It started with a seatpost - Surly Karate Monkey

My dad accidentally ordered a seat post, rather than send it back, I should probably build a bike.

Apparently that is the correct size for a Surly Karate Monkey, which I've wanted for ages, so this seems like a pretty good reason to get one.

Thinking Wet Clay colour frame and 29+ build with a bit of bling SLX / XT

I like your way of thinking!

Excellent work.

Wet Clay colour

You'll never notice it's dirty if you ride in Epping Forest.

Thats a good point! Hadn't thought of that!

Looking at the price of the stock build, my plan is to build with proper decent stuff, slx and xt type quality but keep it below the (ludicrously expensive) £1750 stock build price, which tbh won't be much of a challenge ;)

Bank account took a bit of a hit, but pretty much everything has arrived all at once :)

Gone with Shimano XT gears and brakes with SLX cranks and Ibis 29 wheels

Now to start building!

This is sounding ace!

Building a whole new bike around a seatpost is about the most lfgss I think I've ever heard. Congratulations.

Shame he didn't accidentally buy a dropper post...
Build progress? It's been a day already!

The big pile of boxes turned into this yesterday.

Just need to trim the brake hoses, finish setting the gears and cut down the steering tube.

Full kit list for anyone interested:
XT brakes and XT 11 speed gears
SLX 1X cranks and Sunrace 11-50 cassette
Ibis 938 wheels with Teravail 29 x 2.8 tires
Kore m35 durox bars and cubix stem
Charge spoon titanium railed saddle
Nukeproof neutron evo pedals
Crank brothers cobalt 3 seat post, that started the who idea! Thanks Dad :)

And all for less than a stock build, with everything new apart from the bars and stem(which look new to my ageing eyes).

Weights in at 12.8kg not bad for a steel 29+ bike with a 50t rear. Not that I was trying to keep the weight down, just how it came out.

Hopefully get to Epping forest this week, then first 88 mile, 3 day mini adventure planned for late July. Can’t wait!

dredge but liking this thread

super nice way of thinking, I might send you a seat post just to see what's next!
How many teeth on the chainring?
what's the size of the frame?
I'm after a yellow one, don't know if I should go for L or XL with my 186cm/ 58cm road frames

Totally forgot about this thread! Loving this bike so much, bought one for the missus but saddle couldn't keep it (touch big for her too)
Been having some great fun on this, runs double duties for bike packing and trails

On a 120 mile off-road mini adventure

And after a day of pretty muddy trails

Can't recommend it enough, not sure on sizing though, I about 6' (6'1" on a good day with fair wind) and the Large is bang on.

nice pictures!
Thanks!