[Closed] Stooge Speedball (new bike)

Thing of beauty! I really like that. Nice build (apart from the silver headset & bars 😉 ).
I'd get some Stooge moto bars on it and a black headset.
Can't wait to get my Mk4.

Man that thing looks sweet. I'm really 29+ curious...

Thing is, that HS is a Jones double topper, and I think only comes in silver...

As for bars, I do have a Stooge Moto bar, and will try them. Thought we would go for flats to start with

Cheers

I don't get it... at all.... but it's beautifully put together and looks fantasitc...

I'd hate to ride it though.

Swift blue?

Thing is, that HS is a Jones double topper, and I think only comes in silver…

As for bars, I do have a Stooge Moto bar, and will try them. Thought we would go for flats to start with

Ah, I forgot that truss forks require some odd headset configurations.
Bars are such a personal thing anyway. I always felt comfier with bigger backsweep on my Stooge.

I don’t get it… at all…. but it’s beautifully put together and looks fantasitc…

I’d hate to ride it though.

You don't have to get it, but it works. You're welcome to try my Mk4 when it arrives. It'll be built up very similarly but with the Junker bar (820 wide, 20 degree sweep 😀 ). They work well on our local trails.

I'm just building up a purple one with bi-plane fork. Also gone for XT. Can't wait 🙂

Taz's Ti one is better 😉

would love one. but as with the jones plus. the xl is not XL enough.
when you are heavy and tall a short seat tube don't work. the risk of ripping the thing apart is too great.

^ You need a custom build Ton - a Waltworks maybe?

I'm sorely tempted by a bi-plane frameset of these, even though i can't really afford it. But also tempted by a Mk4...and a singular swift if they make a new one in 29+, as whispers suggest.

I was/am sorely tempted by one.
But I just love my Krampus too much, it'd feel like a betrayal of an old friend 😊

Lovely bike had looked at these over the last few months but think I’m plumbing for the new Swift in the summer

You trying to lasso a sheep with those hoses? 😜
Oh and stand your pot back up.

Stu - lol, yeah, they're much better now I've changed the bars for Stooge's Moto Risers

Those Salsa ones weren't working

@Bonesetter, that does look lovely but I noticed that you've got a Jones Plus frame and truss fork in the classifieds; did you just fancy a change or are they very different frames & forks?

Pjay - I've actually got 2 JJ Plus's now - one in the classifieds, and a slightly different one which is my ride

This Stooge I've built for my mate - good to try them back to back though

Here's mine - just waiting for new wheels.

I'm interested in the Mk4 but am unsure just how different it will be to my rigid Tarn running 29+ front 2.6 rear. Anyone have any idea? It would be used mainly at Llandegla.

.

Haven't ridden the Tarn, but from what I know of it, it is a very different geometry bike (very long front). Stooge will be more neutral, upright, 'in the bike' riding position, easier to pop the front etc. One may say more raggable?

Andy Stooge works in Llandegla bike centre - you could try one 🙂

Thanks Bonesetter 👍

Stooge Moto Bars stylee

Pot still turned over

What's the thinking with the double toptube ? Flex? Is it welded to the seattube at all? Or just at the headtube?

That for Jim then?
I'm going to sneak into your garden and stand that pot back up for you next time I come past.😎

That for Jim then?
I’m going to sneak into your garden and stand that pot back up for you next time I come past.😎

I'd be very glad if you would - I'd buy you and Mrs S a glass in the House

Looks much better with the Moto bars

I was going to ask the same thing. That ladder configuration must be stiff - it's a classic design for mixte frames after all, so why not join them to the seat tube and remove the top tube?

Lovely bike though.

Not mine - Retrotec/Inglis

https://www.flickr.com/photos/retrotec-inglis-cycles/2217000260/in/photostream/

Have to agree the Moto bars much better imho 😀

Lovely looking bike! As someone else remarked, is the seat tube attached to or independent from the seat stays? Cannot tell from the photos.

Lovely looking bike (both of them, i do like the purple/grape colour). Is it too big a frame for someone only 5'9'' tall? I think the top picture with flat bars would be my perfect build. I would love to have the Speedball and the MK4. How do you set up the front truss fork? Is it a normal headset and then use spacers, or some sort of special headset like a jones?

My wife (5'2") has a Mk1 Stooge and it's fine for her.

I had a quick ride on the Mk3 (or was it the Mk4?) at the Lakes Bike Festival last September, a very stable feeling bike.

