Active Time Battle feel.

Recently, a friend from my student days asked me to build a bicycle for him. Seeing our mountain rides on social media must have inspired him; he requested a mountain bike, and after discussing various options, we settled on the Surly Karate Monkey.

Those who noticed from the photos have a keen eye. This frame is an early version from before the Karate Monkey was redesigned. The top tube details are slightly different from the current frame. While current frames have welded brake mounts designed for hydraulic discs, this one has mounts for cable-actuated brakes.

While the bike is certainly intended for mountain riding, I wanted a parts setup that could be ridden without hesitation for commuting or weekend trail touring, so I decided on mechanical disc brakes, which turned out to be a great choice.

For the paint, I chose a somewhat sweet color that contrasts with the typical image of this type of bike. However, the other parts finish it off in a rugged way. The parts choice is heavily influenced by the essence of mountain biking—what you might call the ATB feel—much like we discussed in our NAHBS recap. I built it with the hope that he would enjoy it daily and hopefully hit the trails hard, without being too constrained by specs, while skillfully using modern parts rather than being overly nostalgic.

During the parts consultation, we decided to use the Bullmoose bar newly created by Blue Lug. I think it pulls the whole look together perfectly. Sorry for making up a hashtag for it on Instagram without asking.

When you are choosing a bike with a more specific purpose in mind, such as mountain riding or dirt touring, compared to a daily commuter, there are many parts that work particularly well. If you are considering a build, please feel free to consult with us!

Since we are building a custom bike, I want to be mindful of its aesthetics, and I can offer various suggestions for parts based on needs like functionality and durability. I think this bike serves as a great example of that. Personally, I am looking forward to the day we go ride in the mountains together.