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1. Sam - Member

   My definition is this

   What a Monster 'Cross bike is;
   Drop bars
   622 ETRTO
   knobby tyres more (pref much more) than 35mm wide

   What it isn't;
   Anything with suspension
   Anything with flat bars
   Anything with slicks
   Anything which would be better defined as a tourer, commuter, or in fact any other kind of bike.

   Though as above, it needn't be too strict a definition, in fact it needn't be a definition at all really, just a type of bike which has started to gain some popularity and had no neat handle. I think Wade at Vulture is attributed with coining the term.

   Lots of good pics in the Monstercross group on Flickr

   Posted 6 months ago #
2. Rusty Spanner - Member

   So it IS a cross bike with wide tyres?

   Nowt wrong with that, very sensible, make a nice tourer with the right braze ons and some slicks.
   Bloody silly name though.

   Can Trek make one, or must they be shedtastic?

   Posted 6 months ago #
3. sofaking - Member

   Can Trek make one

   
   yes they will just copy someone elses design

   Posted 6 months ago #
4. Rusty Spanner - Member

   They've already got a cross bike - I reckon they'll manage to find some big tyres and multicoloured bar tape from somewhere.

   FWIW I think they're a great idea - perfect both for those with limited room AND for those with unlimited room.

   Posted 6 months ago #
5. The Swedish Chef - Member

   Loving the huge Dugast tubs on that Peregrine, nice

   Posted 6 months ago #
6. Stoner - Member

   What it isn't;
   Anything with suspension

   You are NOT going to like what Im about to do to mine then

   Posted 6 months ago #
7. still s8tannorm - Member

   Here's mine ... slag off at will

   

   Posted 6 months ago #
8. sofaking - Member

   this was so much fun

   [img] swift bull by SoFaKiNg., on Flickr[/img]

   Sorry Sam

   Posted 6 months ago #
9. Fuzzyfelt - Member

   So, are most of these additions of drop bars to frames previously ridden with flats? Just thinking that banging a set of midge bars or the like on my Niner EMD would make it a bit stretched - even with a short/high stem. Ridden a large Swift and sizewise it feels spot on with flats; would the consensus be that if starting from scratch a medium would be better? (.....or a large Gryphon!)

   Posted 6 months ago #
10. cynic-al - Member

    IME/O 3-4 cm less on the TT is ideal (relative to a flat-barred frame).

    And so I'm riding a 18" Kona and it's still a bit too long - I'd usually ride a 19-20" bike...I couldn't afford a new Fargo/Gryphon and actually like the light/stiff alu ride.

    Posted 6 months ago #
11. Woody - Member

    Yup. I would say a size down would be necessary depending on top tube length. I bought the Redline below thinking it was 17" (it's a 19") and it was stretch too far. You could always go short stem and inline post.

    I liked it a lot - so much so I've bought a proper cx frame in the right size
    

    Posted 6 months ago #
12. merlinshearer - Member

    Before I embark on Project Monstercross anyone got one I could sit on (in the East Mids / East of England) to gauge frame size - I'm 6'4" and normally ride a 21" - 26"wheeled 'normal' mountain bike. Much appreciated!!

    Posted 6 months ago #
13. merlinshearer - Member

    @Stoner – is that an On-One Inbred?
    @epicyclo – what frame is that?

    Posted 6 months ago #
14. epicyclo - Member

    merlinshearer - Member
    @epicyclo – what frame is that?
    

    Ragley TD-1

    Posted 6 months ago #
15. cynic-al - Member

    epi what are the forks?

    Posted 6 months ago #
16. epicyclo - Member

    Chinese Ti. Made short to minimise flex, but unfortunately they didn't get the bit about making them wider.

    I overdid the shortness because I didn't leave enough room for one of my classy mudguards.

    Ride nicely though and light.

    I'm going to do a set of drawings and maybe try the Russians if my current fork experiment doesn't work..

    (They're coming off the bike so I can have a mudguard for winter, so if you want to try a Ti fork I'll bring them down to Edinburgh next visit - as long as I have them back before the 'Puffer)

    Posted 6 months ago #
17. Stoner - Member

    Mine's based on a 21" Scandal with vert dropouts.
    The frame isnt designed for drop bars, the dropouts arent designed for SS and the frame is too big for drop bars.

