I will be demo both of these at the weekend (I will get pics) 😀

@ http://www.qecyclefest.co.uk/

Vid of the monstercross bike:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37582372@N07/8754516329/

How were they?

I really like the fat bike, it was better thatn the surly on i rode last year. Slacker and a more aggrssive feel.

The monstercross bike was nuts on trail type riding, very fast but not as light as i thought it would be.

Really like the Caribou

What exactly is the point of that monstercross bike? With that stem you may as well just put a pair of bar-ends backwards on a standard rigid MTB.

Is the monster cross bike a standard fortitude frame with drop bars or a new frame with a shorter top tube? Doesn’t look like the head tube is any longer?

As per tthew, what is the point of a monster cross bike? I’m vaguely tempted but don’t really see what they’d be any good for. Won’t have the speed of a cross bike, or the control aspect of a mountain bike….so the worst of both worlds?

The caribou is a great climber. On the short sharp climbs of qe, it was no slower or noticeably heavier than my soul. The bike is suprisingly light too.
Monstercross bike would be good for something like the sdw, but limited use

What exactly is the point of that monstercross bike?

No idea.

Monstercross bike would be good for something like the sdw, but limited use

Not sure it was only 1×10

The monstercross is a standard Fortitude race frame fitted with drop bars hence the choice of stem.

Well that really is daft then, fit some really wide ‘drop bars’ then a tall/ugly stem to put the hand position pretty much in the same place as a narrow MTB bar. The only thing you’ve changed is the orienation of the hands.

Well that really is daft then, fit some really wide ‘drop bars’ then a tall/ugly stem to put the hand position pretty much in the same place as a narrow MTB bar. The only thing you’ve changed is the orienation of the hands.

and CX/Road style shifter and cable disc brakes but apart from that it looks like its the same bike.

I had a quick spin around the grass area on the caribou. wow, what a bike!! I think it would do me as a one bike only solution. rides really light and feels fast. as soon as funds allow I will be getting one……..

Well that really is daft then, fit some really wide ‘drop bars’ then a tall/ugly stem to put the hand position pretty much in the same place as a narrow MTB bar. The only thing you’ve changed is the orienation of the hands.

Got it in one! One of the main pro’s of offroad drops is the more natural hand postion they provide. Unlike road drops, the idea is that you spend the majority of the time in the drops – hence the high HB position and ugly stem as a bodge to get said position.

Very tempted by a Caribou …

The monster-cross idea is great, it works really well (for me) … (but already owning a Peregrine and a Gryphon, I need to make space for a fat bike next). 😛