It loves to corner, fast.
By the time I reached the "mile 1" marker at Mohican I had already made up my mind; this is going to be a very fun bike. The next 15 miles confirmed my thoughts. The Karate Monkey is a cornering machine, I was surprised at how easily it was to make the bike turn. On several corners I entered on my usual line only to fall into the corner much sooner. I'd say the short wheelbase makes a big difference. The Maxxis Ardent tires played into the cornering confidence of the bike as they hooked up very well.
The wood peckers have been doing trail work.
Next thought is the single speed setup; I like it. I'm going to thank my gym work the past several months as I didn't feel too burdened with just one gear on the uphills. I look forward to building more leg and core strength on the Monkey. What I've been told is true, there may be more grunting and grinding on uphills but there's also plenty of time to carry momentum and roll without pedaling. It will be fun to play this game more.
Back to the car just before rain.
Last, but not least, is the rigid front end. I was sort of surprised for the first handful of miles at not feeling too beat up. Choice of a smooth line was rewarded, as was weight shifting and soaking up bumps, roots, etc. I soon learned the downhills would deliver a beat down. With no compliance up front and faster speed, bumpy downhill sections were rough but tolerable. I need to play some more with tire pressure and probably get serious about going tubeless on this bike.
It was a fun first ride on the Karate Monkey at Mohican. There's a lot more to come to get to know this bike.
Out of the rain, in the car, having a post ride snack.
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