Monkey Love

A couple of years ago, back when I was shopping for a new bike, I was seriously interested in the Surly Karate Monkey. I went to order one, and I couldn't find one around. Surly had some supply pipeline issues and they were scarce on the ground. I ended up getting my Quickbeam, which I love, but I've still had the tiniest jones for a Monkey.

Why? I'm not entirely sure, but I think because it might be the most versatile bike made.

The KM is ostensbly a 29"er Mountain Bike. But it seems to me to be so much more. Just what do you want?

Internal Geared/Geared/Single Speed/Fixed? Rigid/front suspension? Flat Bars/ Drop Bars? Disc brakes/v-brakes/cantilever brakes? Fenders and racks?

Here are a couple of shots stolen shamelessly from the interwebs to show the broad range of Monkey choices.

Geared MTB


Single Speed MTB


Fixed Gear MTB


Internal geared MTB


Expedition/Loaded Tourer.


Bombproof Commuter


Roadbike.


About the only use I haven't come across it being used in is in randonneering/brevet riding, and I suspect that someone somewhere IS out there doing that. UPDATE: Yep I was right. This blog mentions somebody doing a 300k on one.


Check out how some of the blogs whom I regularly visit use their monkeys.

Nine Mile Skid

Blasphemous Bicycler

Lockring not included


It is not a perfect bike. For example there are some front derailleur clearance issues. Also it is not sold as a complete bike, perhaps because of all the configurations you can do to it, but for the price, it just seems like a really good deal.

Now all I need is for someone to give me one.