to put more miles on this bike!
Click to expand...

Good on ya! I like anything with purples/pinks/fuchsias in it, preferably with some metallic as well. So this gets my seal of approval!
 
Grassblade23 said:
So I started shopping for a non 26" bike a few years ago, (Around the same time everyone was buying those nifty Chameleons.) After doing a frustrating SS conversion on a non SS friendly hardtail, I decided that I wanted my first 29/27.5 bike to be a SS capable hardtail. I considered the Cham, Ibis' T̶r̶a̶n̶n̶y̶ DV9, a couple of Chromags, a handful of niche steel hardtails from England, (Stanton, Pipedream, Cotic, etc) some Konas, the stellar niner SIR9, some Jamis with Dragon in the name, and the quirky Salsa Woodsmoke. I would have considered the niner ROS9 or Salsa El Mar, but they don't exist anymore. What I decided on was the either the Cotic SolarisMAX or closest thing QBP has to the El Mar, The Karate Monkey. Cotic was updating the Solaris so for my birthday in 2018 I bought one of the last large purple KMs. Two and half years later, (One piece at a time,) it is finally a bike!

View attachment 70906

This bike will have a number of different configurations, so of course after the first ride, I have already installed a dropper and changed the pedals

View attachment 70908

The AR24 wheelset and Nevegal2 were donations, but both have been positive
surprises me. This is my first non-Shimano bike in a long time. Since I was trying SRAM, I figured I would try their first product, Gripshift. Jury is still out on it, but it works just fine, and doesn't shift gears when I bunnyhop like it did back in the day. I can't quit mineral oil so I went with Magura. I am really liking these brakes. The fork is a take off from a 2016 Norco Optic, and so far it is probably the smoothest plushest Fox I have experienced. Gearing is good so far, but I might change my tune when faced with real climbs like Mathis, 3Bs, or anything in the Santa Anas. I am loving the buttery feel of the steel and I can't wait to put more miles on this bike!
Click to expand...
Great looking bike, love it with the Brooks saddle!
 
Cyclotourist said:
Good on ya! I like anything with purples/pinks/fuchsias in it, preferably with some metallic as well. So this gets my seal of approval!
Click to expand...
Thanks! A sparkly fuchsia paint job would have also been hard to pass up.
Sasquatch9billion said:
Great looking bike, love it with the Brooks saddle!
Click to expand...
Thanks! I love some other saddles, (WTB Volt, SQ Labs) for short rides, but the Cambium is the only thing I can ride all day. Now that Crivets offers custom colored Cambium Rivets, I can bling them up a bit, as well.
 
Grassblade23 said:
So I started shopping for a non 26" bike a few years ago, (Around the same time everyone was buying those nifty Chameleons.) After doing a frustrating SS conversion on a non SS friendly hardtail, I decided that I wanted my first 29/27.5 bike to be a SS capable hardtail. I considered the Cham, Ibis' T̶r̶a̶n̶n̶y̶ DV9, a couple of Chromags, a handful of niche steel hardtails from England, (Stanton, Pipedream, Cotic, etc) some Konas, the stellar niner SIR9, some Jamis with Dragon in the name, and the quirky Salsa Woodsmoke. I would have considered the niner ROS9 or Salsa El Mar, but they don't exist anymore. What I decided on was the either the Cotic SolarisMAX or the closest thing QBP has to the El Mar, The Karate Monkey. Cotic was updating the Solaris so for my birthday in 2018 I bought one of the last large purple KMs. Two and half years later, (One piece at a time,) it is finally a bike!

View attachment 70906

This bike will have a number of different configurations, so of course after the first ride, I have already installed a dropper and changed the pedals

View attachment 70908

The AR24 wheelset and Nevegal2 were donations, but both have been positive
surprises for me. This is my first non-Shimano bike in a long time. Since I was trying SRAM, I figured I would try their first product, Gripshift. Jury is still out on it, but it works just fine, and doesn't shift gears when I bunnyhop like it did back in the day. I can't quit mineral oil so I went with Magura. I am really liking these brakes. The fork is a take off from a 2016 Norco Optic, and so far it is probably the smoothest plushest Fox I have experienced. Gearing is good so far, but I might change my tune when faced with real climbs like Mathis, 3Bs, or anything in the Santa Anas. I am loving the buttery feel of the steel and I can't wait to put more miles on this bike!
Click to expand...

It's a keeper!

But... If you wanted a single speed capable frame, you may as well jump right in the deep end. Ditch the gears. Give the cassette to a trusted friend with orders not to return it no matter how much you beg and plead. :p
 
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