I picked up this absolutely delectable Surly Karate Monkey Single Speed in Colorado a bit over a year ago and I love it to its core. I’ve added an additional chainring and cog to make it into a dingle speed and it absolutely rips.
Near as I can tell, this is the first year of the KM and it’s got all the best quirks. Including how it is currently set up with a great set of rim brakes on the 29er wheels. Unfortunately, the front wheel is ready to retire and was clearly looted from some other bike somewhere.
Getting a quick release 29er wheelset is tough enough, but one that supports rim brakes is even rarer. I’ve been in my local co-op for months now checking if there is anything. I know I can swap to disc, the frame supports it, but it has never had them that I can tell and the v-brakes open really easily to make tire repairs and dingle speeding really convenient. They’re also really, really good at causing a skid and I love that.
I don’t think there’s anything else I can do beyond scouring Co-ops, camping on FB marketplace, weeping, or giving up. Giving up in those case would be:
1.) custom building a wheelset that’s going to eclipse the bike cost. (Whatever, wheels are worth it…)
2.) setting up disc brakes and shifting the hint to a QR disc setup
Mostly just wanted to share with a sympathetic audience. Everyone else gets distracted but asking “why” and concluding that because I’m crazy my quest can be safely filed under “Quixotic”.
by V33d
10 Comments
I might have the same year KM, how did you do a dingle without a chain tensioner?
Spend about $70 at carson city cycles
29, qr, rim brakes? I’m always the the local coop. DM me if you want me to look real quick.
Sounds like you might have a solution already but I suspect you might find rims over in the bikelife section of any major BMX retailer. A lot of those big BMX run rim brakes and 29 wheels.
JBI sells a qr rhyno lite wheelset. QBP sells a qr cliffhanger wheelset.
Try http://www.bicyclewheelwarehouse.com I have used them several times. They have reasonably priced wheels as well
I had a set of 29″ wheels that I wanted to use on a QR fork. Got a 15mm thru to qr adapter from Amazon for not a lot. Worked great and have used similar on other bikes too! Might be worth checking out?
VOANZO Black Aluminum Alloy Conversion Skewer Adapter 15mm Front Thru Axle to 9mm Quick Release Mountain Bike Thru Axle Hub Adapter 100mm https://amzn.eu/d/1c7BX1u
Also wish I had a Karate Monkey, they look like a blast!
ModernBike has filters on their search tool that show this is their cheapest wheel at $64.99
https://www.modernbike.com/wheel-shop-alex-z1000—shimano-tourney-hb-tx505-29-front-wheel-qr-x-100mm
https://www.modernbike.com/29er-front-wheels+rim-brake-compatibleisyes
Specialized had a couple 29″ wheelsets that are rim brake compatible. Nothing amazing, but good enough.
If you frame supports it, I say get a disc wheel set. Loads of decent cheap 29 wheelsets qr at a good price on aliexpress. I been running koozer wheels and they have been decent
Also probably on other wheelsets as well but the koozer ones come with end caps to change from QR to thru axle if you need it, works nice if you got a mixed set up or change bike, for example I got a thru axle fork but QR rear
Mechanical discs aren’t that bad and again on aliexpress you can get cable actuated hydraulic calipers that are cheap, easy to set up and again only from my experience but reliable