Tech

Hungry Monkey Part 4: The Ride

· By BikeHubCoreAdmin · 39 comments

And so it ends. Or begins. The Hungry Monkey is up and running and all that’s left to do is rip trails and contain my laughter and screaming (like a child) while out riding it.

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It is everything I hoped for and am glad I didn’t tinker with the geometry. “Bent at the knees, Iwan” has been my conscious and sometimes vocal reminder out on the trails as I soon realised I need to learn how to properly ride a hardtail again. I almost snapped my shins doing a drop off thanks to years on a dual suspension and the bad technique I’ve slipped into.

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Getting the front wheel, and whole bike for that matter, up in the air is the easiest I’ve ever had it on a bike that one can still pedal to the top of a trail. What is clear as day is the fact that the Hungry Monkey is a blast to ride.

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Sold on wide rims by American Classic’s Wide Lightnings I decided to go one up and build a pair of Derby Rims. The 34mm Inner / 40mm Outer profile of the Derby rims are monstrous. I’ve had countless people who’ve asked whether it’s a fat bike or 27.5+ because of the extra volume of the tires. I still need to find the sweet spot, but I’ve been running the air pressure lower and lower and the grip and traction just keeps getting better and better. 13 – 15PSI in front and 20PSI rear seems to be the way to go if the internet is to be believed.

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In a way I regret not trying it first with a more conventional wheelset as I’m not 100% sure where the comfort of steel ends and the extra squish of the rubber running on uber fat carbon rims begins.

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If you’re considering one and are worried about the head angle on climbs then don’t be. On the handful of rides I’ve done I’ve only used the lower setting of the dual-position Pike once and that was on the first ride while I was still trying things out.

I have however used it to access the “other bike”. Riding a trail like Meerendal with it’s flat flowy single track with the bike in 120mm mode is heaps of fun. With a head angle that’s still slack for a 120mm the bike carves and rips the trail with more confidence than most dual suspension bikes of similar front wheel travel.

The Hungry Monkey with a dual position fork does make for a very versatile bike that will be fun for most riders. It will comfortably do a race on Saturday and carve a black route on Sunday.

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I still find myself looking down at the raw steel shining through the Bogus Designs paint job – pure trickery that would have seen him burned at the stake in the dark ages.

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My only let down so far has been the brakes. I’ve become used to the SRAM Guide RSC’s on another bike I’ve been riding and the Hope’s feel a bit wooden by comparison. Not at all what I was expecting. Will try a good bleed before I swap them out for either the new Tech 3’s or Guide Ultimate that’s coming the end of May.

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A big thanks to David Mercer for building a frame I’ve been dreaming about for years and to Anton (Bogus Designs) for blowing my mind with your attention to detail, creativity and incredible skill. Who knew building a mountain bike can be this rewarding?

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Comments

Guest notmyname

Apr 14, 2015, 4:10 AM

SICK RIDE! ! !

Captain Fastbastard Mayhem

Apr 14, 2015, 4:28 AM

Jeepers dude, that's even better than I was imagining.

 

It's beautiful

Shebeen

Apr 14, 2015, 4:40 AM

Well,there goes dave's day job.

Flippa

Apr 14, 2015, 4:44 AM

I'm speechless! What an amazing looking machine

the nerd

Apr 14, 2015, 5:06 AM

Beautiful bike, that paint wow! 

 

 

Just one question, and its a good one...

 

Why you running QR on the rear, why don't you have the thru-axle sliders on there? 

Gandalf

Apr 14, 2015, 6:04 AM

Dude, this bike, HOT HOT HOT

Hairy

Apr 14, 2015, 6:48 AM

Very Very nice!

 

Enjoy the ride.

rock

Apr 14, 2015, 7:12 AM

edit:  joke fail.

 

nice bike.

 

dont like the red seat rails. thats all I could find.

IH8MUD

Apr 14, 2015, 7:25 AM

This is SA made BIKE PORN . . . .  :devil:

The stuff I dream of at night! :whistling:

 

Perfect build.  :thumbup:

MintSauce

Apr 14, 2015, 8:33 AM

Well,there goes dave's day job.

 

I know he won't miss it!

 

Great build, Iwan.

Shebeen

Apr 14, 2015, 8:39 AM

wait...this pics are in tokai pre burn, right?

 

SO they've been sitting on your memory card all this time, and you only share them now? This guy is just toying with us, can we get a lynch mob together and take him down?! 

Iwan Kemp

Apr 14, 2015, 8:41 AM

wait...this pics are in tokai pre burn, right?

 

SO they've been sitting on your memory card all this time, and you only share them now? This guy is just toying with us, can we get a lynch mob together and take him down?! 

 

Jonkers... You can put the pitchfork away for now!  ;)

Frosty

Apr 14, 2015, 8:41 AM

Very, very, nice - enjoy riding it.

Shebeen

Apr 14, 2015, 9:00 AM

Jonkers... You can put the pitchfork away for now!  ;)

aww crap. will send the posse to rhodes mem instead.

peds

Apr 14, 2015, 9:03 AM

I wouldn't even ride this, I would just put it up on my wall in the lounge. 

Brian Fantana

Apr 14, 2015, 9:15 AM

Bliksem, this even better than what imagined. The best looking and most sensible (for my type of riding) bike I have ever seen.

 

Awesome mountain bike. I will take on any marathon, XCO, Enduro or aggressive trail ride on this machine.

Shebeen

Apr 14, 2015, 9:41 AM

ok my third post here, just shows I keep coming back to look.

 

finally worked out where it jiggled my memory. I pity the fool who mock this bike.

http://www.starcarhire.co.uk/UploadedImages/172_1large.jpg

Iwan Kemp

Apr 14, 2015, 12:22 PM

Thanks, all credit to BogusOne and David Mercer. It's been a fun project.

 

Bliksem, this even better than what imagined. The best looking and most sensible (for my type of riding) bike I have ever seen.

Awesome mountain bike. I will take on any marathon, XCO, Enduro or aggressive trail ride on this machine.

 

You get this bike! It's all of that and more. 

Steven Knoetze (sk27)

Apr 14, 2015, 12:46 PM

Awesome bike Iwan, really one of a kind.

Just a question, what is hanging off of the bottom of the bottle cage?

Love those wheels, they must sound amazing with the I9 hubs.

Iwan Kemp

Apr 14, 2015, 12:52 PM

Awesome bike Iwan, really one of a kind.

Just a question, what is hanging off of the bottom of the bottle cage?

Love those wheels, they must sound amazing with the I9 hubs.

 

Thanks. It's Spez bottle cage with multi-tool. 

 

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rock

Apr 14, 2015, 1:01 PM

you know what would have been cool, for Mr Mercer to fit a 3rd rivnut so you could get the spez cage with the lunch box.

the nerd

Apr 14, 2015, 1:13 PM

Are you going to get the through axle sliders?

Chro Mo

Apr 14, 2015, 1:32 PM

Awesome!!

Iwan Kemp

Apr 16, 2015, 7:53 AM

Beautiful bike, that paint wow! 

 

 

Just one question, and its a good one...

 

Why you running QR on the rear, why don't you have the thru-axle sliders on there? 

 

We looked into the option of going with 12x142 dropouts, but they were VERY expensive. After a long chat with Dave we settled on QR. 

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