[Closed] Stooge Cycles - who's interested? (slack 29er content)

Stoogefest south is a good idea. Can we make it a Sunday ride starting in Dorking/Westcott? In fact, what about next Sunday?

Stoogefest south is a good idea. Can we make it a Sunday ride starting in Dorking/Westcott? In fact, what about next Sunday?

This is the same as saying "I'm doing my normal ride, follow if you want".

For myself, Sunday mornings have become problematic because my delectable cohabitee has taken up riding with the road club. (Horns of dilemma: good, she's out on a bike .. bad, she's out on a road bike).

I spent a maiden few hours aboard my Stooge yesterday.

It's my first 29er and I haven't ridden rigid for ages, plus I'm riding it singlespeed - so I will try to keep my ride notes separate from these factors.

I've come from 5 years on a 120mm-forked Cotic Soul.

Initial trail notes:

- Easily the most comfortable rigid I've ridden;
- I really like the ride position and what I'd describe as predictable handling;
- Far more capable than I remember the Soul being, when rigid;
- Glides over obstancles and through ruts with near abandon - the change from a suspension-forked 26er was less traumatic than expected;
- I got just a hint of how this is a [i]very[/i] involving chassis though twisting singletrack;
- It's not as agile as a 26er...but sensitive to fine inputs;
- It is not as much of an all-rounder as some bikes, although that's not what I expected or wanted.

To be a little clearer on the final point: I was looking for a bike to cover the 95% of riding I do, which is at a trail centre just minutes from my front door. I don't ride endless days in the Alps, at far-flung trail centres on black runs, nor crossing maps.

I'm realistic about the fact that having young children has limited what I remember as endless sun-kissed weekends of riding and then cleaning MTBs. I now snatch little slices of time - an hour here and there...working from home, summer evenings - for a quick ride.

I ride frequently, but the benefits of a full suspension dream machine are nowadays lost on me (although I could afford one); the cost per ride could be frightening, for a bike totally capable of the 5% of my riding...yet overkill for the 95%. All I really need is a nice, simple MTB.

The Stooge appears to fit this brief incredibly well. 🙂

ska-49 - Member

Lovely photos. 80 miles is great! Hopefully i'll do some when weather permits. What sort of elevation do you do?

It was around 5000ft climbing... 32x17 gearing

Kbrembo, where?

Kbrembo, where?

Yes, because I want to move there! Wetter than an otter's pocket here on the south isle.

It was around 5000ft climbing... 32x17 gearing

I want to know so I can avoid it.

I keep checking in here to see if there's any sign of that Candy Apple Red special edition.

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Krembo's pics look like Aviemore. I'm near Inverness, and would love to see a Stooge, so I'll keep my eyes peeled!

deejayen - Member
Krembo's pics look like Aviemore. I'm near Inverness, and would love to see a Stooge, so I'll keep my eyes peeled!

I am near Inverness....my email is in my profile..You can take it a whirl if you want to try it.

Honorable george, that photo you put up is more or less identical to my old bike apart from the seatpost, i'm left with no choice but to make this happen, though it won't be until next year some time.oh, the things we give away.

Howsabout a Yellow Banana edition too.

Howsabout a Yellow Banana edition too.

god no, that's a large reason why I walked away from the Singular Rooster.

chrome/raw/brushed or a gentle off-white.

anyway, given the purple and blue are both gorgeous, I think you have an eye for colour.

jonestown - Member
Honorable george, that photo you put up is more or less identical to my old bike apart from the seatpost, i'm left with no choice but to make this happen, though it won't be until next year some time.oh, the things we give away.

Howsabout a Yellow Banana edition too.

I'm good with either (though I'd be OK with red forks, rather than chrome)

Always found myself looking at the blue and purle and not quite liking either - though purple was the better of the two

mattjg - Member

god no, that's a large reason why I walked away from the Singular Rooster.

chrome/raw/brushed or a gentle off-white.

Off-white had me walking away from the Singular Swift - just thought it looked dull and lifeless.

fair point

chocolate?

Thanks very much, Krembo. I'll drop you an email.

I love off-white - saw a Swift frameset the other day, and thought it looked great.

British racing green would make a nice pairing with the candy apple red. Both with chrome forks. 0r black metal flake.

We need a photoshopper

Stoogefest south......I'll be up for that ..

It seems we have a fest.

Nice write up Ben.
Yellow is a bad colour for bikes IMHO.

Interested in the 'fest' if a Jones is allowed to the join the Stooge part-ay.

Excellent! This should be fun. So, Surrey hills but where and when?

A Jones? At Stoogefest?

"Stoogefest" that just offends my niche...im oooot 😀

A Jones? Imposter!

I may well join you guys for the Southern Stooge Fest if i'm allowed 😐

I don't have a Stooge but would love to see them in the flesh.

Kbrembo's pics look suspiciously like An Lochan Uaine (green loch) on the Ryvoan pass route up at Aviemore, stunning place indeed.

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Apologies for the photo purists, i know the loch is at an angle.

A Jones? Imposter!

Meh, you can all gawp at how my toptube doesn't require bracing every 6 inches 😉

Meh, you can all gawp at how my toptube doesn't require bracing every 6 inches

Eh those aint braces they're thingy hangers ..

... while we gawp at the odd sized hubs and wide choice of colours.

Medium sized chappies, how many mm of spacers roughly .. 40 mm? (Flat bars at the mo).

I think we're the same height matt. I'm running 25mm with 20mm rise bars so that's roughly the same as 40mm and flat bars.

Thx, you're a bit taller than me, though I like my bars quite high nowadays. Anyway I was hoping to get it done for tonight's ride but not gonna happen. Saturday maybe.

My Nextie 50mm carbon rims just arrived which will be going on my Stooge. They weigh 508 and 512 g and are lovely. Sadly will be to busy to build the wheels for a few weeks.
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They both 50mm? Found some tyres pretty fight on a 50mm rear rim. Look spanky though 🙂

yes, both 50mm. Thought it prudent to future proof as I might go for a 29+ front and rear frame sometime in the future. Can you offer some advice on what does fit?

The stooge got a hard work-out yesterday!

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Nice! What gear ratio are you using?

32 18 the steep bits would have been walked in any gear!

Fair enough! Are you doing the Highland Trail next year?

Clink - Member

Fair enough! Are you doing the Highland Trail next year?

Yeah...well I will be attempting it 😉

Bealach na Sgiarne? Looks unmistakeable that view down to the West.
I didn't think anyone could ride that without an enduro rig 😉
Did u ride downhill headig East or West?

Stooge on a short after work ride. Fuunnnnnn 😀
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