Here ya go .. for 650+ comparisons. 1 fits an average 29er rear, the other won’t. The smaller tyre (Trailblazer) has a tread width a little narrower than an Ardent 2.4

How do they ride?!

I think that you could keep exactly the same geometrie with sliding dropouts (short chainstay) and slide them backwards to get a 29+ in at just a little weight penalty (sliding dropout construction vs excentric bb plus wider chainstays to match with 3″ tires) .
Stooge has not been designed to use 29+ in the front…..but still several owners have tried and it seems to work well. I have tried it and personally like it better with 2.4 upfront, but it’s nice to have the option.
Similar to this I think the 29+ option in the back could have more people interested, lifting with the fatbike-hype and newcoming 29+ bikes (Singular, Jones, Genesis, Niner) . If people don’t want to use it, sliding dropouts still make a nice singlespeed set-up and gives extra possibility of tuning chainstays anayway. Buy a light narrow wheelset and a second set with wide rims and you could make it any bike you want within 15 minutes.
Could be a nice Stooge 2.0 concept for the next series ?

Stooge has not been designed to use 29+ in the front….

I thought it had… 😕

Grrr.

I’m sure Jonestown (love that name!) – has stated on this thread that the Stooge is optimised for 29+ 3″ Knard and was specifically designed for this tyre.

However – what we’re talking about now is a new frame design and what we want for it. Obviously Jonestown, much like Jones himself, will make the bike THEY want to make.

Personally – I want a frame that will: take a 4.8″ tyre on the front and a 4″ ( for the type of riding I do, I don’t see the need for a massive rear tyre or rim) tyre on the back and all options in between 650+ 29+ I think probably swing type dropouts or sliders is the way to go- and handle like a Jones or Stooge. I don’t see this happening anytime soon though – so I may have to go custom.

Takisawa, you’re right, it was designed with a view to running a 29+ front. The other night I did an epic night ride with a damn long, very rocky descent and this set up came into its own, no pain at all at very high speeds. My friend on the other hand runs his stooge with a regular front tire, the bike feels a little livelier in the steering dept, he loves it like that, and a tad harsher up front. Different strokes I guess.

Borrowed the demo from Keep Pedalling in Manchester for the weekend. Will report when I finished riding it even more. NIce 80km spin home from Barnsley today 🙂

Went today into keep on pedalling to have a look, now know where it went…..looks good and need the review now

I’m just hoping a Ti version and a smaller size will be available for my 50th next year. Sizing wise I guess I could ride the current model but I’d be right at one end of the sizing giving limited choice of set ups.

Have you ridden one? The steel feels great. Not sure whether Ti would bring allot to the party. I know I could save the weight difference 🙂 If you’re anywhere need W Wales you’re welcome to try mine.

Mal-ec I,m 55kg, I can’t lose any more without being blown over by a gentle breeze! Any extra weight on the bike for me has quite a significant effect on my power to weight ratio. I have a heavy steel rigid bike now with a Rohloff and that rides really well but I also like the the ride of my carbon framed 1×9 set up which is obviously very different.
I’d quite like the idea of running the Stooge with the Rohloff,at least in the winter, so anything that can help lighten the overall bike would be nice.
And thanks for the kind offer of the test ride, I’m a bit far away on the South Downs but it’s always encouraging when someone says come and try my bike, makes you sure they think they’ve found something a bit special.

Should have the review done this evening – need to just twiddle some photos 🙂

Ok, so my views on the Stooge: Stooge “review”.

In short – beautiful looking bike, but the back end’s too short for my liking.

Interesting. I think it was designed, as you put it, as a ‘go have some fun in the woods for an hour and a pint bike’, not as a bikepacking rig. So according to your review, it’s spot-on for what it is designed for!

I find the back end good, and not harsh at all. I rode mine again last weekend on some rocky trails, probably faster than my other bikes. With the slacker front a longer rear would make it too ponderous IMO.

