Ben H

It’s difficult to tell from the review whether the gripe was with the Stooge or with the fact it’s a rigid bike.

I had a Stooge – as my only MTB – from last October until May this year. It replaced my 26er Cotic Soul. I loved the looks, the handling and the overall experience. Initially, I ran it singlespeed, before adding gears as winter turned into spring.

I did, however, move back to a Soul with bouncy forks again (27.5 this time). I found having a rigid bike as my only bike too uncomfortable and a little limiting (for me) once the trails dried out and I was working the tyres harder. It almost certainly made me into a smoother rider – and, yes, I still almost certainly lack awesome skilz – but it hurt.

There is no question that I’d have the Stooge back as a second bike, ideally as a winter SS – I really loved it. As my only bike, though, it wasn’t to be!

Unfortunately, Ben, you ain’t getting it back. Soooo glad you sold it to me. Nearly 2500km since then.

I have loved riding it since the first build and have put in a few mods and upgrades on which have improved things including going from 2.25 tyres to 3.0 front and 2.4 rear.

I’m running it as an only bike having dismantled my Specialized Epic for sale. When I rode the Specialized after running the Stooge for a few weeks I actually found it quite stiff and lacking in ‘travel’ compared to the Stooge and small too. While I really enjoy riding the Stooge and would say it is probably my favourite and best bike ever, I recognise that my experience is quite limited and am conscious that there are probably bikes I would ride and find better, but for the money – we have built 2 for about £1500 in total now – it takes a bit of beating.

One thing I have to say is that being based in the west of Scotland I haven’t really had a chance to experience dry trails in our 11 month winter climate. So maybe if next year is better, the April May window may be revealing.

Looking back over my 21 years of MTBing, I realise that only 2008-2014 were ridden on suspension. A 2008 Stumpjumper for 6 months until my wife commandeered it, then through to 2014 on a 2008 Epic. My original bike was a rigid ’92 Scott Windriver, which in its day was probably Scott’s Stump. Loved that bike, and turned it into a hardtail in 2012. Along the way, I got a 1990/92 Stump for commuting and ended up running it last year as a mountain bike and did some major mileage in the woods and hills round here last year. Perhaps that has prepared me for the Stooge.

Any advice / experience on a tire combo for mainly woodsy trails?
I was looking at a fat b nimble on the front but I’m a bit in doubt on a matching rear tire. Clearance isn’t an issue as I’ve got a mk2 frame. I was thinking either a 2.4 x-king or a 2.35 ikon. My rims are 29mm internal.

Cheers.

Maxxis Chronicle front, Nobby Nic 2.35 rear. Nobby Nic is good for wet/muddy rooty ground and climbing. Most of my riding is in woods. Use this combination all year as we have 11 months wet conditions. Mk1 frame. 19mm internal rim width

Anyone one here had a Large Yelli Screamy to compare size/fit of the Stooge to?

(^ good to see you’ve made it on here Nate 😉 Hope someone can come in on your question)

I decided to see what the 29+ was all about (not that I hadn’t already had a taste of things on Stooge with 29+ up front)

So, a few weeks back I picked up a Trek Stache. Intention behind it was the Stache could be a little bigger at 21.5 and I could run a smaller stem

I have the Stooge set-up 27+

Must say right off the bat what a brilliant job of things Trek have done with the rigid Stache. The engineering, design and F+F is superb. Overall weight of the bike (21.5) is super low too (wheels-sets are particularly light) and quite a fair bit lighter than Stooge

I have previously run the Stooge with a 29+ front so overall the Stache has not been a massive change

The biggest difference was going 27+ on the Stooge – wow – agility…. and fun

Yes, the Stooge on 27+ is most certainly the more fun to ride bike. There I said it. Stache is supreme, no doubt, but is it ‘too’ good at what it does?? Stooge invites you to rag the bike a little more. Pop off here, manual there, try and jump this bit (my riding rarely sees both wheels off the ground I must add – I’m self employed)

It feels the better climber too. When riding with others I am more up with the front, and it’s just a racket going down

I don’t know, but just maybe if I had been able to demo the Stache for a good few days I may not have pulled the trigger. If you’ve got a clutch of 29er’s already Stache is not going to be a game changer, whereas going 27+ certainly is

My take at any rate

The bikes (yes, pure coincidence the colour’s are identical)

Try 27+ on the Stache then – it’ll take it – at least at the rear. BB might be too low with 27+ ft and rr.