    Proper tool abuse.

    Posted 6 months ago #
18. swavis - Member

    I'm just about to build a monstercross up. Still trying to decide on the frame. I thought about a karate monkey, but it was pointed out to me that the horizontal drop outs might be a PITA when running discs, so then I thought Inbred 29er with carbon forks. I'm now liking the look of the Fargo and the Gryphon, I don't think the Gryphon has rack mounts though does it?
    Flinking choices

    Posted 6 months ago #
19. cynic-al - Member

    Thanks epi - maybe, how much did they cost? I am guessing <$545 for the US fat ti forks...

    Swavis I think the new or latest Gryphons have rack mounts? Pretty sure there's been some chat on that. Check stock BTW, Singular don't carry lots.

    Sam is great to deal with - just drop him a line on both counts.

    Posted 6 months ago #
20. swavis - Member

    Cheers Al, I think I'll do just that.

    Posted 6 months ago #
21. Singlespeed_Shep - Member

    

    Sadly sold to duckman

    Posted 6 months ago #
22. Sam - Member

    I don't think the Gryphon has rack mounts though does it?

    The new ones do - they were supposed to be delivered today but we've had a hold up in customs, should be early next week.

    Check stock BTW, Singular don't carry lots.

    As I think I said in another thread - problem is that you buggers keep buying em (and lead times are very long, though I'm working on that). There are 100 Gryphons arriving in this lot, with about a dozen back ordered. That should tide us over for a little while.

    Sam is great to deal with - just drop him a line on both counts.

    Awwww - thanks Al

    Any further questions by all means drop me a line.

    Posted 6 months ago #
23. DaveyBoyWonder - Member

    My eyes are bleeding.

    Posted 6 months ago #
24. mrvear - Member

    Most of these are mountain bikes with drop bars, are they not?

    Posted 6 months ago #
25. cynic-al - Member

    Yes - probably due to a shortage of drop-bar 29er frames (Fargo, Gryphon only IFAICT?)

    Posted 6 months ago #
26. Sam - Member

    Drop bar 29er, monstercross, there's not a huge amount of difference, if any.

    Posted 6 months ago #
27. Sam - Member

    Oh, and Al, there are also the Rawland Drakkar, Vassago Fisticuff, and a couple of others I can't put my finger on right now.

    Another nice one....

    Posted 6 months ago #
28. Sam - Member

    Possibly my all time favourite Peregrine build from a customer in Finland.

    
    Antti Finland Per S by Singular Cycles, on Flickr

    Posted 6 months ago #
29. cynic-al - Member

    All v nice Sam, it would just be nice if an On-one equivalent (i.e. say under £300) was on the market - I appreciate the market's not big enough though.

    I am tempted (if I can ever afford it) to get a custom Chinese/Russian ti monstercross/tourer a la Gryphon/Fargo but with a head tube that's what I call a "reasonable length".

    Posted 6 months ago #
30. Sam - Member

    I am tempted (if I can ever afford it) to get a custom Chinese/Russian ti monstercross/tourer a la Gryphon/Fargo but with a head tube that's what I call a "reasonable length".

    Would that be shorter or longer than a Gryphon? I expect shorter?

    Posted 6 months ago #
31. swavis - Member

    I can see why you like that Peregrine, it's lovely! I think it's the tyres that just top it off!

    Posted 6 months ago #
32. epicyclo - Member

    The long headtube lets you get the bars at the right height for riding drops offroad without lots of silly spacers.

    Posted 6 months ago #
33. jfeb - Member

    They aren't pretty but they are fun

    
    P1020569

    Posted 6 months ago #
34. nedrapier - Member

    Sam, that guy's two pics swung my mind to getting one. There's another one of his with road slicks on and it looks just as good!

    Second Sam being incredibly helpful. I would have annoyed me with the amount of emails I sent him, but helpful answers came back every time.

    Posted 6 months ago #
35. jameso - Member

    Singlespeed Shep for STW build of the year.. great looking bike, spot on build, I love it.

    Posted 6 months ago #

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