Surly Krampus

GW AL… WHY?

When you move from a 2.2 Ralph to a 2.4 Ralph, you can feel the bike hold in longer, climb better and handle bumps. If a slightly bigger tyre is better then a much bigger tyre will be better. Full fat tyres at 3.8 are great but too big (beginning to get sluggish, slow on climbs) So this is inbetween, it should be a good place to be.

On a rigid 29er, the extra suspension and comfort from a big tyre is great. There is enough room on many forks for a 3″ tyre. So these tyre may we’ll find there way on to existing bikes. Rim width will be an issue, but basically you get 3″ of tune-able air suspension for around £80.

Fatter tyres are better on sand, so a 3″ won’t be as good as the big fat larry at 4.7, but it will be better than a 2.2 on the frequent short stretches of sand we get on the heaths down south.

Bigger tyres make you look slim.

They are indeed very slimming, allowing you to enjoy more cider 🙂

For folk wanting a fat bike here in the UK but not wanting to ride real soft sand on the coast this new bike will be ideal, road work, climbing, faster trail speed and overall weight will be a lot better for xc riding than a full fat, yet should give great comfort and plenty grip, Be a great bike for riding the Cheviot Hills and the like 🙂

There is enough room on many forks for a 3″ tyre.

I’ve never tried but I think I can fit 2.7″ tyres on my bike – does the extra .3 of an inch do something magical then? Lots of grip on big tyres, yes, but the other side of lots of grip is being really draggy.

Charlie, your definition of “better” is another world from mine 😆
My hardtail rear tyre of choice all year round is a near bald (centre knobs) 2.35 maxpro Bling bling at 40psi, straight line grip is really not something that keeps me up at night ;).

but basically you get 3″ of tune-able air suspension for around £80.

Ah, like a 1993 Rock Shox Mag21 with no oil? Cool 8)

CK’s described it’s use far better, cheers dude! although some of the descents I’ve been lucky enough to ride in the Cheviots are gnarlier than many national DH tracks and I really wouldn’t want any bike Surly make under me coming down them. 😉
looks like the mancave might need some more wheel hooks for the rafters soon, eh? 😀

Grum: who makes a 29x 2.7″?

I think until now (ignoring a no longer available WTB) there is nothing between 2.4 on 29, and 3.7 on 26″. Surly fill the gap with something in the middle.

Bigger is not always better, but it is bigger, which is better

Here you get more grip, and this is the bit that attracts me… The biggest external diameter on the market (ignoring custom 36ers)

And if big tyres are such a bad idea, then why are we not all riding 1970s Raleigh shoppers. Hold on, shoppers have won several clunker classics.

Surly may live in a crazy world of farts and fat, but they do know what they are doing, and probably are fully aware that in a world where carbon suspenion bikes are mainstream commercial kings, the majority of people won’t want or understand the Krampus.

Bike rumour have nailed it, they said “As further evidence that Surly live in a parallel universe in which suspension never evolved to its current (really quite good) state, aluminum is suitable only for containing beer, hydraulic disc brakes are something to be viewed with suspicion, and neither skis nor snowshoes were ever invented, we have the Krampus.  A steel frame built around the brand’s new 29×3.0 “29+” wheel size, the Krampus is apparently the “logical progression of the 29er.”  (Never mind that most of the industry sees 650b as the logical progression of the 29er.)  Much like a bowling ball at the top of the stairs can claim “high potential energy,” the 820g (plus 699g rim) Knard tire’s claim of “fast rolling inertia” neatly sidesteps the issue of how that inertia is achieved.  To be fair, it does look to be “like nothing ever ridden” and could be exactly what I’m looking for.  Only some saddle time will tell. ”

SS that and leave me in the woods please. Preferably, grimy midden-Scottish woods with fairies and the like.
Neeeeeeeeoooooooow….

Edit: FUN!

Any tips on that set up Tazzy?

I could tell you but i’d have to kill you. It does involve the use of industrial silicone rubber self sealing tape though as the rim strip. Air tight, stretchy and sticks only to itself. 😀

email me for secret details 😉

Hmmm, not sure the corner shop sells that! Wot pressures you getting away with, 6 or 7?

I could tell you but i’d have to kill you. It does involve the use of industrial silicone rubber self sealing tape though as the rim strip. Air tight, stretchy and sticks only to itself.

Or just use a split tube. 😆

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tubeless Nate on Large Marge.[/url] by singlespeedstu[/url], on Flickr

If you’re running your rear tyres at 40psi – I’m not surprised you don’t get it.

Stu…. Should you not trim your flapping flange?

Finaaar finaaaar

Flappage is now trimmed. 😀

Just wanted to see how easy it was to get it up first…

I’m not sure what that tubeless solution has achieved? Slime in a tube will be as effective?

On a rigid 29er, the extra suspension and comfort from a big tyre is great.

Or why not just do it properly and use suspension?

Stu… What size tube did you use? A 24″?

I add sealant to the fat surly toobs, but it’s not always enough. A £96 puncture…. And to prove I don’t know what I am talking about, I am being overtaken by a small wheel shopper.

I’m not sure what that tubeless solution has achieved?

A total lack of thorn punctures and a small weight loss.

Slime in a tube will be as effective?

Nope. It’s better than nothing but no where near as good as tubless and stans.