I really like the look of that Stache, being short it would fit better than the Stooge which is a bit long for my liking but I’d like the option of running my Rohloff with it and I don’t think thats an option with the Boost rear.

What’s the max B+ tyre width that can be ran in the Mk2?

Can it run a 3.25″

it’s designed around a 3″ B+ or a 2.4 29er, i’m running a 3 with plenty of clearance, 3.25 fits too but the clearance is a little tighter (obviously).

Right-ho, i’ve trawled through nearly all of this thread and persuaded myself i need a stooge frame, but not overly sure what the mk2 is optimised for wheel wise – is it still a 29+ in front but a B+ rear or B+ front and rear?
I’d be swapping parts over from the current 29er which has pretty narrow rims, so wondering best options to minimise cost as can’t really afford a whole new wheelset as well.

One other point – there’s a lot of reference in the thread to xc, big days out etc etc, which is fine as most of my riding is in the chilterns.
But wondering on peoples thoughts on how the stooge handles somewhere like the quantocks or a s.wales trail centre. I know it’s rigid and all that, just interested in some real work experiences – it’s one in, one out for me so want to make sure a stooge isn’t going to leave me a broken battered mess on the rare occasions i do get somewhere bumpy.
cheers

I’m not sure what constitutes “rocky” in Wales as I’ve never ridden there, but I ride my Stooge here and have a blast!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIiMUKPdxew.

yep…that’s definitely rocky! If a stooge is happy down that then it’s certainly going to be happy where i ride.
cheers

Don’t tell Greg May you can ride ‘rocky’ on a Stooge

Stooge owners – whats the seat tube length c-t?

Bump

18″

Geo bottom of page http://stoogecycles.co.uk/framesets/

Thanks clink but it says 18″ is c-c, I’m after centre of Bob to top of seat tube.
Want to compare it to my other bikes – can you measure yours (if you have one?)

Austinburner, you’ve just uncovered a mistake on my website, it is 18″ centre to top. I best get on it 🙂

Anyone running a “Stooge Moto Bar” on theirs?

Bumping the thread..
Does anyone know the weight of the Ti Stooge frame and fork?

Hey Stooge owners, I’m just in the process of ordering a Stooge of my own at the moment and I’d appreciate a bit of help with the spec. I’ve read all the info I can find around these builds and I think what I’ve arrived at is going to be a really nice build and it’s fair to say I’ve not been this excited about a bike for a long time!
The problem I’ve got is due to a bit of miss-communication between myself and Charlie the Bikemonger I’ve come in £226 over budget. So if you good people dont mind I thought I’d put the spec here for you to have a look at and ask all of you for your comments on what you’d chop and change and why, or alternatively if you’d just find a way of paying the extra £226!

Original budget was £1600, currently sitting at £1826.54!

