Is there such a thing as a monster cross bike? The name was mentioned in a blog post I was reading and wondered what they are. Does anyone own one?

W

It’s a drop-barred 29er.

They do exist, here’s proof:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=monster+corss&rls=com.microsoft:en-GB:%7Breferrer:source%3F%7D&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=dws5T_fyGImo0QWm19mhAg&biw=1280&bih=899&sei=eQs5T57ICsnW0QWXpL23Ag

WTF??

Looks awesome IMHO..

mmm Singular Peregrine mmmm

It’s a drop-barred 29er.

can-of-worms

more here

I’m not a huge fan of the term, though to me they are 700c wheeled bikes with drop bars and tyres bigger than cross but smaller than full blown 29er. Clearly the dividing line between monstercross and drop bar 29er is somewhat blurred.

Doney’s Peregrine by Singular Cycles, on Flickr

If you’re attracted by the versatility, you won’t be disappointed.

I’ve always been a “1 set of tyres at a time” mountainbiker, never replacing before a set is worn out, but in the year of having my Peregrine, I’ve had it on 4 sets of tyres: 2.0 race kings – off road rides, on road snow. 28c gatorskins for commuting and fast road rides, 2.0 creme Fat Franks for canal path cruising and tarting about on, and most recently 35mm slicks for something in between the last 2.

And then there’s the EBB for clean, faff-free singlespeed options, and the rack mounts.

I was bored last summer, and with a spare frame wafting about, came up with the gopper:

It was surprisingly good to ride, if not he most charming looking thing.

Its now built up as a propper 29er again as my geared/suspended bike for away days. But Im toying with building a nice CX/SS around a new 135mm pompino frame to get some of the monstercrossyness back…

I always felt monster required big tires…and TBH I’ve found little point in mid-size tires for my riding…YMMV.

I’ve got a Karate Monkey set up as a monstercross. Its ugly but comfy and totally relentless once up to speed on 2 inch knobblies. It usually rides on WTB pathway tyres which roll a bit better on tarmac and are tough enough to go off road.

I built it to be a bike that could be used anywhere and it has lived up to expectations. Only really got drops on it as I find them more comfortable. Drops with V brakes off road can be interesting though.

It is quite possibly uglier than Stoners efforts above which is why I’ve never taken a photo of it!

check out the epic monstercross thread on mtbr under the 29er section womble

Stoner that actually looks quite fun to ride. If it had a less rank looking stem I’d probably ride one as a weird hybrid roadie mtb thing.

with a slightly less rank stem, it wouldnt be nearly as nice to ride. The yellow dot is the drops riding position with the gopping stem set up. Without it puts you way below normal riser height.
Did this to illustrate when I built it.

MONSTER cross
P1080689 by PedroGringo, on Flickr

Identity crisis. Half-fat, monster cross, or simply a dropbar 29er?

I struggle to see why people want those God-awful bars. Get drops, use drops not those foul spread out nonsense thingys..

crikey – Member

I struggle to see why people want those God-awful bars. Get drops, use drops not those foul spread out nonsense thingy

I believe they are optimal when used on trail centre double black runs for smoking people dressed like storm troopers on dh bikes. Possibly*

*highly f***in unlikely

crikey – Member
I struggle to see why people want those God-awful bars. Get drops, use drops not those foul spread out nonsense thingys..

Ordinary drops are much narrower. These are comfortable and give plenty useful positions. The setup is nothing like a road bike, just got curly bars.

Shiggy explains the reasons

crikey – Member
I struggle to see why people want those God-awful bars. Get drops, use drops not those foul spread out nonsense thingys..

Which bars are you talking about?

heh the tops of my Woodchippers are below my saddle!

Crikey is into drop bars used for prancing round a field for less than an hour – they’re probably easier for the rider to get handed his clean bike every lap 😉

Oooooh I’m loving that orange half fat bike, the singular Peregrine and that Van Dessel WTF is awesome!!! The reason I asked what a monster cross bike was is because I’m looking to treat myself to a bike to go alongside my 2003 Spesh Epic (that I’ve decided to keep now) and fancied something fun and totally different in style and ride to the Epic. Thanks for the replies, links and photos…. A monster cross is definitely top of the list so far.

W

Peregrine = “something fun and totally different” options til the cows come home:

Great builds there ned.

Neither of them are mine (neither of the pictures, and neither of the bikes have ever belonged to me – not getting in to that one again!)

Plenty of pictures on flickr, those are a couple of my favourites.