Andy here from Stooge, very nice build. Re the top tube questions, the twin tubes are connected to the sea tube via the small cross brace at the rear. The idea behind the third tube is that it allows a certain amount of flex. On the ti frames its very noticeable, less so on the steel, but if you put your hand between the top and third tubes and sit on the saddle you'll feel the flex crushing your fingers slightly.

Pics of Taz's ti and steel Speedballs:

Built one of these myself a couple of weeks ago, similar Vapour/Dually+Motos but SS; it ****in hoons!
I'll get some pics up after I give it a wash and swap out the old parts bin 3/32" drive train for a shiny 1/8th.

Mat - you're not getting much better at posting pics on here. We want to see more Speedballs

@Jupiter the truss fork assembly is tricky. The headset is 2 top cups. You then offer up the fork to the head tube and slide through a steerer tube while holding all headset bits and any spacers in place

Takes me about an hour of faffing, including pressing in the cups

Mat – you’re not getting much better at posting pics on here. We want to see more Speedballs

When I did it on my laptop last night both pics worked; not sure why the second one isn’t showing now????

^ I can't see either of them

What’s the green bike? It looks brilliant, the sort of second bike I could see myself owning.

Photos are easy on classifieds- why can’t the same system be used on the forum?

Is it too big a frame for someone only 5’9” tall?

@jupiter- I'm the same height as you and have owned the Mk1 & 2. They fitted me perfectly. You'll have no trouble.

Bollox look on Instagram for tazWadie for pretty stooge bikes, this image thingy is way too silly for a simple single speed tit like me

[img] ?_nc_ht=instagram.flhr4-2.fna.fbcdn.net[/img]

It sort of works but doesn't let you zoom in. You might be able to embed Instagram post directly into the forum (I don't know) but as an html idiot all I could find that would work is finding the .jpg file in the source code; it looks like instagram is pinching the jpg from Facebook.

Lush!

Is that your ride Pjay?

Good grief no (I couldn't afford one of those - I've got a Swift) I was having a play with Tazzy's photos from Instagram (so I assume it's his).

That's my original one, Andy and I had them, then they were tweaked a bit with added titanium bullmoose taz-bah etc.. Then the steel version came into being. I also have a lovely one of those with klunkpacker forks and drop bars. It will be at the dirty reiver if anyone wants a play. My ti baby will be at Battle on the beach

LOL - what a night last night.

Going from 2 yrs on a Mk2 Stooge to Sppeedball my mate was flying...

A regular Wednesday nighter turned into a 7 hour let's push the boat out, extended loop (ott 4 pubs later too)...

He was flying on the bike, giggling all over his face

Looks great all brand new XT built up. The paint job is oustounding - seems like there's a very protective, plastic coasting on top

I had a similar ride the 1st time I took my Krampus out, it was ace.

My biggest issue with Stooge are understanding their model range, I've pre-ordered the mk4 because it was a good deal and can finally take a normal dropper. I'm looking to swap the frame over from my Singular Rooster that takes 3" tyres so i'm loosing a bit on the back. After your/your mates feedback though i'm back to wondering should I have gone Speedball?

Depends what geometry you're after!
The Speedball is classic Stooge, whereas the Mk4 is 'progressive geometry' Stooge..

Mk4 still takes the 29er+ plus front, but 'only' 29x2.6 rear. Sacrificing a bit at the back for longer TT & slacker HA and dropper compatible. I went Mk4 personally, but i get the appeal of the speedball. Especially with a truss fork :O

I don't really get the traditional geometry speedball stooge from the marketing material. They're saying that's what a rigid bike should be like, but then the other one is different...?

The speedball isn't traditional geometry, it was basically designed for me to be a racier endurance bike with 29+ roll over but still handle like a yobbo in the fun stuff.

Also turned out that the later steel Verizon was a great bikepacking rig and stonking with drop bars.

The MK4 is batshit mental and handles brilliantly as it's got the geometry of the dirtbomb. I really fancy a titanium version of one

'Traditional' & 'Progressive' means different things to different folk

speedball isn’t traditional geometry, it was basically designed for me to be a racier endurance bike

= traditional geometry

The MK4 is batshit mental and handles brilliantly

= progressive geometry

(IMHO)

Thing is the mk1-3 and the speedball are still progressive compared to many rigid bikes surly, singular etc... The dirtbomb was basically a how far can Andy go with it and the MK4 was a hell let's make it a thing for folks to have in a more cost effective manner. It's also two fingers up to suspension and all that guff as it pure rigid with no way of ever stuffing a boingy frontage in

So, conflicting opinions of what is 'progressive' or 'traditional'

I don't even know what constitutes traditional, but thought Stooge was never that

Wile colourful & enthusiastic descriptions are good, I wouldn't buy a bike on that

What about the plant pot?
You stood it back up yet?
i've not been past to do it for you.