Stooge 29er Hardtail Frame and Fork – 2nd GENERATION – Colour:Aqua Blue £439.99
hope hubs in orange
£227.00
hope headset in orange
£80.00
0 WTB Scraper Rim – size:27.5 650b
£219.98
7673 WTB Trail Blazer TCS Light Fast Rolling Folding Tyre 27.5 x 2.8
£71.80
tubless parts and set up
£50.00
slx cranks 175mm with Surly chainring 36t
£119.99
41 KMC Z610 HX Chain 3/32″
£9.95
219 Charlie’s Single Speed cassette Spacers + Lockring
£15.99
197 Surly Cassette Cog:18t
£22.90
Stooge Moto bar
£ not sure
thomson stem 70mm zero
£79.99
1924 01 Racing Carbon Headset Spacers
£10.99
5387 ESI Extra Chunky Grips – Colour:Black
£15.99
Thomson seatpost 27.2 (layback 410)
£80.00
6222 Brooks Cambium Saddle C17 – Colour:Rust
£109.99
seatclamp black QR
£8.99
slx brakes inc rotors
£198.00

At this point my thinking is downgrade the Thompson stuff and the Brooks saddle and then cough up the rest?

What would you do?

Ditch the Thomson as you say and go for deore brakes.

A bit of shopping around could help – CRC have SLX brakes at £42 each and XT rotors at £17 making a set less than £120, saving you £80ish, just on brakes.

Here’s my latest try

Double post – image issues

Thanks for the advice guys, I think i’ll ditch the Thompson and pay up the rest. I’ll post pics when it’s all done.

You deleted the wrong post Bonesetter.

😳

**** knows whats going with Picasa. No problems ever till now

Front brake…?

thegreatesttapegoodspot

Bonesetter how well does it roll on those wheels/tyres compared to set up as a ‘normal’ 29er?

What would you do?

Buy from a cheaper shop? £50 for tubeless parts and setup…WTF is that?!

I’ll let you know tom when i’ve ridden it 😉

Well, Stooge in the above B+ rear, 29+ front is just epic.

Last night’s ride was very dry with zero mud, with a dampness to the ground which gave compliancy and uber grip – hero dirt basically

Wow, the Stooge (and rider) was flying. I’ve been riding my rigid Trek Stache 5 for the past couple of months and stepping onto the Stooge I was laughing and shreeking like a kid at bronco

I don’t like to say this, but the Stooge blows the Stache away as far as ride goes

It feels organic, planted, compliant, comfortable in comparison to a dead, inert feel of the Trek. I really didn’t think frame material could make such a difference, and of course it’s more than that, but wow what a difference

I can’t imagine it getting any better

£50 for tubeless parts and setup…WTF is that?!

+1

For some 50mm electrical tape and a minute with the compressor, I can see it taking an hour if it’s some bodged together spec by the buyer, you’d have to pay me a lot more than £50 to get some wheels setup properly! But if it’s tubeless wheels and tyres then that’s a bit steep.

If that were my build I’d maybe trim back on some finishing kit, Thompson, brooks and stooge bars are all nice, but not cheap! You could cut about £300 there and replace it with £70 of alright stuff from somewhere else (On-One twelfty post, On-One CNC stem, Charge Spoon saddle, OG bars)

Wow, few rides in with the Stooge Moto Bars

They work – really work, very well

Highly recommended, even go as far as to say transform the bike

Since trying this mixed wheel size set-up and it immediately making me squeal, I haven’t felt like changing things…

Moto bars and a shorter stem nudged the fun a bit further 😛

Is the stack height measurement on the Stooge website correct at 584?

There’s a 3mm difference between adding fork length, head tube length and bb drop between a Stooge and my large Swift 663 stooge v 660 swift, but the stack is given as 584 when my Swift is given 619. I realise there’s more trigonometry involved, but not sure how there could be a big difference.

Read through this thread, and people seem to be having level bars or higher with the Stooge,, especially with a 29 plus front to unweight the bars on the hands. Mulling over trying a Stooge, though there looks to be only 1 degree difference in head angle. My Fatty was 584 ish and would want something higher.

Little artistic licence on having Moto bars..
Just waiting on the front brake mount for the 180mm rotor.

Wow Cokie, that looks like a pearler. Loving that colour

So, that’s a Chuppa up front? How about the rear?

Moto bars are perfect for Stooge

And what’s that front chainring? I run the same cranks with a RF narrow/wide

Beauty