Monstercross Frame/Bike/Whatever Help

[TyronLab]

I need some help with the monstercross thing I'm looking at creating. I essentially want to smoosh my two current bikes together (a Rook Scout and a Momsen STR). I want a Curve GMX+ / Salsa Cuttthroat, but I don't have (and don't want to spend, if I'm honest, even if I had) that kind of money. A 2.4" tyre gravel bike with a dropper a.k.a. drop bar rigid MTB a.k.a monstercross bike is where I'm at.

Options:

1. Get a 410 - 430mm A-C , tapered steerer fork with MTB tyre clearance for the Scout. If such a thing existed, that'd be the cheapest / easiest way to do it, but alas. I'd be OK with running 650B/27.5, even though I'd prefer 29 for availability and the fact that I love my current wheels.
2. Throw my current fork/front wheel on the Scout. The increased A-C (70mm longer) can be somewhat cancelled out by removing stem spacers, but it'll likely handle weird and have a slack seat angle, which I don't like. It'll also have limited clearance in the back with a 29er wheel in it.
3. Get a frame that'll fit my current mountain bike's components, but has the right geo to work with a drop bar as the STR is too long / stretched out with a drop bar.

Ideal specs:

• Tapered head tube.
• Recommended A-C of 490mm (~100mm sus furk)
• Threaded BB.
• 31.6 seatpost (or 34.9, so I can fit my current dropper with a shim)
• 460-560 seattube length
• Effective top tube of 570-600
• Rear tyre clearance for 2.4" MTB
• 70° or slacker head angle
• Non-boost TA rear wheel (non-boost QR works too, I can just swap out the caps on my Rapide wheels)
• Post mount disc calipers
• Steel

If I could shorten my large STR frame's top tube by 40mm it'd be pretty much perfect. I tested this idea out, but it just wouldn't be comfortable for anything longer and I'm already on a 50mm stem, even with a 35mm it'd be stretched. Also, yes, I cable tied my shifter and dropper levers on for this experiment, for extra bodge points. I decided this concept needed testing at 22:15 on a Thursday night, k, so it fit the ambiance of the occasion.

I also know I can get a custom frame made, but there's fokkol money for that now.

So, bikehubland,

 

 

Edited September 7, 2022 by TyronLab

[MORNE]

You say you are at 50mm stem already but those bars of yours look quite long too. Like a salsa cowchippers or curve walmer (i have a pair) has a reach of 65mm ish. The walmers are a nice option for monstercross build because they can go wide. Mine are 500 wide/650 at the flares. Going by your pic those drop bars on your bike look like they have a reach close to 100mm? Just another option. Theres some space to get back there.

edit: salsa cowchippers sorry

Edited September 7, 2022 by MORNE

[MORNE]

compare the reach on these to that on yours. 

Edited September 7, 2022 by MORNE

[TyronLab]

2 hours ago, MORNE said:

You say you are at 50mm stem already but those bars of yours look quite long too. Like a salsa cowchippers or curve walmer (i have a pair) has a reach of 65mm ish. The walmers are a nice option for monstercross build because they can go wide. Mine are 500 wide/650 at the flares. Going by your pic those drop bars on your bike look like they have a reach close to 100mm? Just another option. Theres some space to get back there.

edit: salsa cowchippers sorry

That's a good suggestion thanks! I've got the Ritchey Venturemax which has a 76mm reach, so I can claw back another 11mm switching to the Walmer. I need to drop a total of like 55mm though, so the 11 from the bar and the 15 from the stem only gets me halfway there. 

[Koos Likkewaan]

How about something like this with Morne's handlebar ?

[MORNE]

42 minutes ago, TyronLab said:

That's a good suggestion thanks! I've got the Ritchey Venturemax which has a 76mm reach, so I can claw back another 11mm switching to the Walmer. I need to drop a total of like 55mm though, so the 11 from the bar and the 15 from the stem only gets me halfway there. 

What you probably REALY want/need probably is this elusive thing. Purpose made for what you want to do. Also can keep your brakes and shifters etc without cable tying:

https://surlybikes.com/parts/corner_bar

ps: i say elusive because they fly off the shelves faster than surly can make them. Always out if stock.  Get someone to make you one, surly are kind enough to have the specs and geo of it on the site.

 

Edited September 7, 2022 by MORNE

[TyronLab]

Yeah, I've considered the corner bar, but I really like the hood position which it lacks. 

I've already got some drop bar brake levers that I'll port over from the Scout, and will likely get a bar end shifter to take care of friction shifting.

[MORNE]

What size are you? 
buy this, its my old frame. They build into NICE monstercross bikes. got me all excited and nostalgic when i saw it now. Still has the same gorilla tape on that I put on the chainstay😅

looks like it never got built up again after I sold it. All the same components still.

It takes everything from 650x3.2 - 29x2.6 tyres lol. 
 

R6k is a steal for it.  In current money it would cost almost 3x that if the other soma bikes are anything to go by.
 

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/hardtail-mountain-bike-frames/582869/soma-valhallen

Edited September 7, 2022 by MORNE

[MORNE]

Or….

a steel Kona honzo + fork.

a medium might be what you need reach wise? He’ll take R12k imo👀

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/hardtail-mountain-bike-frames/583996/kona-honzo-st

Edited September 7, 2022 by MORNE

[MTBRIDER1234]

2 hours ago, Koos Likkewaan said:

How about something like this with Morne's handlebar ?

Any idea where I could get one of these?

I actually really wanna try it on the enduro bike, as I upsized and think this would make the bike feel awesome and super playful

[TyronLab]

TyronLab:"I need a bike that's shorter than my current one"

@MORNE :"Here are two bikes that you've seen, that would work perfectly, but oh wait, they're actually longer than your current one! HAHAHA the ol' bait 'n switch <oops!>!"

[MORNE]

13 minutes ago, TyronLab said:

TyronLab:"I need a bike that's shorter than my current one"

@MORNE :"Here are two bikes that you've seen, that would work perfectly, but oh wait, they're actually longer than your current one! HAHAHA the ol' bait 'n switch <oops!>!"

Cut your arms shorter?

[Jewbacca]

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/hardtail-mountain-bike-frames/582155/l-kona-unit-steel-29er-mtb-frame-and-fork

What about this?

[TyronLab]

Had a look at that, but the TT is actually 7mm longer than my current bike.