Charlie.

Yep a 24×3 tube.
Inflates dead easy with a compressor.

Tom… Tyres are suspension. The original tuneable cheap light suspension.

Ride a fat bike and you will understand. It’s an extreme example, but big tyres feel good.

So you’re saying Stans will seal a tyre, but won’t seal a tube ?

Charlie – I don’t think anything would have sealed that !!! 🙂

So you’re saying Stans will seal a tyre, but won’t seal a tube ?

No I’m saying it seals a tyre better than a tube.
Maybe something to do with the tube moving around inside the tyre and the thorn keep opening up the hole.
When the thorn’s in the tyre with no tube it can move around all it likes and it doesn’t matter. Also the tyre is thicker and stiffer than a tube so the holes doesn’t try and enlarge as much as it does in a tube.

All i can say for sure is that it’s worked a lot better than a tube full of stans.

Anyway back on subject those rims/tyres should fit in a couple of frames and forks i already have so i’ll be giving them a go when they become available.

Tom… Tyres are suspension. The original tuneable cheap light suspension.

Ride a fat bike and you will understand. It’s an extreme example, but big tyres feel good.

True, I was actually surprised by how different a large volume tyre felt on the back of my hardtail.

Bike rumour have nailed it, they said “As further evidence that Surly live in a parallel universe in which suspension never evolved to its current (really quite good) state, aluminum is suitable only for containing beer, hydraulic disc brakes are something to be viewed with suspicion, and neither skis nor snowshoes were ever invented, we have the Krampus. A steel frame…”

is Surly some sort of cult? many Surly Fanbois seem to have truely lost the plot to the stage of stalking Surlys next project and wanting it before even knowing what it will be. 😕

Seeing as the word “better” seems popular, are Aluminium and Carbon not far “better” materials for an overly heavy bike you’re going to use on beaches and salted roads in winter?

Tyres are suspension. The original tuneable cheap light suspension.

only thing is..”suspension” has moved on since that classic steel suspension atb the Raleigh activator..

Ride a fat bike and you will understand. It’s an extreme example, but big tyres feel good.

I have, and probably understand how bicycle tyres behave better than many of the fatbike owners I know but for me, personally they do not feel good anywhere other than over sand/bogs at slow(ish) speeds and for any riding involving acceleration, faster directional changes or rough/technical ground at speed they handle awfully. IMHO short travel high quality damped suspension would be a welcome addition to aid control for a bicycle with massive, terrible handling low pressure tyres if you ever want to ride them anywhere other than smooth surfaces at speed but that simply would not fit the image their Cult promotes as much as a sprung leather saddle or a frame mounted hip flask – image over function? 😉

How about fun?? 😀

how about it?

Grum: who makes a 29x 2.7″?

I don’t know, no-one? But having massive tyres on my 26″ wheeled bike would be pretty similar no?

Sometimes (in fact pretty much always) I ride my bike for fun – not to get up and down the most efficient way possible- this bike looks fun so why begrudge people just that?

If it doesnt float your boat fine

I don’t begrudge anyone’s idea of fun.. Where do you get that idea?

There is a FB page already for the bike 🙂

Surly Krampus 29″+

what a load of kack.

More !! Surly are doing 2 new huge mud tyres at 4.8″ 😀 called the Bud and Lou.

Bring it on!

OK JUST HEARD SOME ETAs

Framesets, rims and tyres end of 2012
Completes around march / April 2013

My man in the states has been riding one and says…. “Indeed it’s a serious development of the Fat tyre market and having ridden the pants out of one it’s pretty awesome somewhere between full suspension comfort and hand tail speed.”

GW: you really don’t get it. It does not have to be better. It has chunting great big wheels which will make it better at some things and not so good at others, whilst giving a new / different / fresh riding experience. Folk who will buy these will no doubt also have a mormal mountainbike with suspension and maybe even gears. As a surfer I ride all kinds of boards from 11 foot paddle boards, five fin bonzers, quads and even solid wooden finless boards based on ancient Hawaiian relics. There is no way in the world a finless plank is “better” but it is an experience, and adapting your style to different equipment allows the learning curve to continue, after 20+ years I get the same feelings and excitment I got when first learning to surf. It’s the same with bikes.

I like the idea of somebody actually makes a bike for fun, not to be the most effcient , lightest, or place people at podiums.
The pic. In the ad pretty much sums it up.

Its a toy – we are off work 🙂

More info has landed

It’s 31.5er on the outside

No Charlie I do “get it” and totally “get” that some will love it, just not me I’m afraid, sorry but the handling traits of these style of bikes just frustrates me and to be blunt the type of riding this latest development opens up would bore me to death.
Oh.. and may I remind you that it was you who started using “better” to describe it. 😀

GW… no need to be sorry.

charlie, any idea yet if the rim/tyre combo will fit in the rear of the ti Jones spaceframe?

Thanks,

Joop

Or if the front will fit a swift fork?

double post

It won’t fit in a spaceframe joop – an RR 2.4 on a gordo only just fits – so I’m not expecting a 3″ tyre to fit I’m afraid – maybe a 650b 3″ tyre would fit though – who’s going to step up and make one? – Brant??- – front – no problemo.

a 2.55 wtb and a 2.4 ardent do fit a jones on a 29 x 50mm rim though, so that’s still a winner!