Did I already show you my BIG K2 FR bike?

[proflex252]

Did I?

http://idriders.com/cgi-bin/album_k2.pl?photo=proflex252/CIMG1323.JPG

Base: K2 Disco Monkey 2001
Fork: Marzocchi Junior T 2003 170mm travel
Shock: Manitou Swinger 4 way Coil 215mm i2i 160mm travel on the rear
Rims: Alex DH 24 inch double wide
Tyres: Schwalbe Space 24x2.35 duble defence
Brakes: Magura Luise FR 2005 180mm rotors
LX equiped

Rides like a couch!

[will]

That is VERY cool. (Excuse the frosty pun...)

So many questions...
Does it go uphill?
What's it weigh?
How do the 24" wheels clear obstacles?
Do you notice an improvement in pedalling acceleration?
How's the BB clearance?

Killer... just killer.  
Will

[proflex252]

No! It does not like to go uphill.

Though I got 3 chainrings I do only need the meedium and the big one. The small one is superfluous.
Only very moderate climbs can be done.
Otherwise the front comes up. It's not the weight of the bike it's the geometry limiting the acent angle.

It weights 17+ kg (some 38 lbs)

All the obstacles which came across my way can only be seen but not felt.
It feels funny if go with 15 mph and a 6 or 7 inch high rock comes your way, you stay seated, just ignoring that there is a rock at all and the only thing you hear is a plop plop and you are over it. No impactfeeling.

Improvement in pedaling accelaration?
Uhm! No. Why?
Maybe its due to the weight of the rims and gums but in fact the bike is refusing to accelarate. One gum is 2 lbs, the tube is a FR one (heavy, too) and the rims are double wide (38mm wide; 1.5 inch)
But I think 26ers would be heavier. I don't know how those tyres would behave.

The BB clearance is 37.5cm (14.7 inch). High but not too much.

[Colin]

Great!
I remember you posted a picture of a Disco Monkey alongside a CAT some time ago?
http://idriders.com/cgi-bin/album_k2.pl?photo=proflex252/imm006_7k.jpg

But you said it belonged to someone else......
http://idriders.com/cgi-bin/YaBB_K2/YaBB.pl?board=news;action=display;num=1118392637;start=1#1
Is your new FR Bike the same one and you've bought it of him, or have you built an identical one?

Either way, it looks very cool and reawakens my NEED for a Disco Monkey.........!
The gang I cycle with do various routes each week, and some of them would definately be easier to cope with on a Big Travel FR/DH Bike rather than my XC set up bikes !
Unfortunately nobody decides the route until we start, so I might need to take two bikes in the car with me and then decide when I get there!

Crackin' Bike!

Col

[proflex252]

Thank you for the congrats.

The bike in front of the CAT is my bike, uhm no not exactly correct. It is my frame.

I saw a disco monkey frame offer on ebay and one of the pics was this CAT pic.
Coooooool one I thought.
It belonged to a guy who did a monstrous changes, like using a mz junior t and a Fox shock.

So I decided to buy the frame.
The frame came with a noleen chubby (the original fork of the frame I think), a Noleen NR2, LX front and rear ders, LX BB, seat post and a FSA Aheadset and it was with new bearings. That all for 180 Euros.

So I bought a used junior T on ebay, a new Manitou Swinger, LX Cranks and new Magura Luise FR brakes, put on a old seat I had on stock and the 24inch DH wheels I had on my Titanium SS Bike (which is now just unwheeled) and so I had a real cool bike.

But!

If you tend to build up a bike like that have an eye on the weight.
Maybe its better to use an air shock an a single crwon fork like the Fox 36. And the tires should be a bit lighter. 2 lbs for one rubber is DH and not really FR. Especially when using double wide rims.
15 kg is better than 17plus kg.

CU

Matti