I've done it Stu - it thanked you 🙂

This is what progessive geo looks like for all the people out there that think half a degree and 5mm make something progressive.
https://flic.kr/p/UZnbKJ

Stu do you wheelie that everywhere?

Snot mine.
But if I was ever to go back to a rigid bike it'd look like that.
Bedmaker is responsible for this and fair play to him for riding real progressive bikes and trying to translate it to rigid bikes.

I like that, I'm still contemplating the stooge mk4. Got till the end of the month.....

Sorry forgot to say thank you back to Bonesetters pot which seems to be quite happy to be just a pot.😛

Stu, that's pretty close to the MK4 geometry, with a similar silly truss fork offset 🙂 ya grumpy old git

Na mate just look at the 2 of them.
😘 to you too taz you great big softlad.
Saw the stooge today in the flesh and it just looks like "a bike" all be it's a nice colour but to call it progressive is kind of funny.

Saw the stooge today in the flesh and it just looks like “a bike” all be it’s a nice colour but to call it progressive is kind of funny.

You saw a Mk4?!?

I saw Jim's bike that was in the OP.
No idea what mk it was there were far more interesting things to talk about like Niges over turned flower pot.😚

This is what the MK4 geometry will look like albeit in a different shape (if the damned photo works, never have I been so confused). 66 degree head angle, 80mm offset forks, so its certainly far from normal.
http://stoogecycles.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/DSC_0165.jp g" alt="dirtbomb" />

yep, just as I thought, didn't ruddy work, I give up

Agreed on the photo posting - it's ridiculous

Keep trying though Andy, even if it's a link we'd like to see it, although those numbers sound good

Agreed on the photo posting – it’s ridiculous

Keep trying though Andy, even if it’s a link we’d like to see it, although those numbers sound good

Is there anything in this thread that helps? - singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/displaying-an-instagram-post-in-a-forum-topic-link-advice-needed/

Images from the Stooge website should display normally in img tags.

Bonesetter - Build looks great. Assume the XT kit you fitted is 11speed with a non-boost chainset, what is clearance like between chain and tyre in the lowest gear? My Speedball arrived today (thanks Andy) and I ride in lots of mud over the winter so am torn between Halo 35 or 50 rims for the rear.

LOvely looking bikes. Apart from mine, it's fairly hideous looking in comparison 🙂

The MK4 and speedball look like a lot of fun. I plugged the front end geo figures into a calculator and the wheel flop and mech trail come up very similar to my own.
Despite looking a bit mental, it rides great, much more capable than a rigid bike ought to be. Feels nice and balanced.

If I was doing it again, I'd most likely go 66 degrees too, with a bit more reach.
I'm tempted to sell mine and go full 29+. Hmmm...

Mr Tricky - Congrats on your new ride - do post a pic or two when built

As for the one I built for my mate, 11 it is is with non-boost
I'll look at chainline later today when I see the bike again

What I will say though is the Bridgers come up on the small side of 3" which will give more clearance, and I did look at clearance in the CS yoke and it's about at the comfortable max

Here's mine built from a mix of parts bin and new stuff.

Vapour 50/WTB Ranger
Dually / Teravail Cumberland
Hope SS and Dartmoor hubs
Stooge Motos
Hope X2
Brooks C15
Middleburn/Velosolo/Halo/KMC Half link
Thomson and Hope finishing kit
Oury grips
Electron pedals

https://m.imgur.com/a/BicCa3n

Someone went past me today on a purple stooge, I shouted 'stoooooge' at him but he kept on going. He probably thought I was a weirdo. I was in suburbia being unimpressive on a trials bike.

Common as muck now

Re chainline when on the top cog - it's close - very close. I hadn't noticed just how close

It's a newish tyre on the rear and the little nibbly hair-like thingies you get on the walls touch the chain. I would guess it at 4mm

Can't find many reviews of the Speedball (with either fork), what to they actually ride like? For general XC trail riding, would the MK4 or the Speedball be more suitable?

Any info useful as are a bit confused with the 2 models.