With the slacker front a longer rear would make it too ponderous

You’re right, Clink, the bike is designed to pivot around the rear axle, the result being you can switch lines in an instant. I’m hitting huge, rocky descents and the same short rear end makes the front glide and skip over obstacles. With my weight towards the rear of the bike i find it all very ‘predictable’ 🙂

I did near 100 miles on mine over the weekend and find the rear very sweet and not harsh. Infact,for myself I find the bike is extremly comfortable on long runs and has much better handling on the technical singletrack and downward trails than my El Mariachi. It also rips on singletrack..it’s now my go-to bike.I will be doing lots more long rides in the coming winter months and fully intend to take the Stooge round the Highland Trail 2015! The most unpredictable thing on the bike is the Knard on the front!

I don’t find the rear harsh or bouncy, smooth and planted are the words I’d use.

Agree with the conclusion though. I find it a great bike for thrashing around in the woods but not as good an all rounder as my Jones. It did fine on my 17 mile, 4500ft climbing and descending loop yesterday but there where times on theclimb I was wishing for the Jones, but never on the descent.

but there where times on theclimb I was wishing for the Jones,

Just to be difficult, I find the Stooge a much better climber than the Jones! 😆

Kbrembo

You’ve won the…

Best Stooge thread pic

And also best mtb pic ive seen for a very long time

Best Stooge thread pic

And also best mtb pic ive seen for a very long time

Is a very photogenic bike!

Ta 😀

Agreed.
My experience of the bike is very different from GM’s. IME Back end feels really comfortable, does what you ask it to and allows for great handling. I ride allot of different terrain including rocky techy stuff which it handles brilliantly. Its not a skill compensator, not a ploddy neutral ride. Think it’s improved my bike handling loads.

Krembo, what ratio are you running?

The most unpredictable thing on the bike is the Knard on the front!

Have you tried the Knard on a wider rim ?
Just about to build a Dually up for my rigid SIR.9 to run a Knard up front.
The wheel will hopefully migrate to a Stooge eventually. 😉

I struggle with long sentences. But. You have seen the new Jones+ geoemtry yeah?

I struggle with long sentences. But… You have seen the new Jones+ geometry yeah?

Go on – give us an explanation! 🙂

The most unpredictable thing on the bike is the Knard on the front!

… on a Stan’s Flow Rim. You won’t unlock the potential of a 29+ tyre without using wider rims. Surly Knards were designed to be used with 50mm rims! (or at least something close to that) 😉

Stooge is super light on its front so does need weighting in some instances to avoid washing out

After completely destroying a/some Knard(s) I think I’ll just wait for my Chronicle before returning to ’29+’!

Roll on October!

Clink, while I like the stiff b&b of the Stooge for climbing I still prefer the weight of my Ti Jones

Clink, while I like the stiff b&b of the Stooge for climbing I still prefer the weight of my Ti Jones

You’ll be wanting a ti Stooge then! 😉

I struggle with long sentences. But. You have seen the new Jones+ geoemtry yeah?

eeeeeeeurgh. The old truss/diamond frames were so pretty aswell.

That is not a looker

The other image on the Jones site looks a lot better less worse

I think it’s the seattube bend that does it. if that was straight it would look alright. maybe

i like it a lot, looks like a big stable beast. Touring bike geometry on steroids. And i’m not taking the piss here, but lateral thinking has just caused me to witness something very strange – a path-racer with 29+ wheels, now that would be a bike, wouldn’t it?

a path-racer with 29+ wheels, now that would be a bike, wouldn’t it?

You are epicyclo and i claim my £5.
🙂

it was supposed to be a secret 🙁

[url=https://flic.kr/p/pdgjsn]Stooge Cycles[/url] by placid casual, on Flickr

That’s all really…

placid_casual can you do a mini review of the jones and salsa bars on the stooge.

Jones Geometry – check the figures. Check the date.
Jones Plus Geometry – different figures. Different date.

Thread closed :O)