Stooge Cycles are a small rider owned company from Shropshire, England, the rider in question being me, Andy Stevenson. I’m an ex BMX racer and long term MTB devotee and the Stooge came about because I couldn’t find the bike I wanted to ride without paying an arm and a leg for a custom build. I wanted a bike that was stripped of all modern technology, a simple machine with geometry that would surpass everything else. Too many rigid bikes rely on steep XC geometry, whereas the Stooge is slack and low, a fast, stable bike that begs to be ridden to the limit. Stooge Cyles The frame I designed has turned out to tick all the boxes. It’s produced from double-butted 4130 chromoly steel and is available in one size. The front is taller than the norm and this allows the rider to adopt an unweighted, rearward position, while the slack 69 degree head angle and 55mm offset fork create handling that is almost telepathic. The frame is produced with an 18” seat tube and a 23.5” top tube. It will fit a wide array of riders between 5’6 and 6’2. The twin top tubes are a loving nod to the Torker and Haro BMXs of my misspent youth. Stooge Cyles The best way to describe the ride is to say it’s like a 150mm trail bike only without the suspension. The Stooge dares you to ride faster, harder, more. The sense of achievement this engenders in the rider is both completely addictive and very satisfying. For many riders who have grown up believing they need Fox at both ends, it can be a real eye opener, almost a revelation. Stooge Cyles Here in the UK, the bike has been adopted by both the bikepacking community and the single speeders. It has an EBB, but as Charlie the Bikemonger commented, this bike needs gears because it loves going fast, faster, fastest.
Stooge Cyles
Stooge in the Scottish Highlands
The forks on all future framesets will have Salsa cage mounts on the legs. A range of custom frame bags are also on their way to fit the main triangle perfectly. The frame is available from stoogecycles.co.uk. The price is £450, postage to the USA is £65. Prices to Europe are £40.

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