Finally complete:

Thon is bloody lovely! Some purple Hugo decals would be boss.

Oh my days thought the orange was nice. Now seen this.

That is the nicest looking bike i’ve seen in ages.

Some purple Hugo decals would be boss.

I’ve hot some Easton Haven(?) 45mm rims that are going to get built into some purple hubs to switch between this and my Sherpa otherwise it would have been purple decals 😆

coomber – Member
Oh my days thought the orange was nice. Now seen this.

That is the nicest looking bike i’ve seen in ages.

letmetalktomark – Member

I’ve hot some Easton Haven(?) 45mm rims that are going to get built into some purple hubs to switch between this and my Sherpa otherwise it would have been purple decals

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/easton-heist-arc-30-mtb-rim-decal-kit/rp-prod152728

Looking good from here. So, how do they ride?

Large orange frame arrived, weighed, recovered from shock, looking forward to building up and getting ridden. Lovely looking frame in the flesh – lots of interesting angles and ideas.

Will be very interestung to see how it compares to the departed swift and the constantly amusing puffin.

Congrats

29 or 27.5?

so hows it ride mark?

I’m going for 27.5×3.0. Direct swap from the old swift. Be a direct comparison.

Come on, hows the Mk3 ride compared to Mk1/2!!!!!!!…………

Yep I’d also like to know how the MK3 compares to the MK2. Trtying to decide between one of these or a stache.

How much does the MK3 frame weight

Also trying to decide between a large or regular at 6ft

letmetalktomark

How does the stooge compare to the sherpa

Link to my initial single speed build here:

Not ridden yet so no feedback but initial trip up garden tells me the large is good for me at 6’1″.

Does the weight matter? Well, yes and no. On the whole it doesn’t matter but I was out with some xc whippets on Sunday and the 11 pound extra bulk on my fat bike did make a difference up the hills. That’s my excuse anyway. Was fine going down of course.

@olibluegoat i’ve just built a large demo bike, and at 6′ myself, i’d definitely say go with the smaller one. Re the difference between the mk2 and 3, the chainstays are some 15mm shorter on the new one so the handling is a little zippier, it translates really nicely when you’re going fast down a trail, you can change direction in an instant.

The 18″ Mk3 frame weighs the same as the MK2, just shy of 7 lbs, it’s not light but it’ll easily build up into a 28lb bike, it’s a bike built for abuse and riding hard rather than an xc steed. The 20″ frame come in about a pound heavier, but on the same note, just built one with a 120mm fork, B+ rims and quite heavy tyres, dropper post etc and the full build is 30lbs. Could shave a fair bit of weight by going for lighter tyres and tubeless, but it rides a lot lighter than its weight suggests.

olibluegoat – Member
letmetalktomark

How does the stooge compare to the sherpa

Its a very different ride – in a good way different.

The Sherpa is a fantastic ride but is very bike like.

The Stooge is very non bike like in many ways – I’m no journo can you tell.

I would be happy pootling all day on the Stooge, using it to pop to the shops, riding XC, twisty single track etc as it just feels “right”.

The 650b plus wheels suit its short playful nature (still not a journo) and the Moto bars are excellent.

I’m building up some narrower plus wheels (45mm rims & 2.8” tyres) that I will try on the Stooge with the Pike from my Sherpa.

I feel if this works the Sherpa ought to look scared 🙂

Sizing wise …… I’m 6′ 3” (well as close that makes no difference) and am longer in body than leg. I would say that at 6′ the smaller of the two would be best unless you have a really long leg.

I’m running less post out of the frame on my Stooge than I was with the same post on my 20.5” Genesis Fortitude with 29plus front and 29 rear – make of that what you will.

Weight wise ….. in rigid form its heavier than my Sherpa and thats 30lb on the nose …… its not as heavy as my Puffin though.

That said it rides “light” and feels springy.

I very much like mine and am glad a bigger size was made and i wouldn’t have fitted on the 18”

Cheers bud. Have you ridden a stache. Trying to decide between a stooge or a stache

The stooge sounds great. I just want a bike that i can hoon around on that can cover everyhting from family rides, trips to the pub and a laught down the local woods, that will leave a massive grin on my face

@ letmetalktomark

Thanks for coming in, and at ~6’3″ myself and more in the body than leg would be interested to see how much seat post you have…?

The Stache 5 (which I have FS 😉 ) is much a much lighter bike overall, lower on the front, and more twitchy. I prefer the Stooge

Which is more fun though out of the stache and stooge

I enjoyed both bikes a lot. I preferred Stooge’s higher front (which suited my gangly proportions, so normal sized folk mileage will vary)

Both are great bikes, and the Stache is onehellova well made one

Don’t get hung up on short CS’s though. My current is a Jones with 19″ CS’s and it rides very nicely indeed

@ Bonesetter …. Pics of mine are on pg 39

@ me lazy

😆

Can anyone recommend a good way to embed photos into posts on this site, since photobucket have made the forum a duller place? I can’t see how to get flickr photos embedded with the tag. Got some more stooge photos to share.

Thanks.

Imgur

https://i.imgur.com/OL2jGod.jpg

Still can’t get an img tag though.

Nice, still only 18″ though unless I’m reading the website wrong?

Nice, still only 18″ though unless I’m reading the website wrong?

Yes.
http://stoogecycles.co.uk/product/stooge-generation-3-20-orange-yellow-pre-order/

rootn5th – on flickr use the share button and copy the BB code link – done!

These new stooges do look great and I know they ride well, but it would just be too much weight for the money for me.

Weight on a steel trails bike is not too important

Well, it is to some if it is a few pounds heavier than a bike with a suspension fork. I wouldn’t mind some heft, bit think it goes beyond a tipping point for me of being too heavy, and would be noticeable uphill. I’ve ridden a Mk1 and they are nice frames…

28ish pounds with plus size rubber and suspension fork, that’s fine and dandy. I would suggest the learned sir with a daemonic moniker may actually have the legs of a small sparrow….that’s got rickets…..and isn’t feeling very well

Well that sounds good weight, just the new frames above sounded pretty darn heavy esp in large. I could prove that there’s nothing wrong with the legs, but they have this really embarrassing tan line on at the mo…

That said mine is over 30lb as built in the pics on pg 39 … but I have the legs for it ……..

I could prove that there’s nothing wrong with the legs, but they have this really embarrassing tan line on at the mo…

That’s the problem with sandals and socks 😀

Hmmm…. 40 pages of posts. Am I missing something here?

Thanks for Flickr Advice – can’t do it from mobile though. Large Mk3 Orange in B+ mode.

@andykirk – depends what you’re looking for…

[url=https://flic.kr/p/X3Hooy]Stooge[/url] by Sam Hodgson357, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/XDLdXP]Stooge[/url] by Sam Hodgson357, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/WnYxdL]Stooge[/url] by Sam Hodgson357, on Flickr