(warning, actual bike-related content)
I've ridden a lot of stuff on either rigid, hardtails, softails, or short travel bikes... lately I've been craving a little more travel. I had been wanting to hold off until after Interbike, but got the itch and it needs scratching... something came along that I'd always been curious about so... trying a little experiment... new bikes are always fun right?

(Pitifully) This is the longest-travel and burliest bike I've ever had. a whopping 4.5" rear, 120mm fork w/ 20mm axle.
Geometry is interesting... relatively short stays for a FS 29er (17.7"), fairly slack HA (around 69.5*, with longer fork). Hopefully the front end doesn't wander too badly. It's built strong, could almost turn out like a poor mann's lunchbox.


Got a deal on the frame... and had the path build me up a killer set of wheels.

some other parts to experiment with


everyone's gotta have a little rasta somewhere

build went fine, two snafus...
1. seems some combination of a post mount fork, and the hope pro 2 hub, sets up the rotor too far to the inside for the caliper to get centered on it... since there is no way to shim a post mount caliper over, the rotor had to be shimmed out... I hope that's alright, not happy about having a 3 stack of washers between my rotor and hub.
2. Gamut bash guard won't fit FSA Carbon cranks, even if it's been ground out a bit.
Build Highlights:
Astrix Monk 29er - Large
Manitou Minute 29er 120mm Thru Axle
King Rear, Hope Front, CX Rays, Flows
you can see the rest in the pics...
she ain't pretty like a Fo bike, but bling is over-rated, going for function on this one.
I think it's around 28lbs (I'll weigh it when I get a chance)... not bad for a trailbike as burly as it feels. Quick 2 mile urban shakedown ride indicates this thing may be a blast, once it's all dialed in.
Only dirt will tell.
(/back to your regular off-topic programming)
I've ridden a lot of stuff on either rigid, hardtails, softails, or short travel bikes... lately I've been craving a little more travel. I had been wanting to hold off until after Interbike, but got the itch and it needs scratching... something came along that I'd always been curious about so... trying a little experiment... new bikes are always fun right?
(Pitifully) This is the longest-travel and burliest bike I've ever had. a whopping 4.5" rear, 120mm fork w/ 20mm axle.
Geometry is interesting... relatively short stays for a FS 29er (17.7"), fairly slack HA (around 69.5*, with longer fork). Hopefully the front end doesn't wander too badly. It's built strong, could almost turn out like a poor mann's lunchbox.

Got a deal on the frame... and had the path build me up a killer set of wheels.
some other parts to experiment with

everyone's gotta have a little rasta somewhere

build went fine, two snafus...
1. seems some combination of a post mount fork, and the hope pro 2 hub, sets up the rotor too far to the inside for the caliper to get centered on it... since there is no way to shim a post mount caliper over, the rotor had to be shimmed out... I hope that's alright, not happy about having a 3 stack of washers between my rotor and hub.
2. Gamut bash guard won't fit FSA Carbon cranks, even if it's been ground out a bit.
Build Highlights:
Astrix Monk 29er - Large
Manitou Minute 29er 120mm Thru Axle
King Rear, Hope Front, CX Rays, Flows
you can see the rest in the pics...
she ain't pretty like a Fo bike, but bling is over-rated, going for function on this one.
I think it's around 28lbs (I'll weigh it when I get a chance)... not bad for a trailbike as burly as it feels. Quick 2 mile urban shakedown ride indicates this thing may be a blast, once it's all dialed in.
Only dirt will tell.
(/back to your regular off-topic programming)
