There's a bike shop about 60 miles away that is totally in line with my interests, carrying Surly, Salsa and Crust for bikes as well as Rene Hearse tires.  Very big into "all-around" bikes and gravel riding in particular.  

A few years ago, I was interested in a Jones and upon calling to see if this shop stocked complete bikes (they didn't), one of the employees told me he had a Jones and if I wanted to come by the shop to ride it, he would run home and get, which I did.  Very cool bike.

Yesterday, I was in there and they had a Surly Bridge Club I could ride (been looking for years, but no one ever has them in stock).  Took that for a ride, then rode a Salsa Fargo....both very nice bikes.  

Sitting up against the front windows, dirty and obviously a personal bike, was a Stooge titanium bike that looked a lot like the very first modern mountain bike, Breezer #1.  Joe Breeze made 10 bikes for that first production run, but only his had a truss fork.  The others had straight unicrown forks.  

Breezer #1  (Currently in the Smithsonian)

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I mentioned how cool the bike was to the girl who was helping me and later on I mentioned having ridden one of the employee's Jones bikes several years ago.  She replied that not only is he still at the shop, but the Stooge is his!  He promptly came over and offered to let me ride it.  Charley Kelly was one of the original creators of what is now mountain biking and Joe Breeze made his Breezer series of bikes at Charley's request, so Charley has Breezer #2.  Apparently, Charley stayed with the owner of Stooge Cycles and they agreed to do a limited run of 10 bikes, inspired by the first ten Breezers.  The offer was made to the public and only one guy bought one, the guy who works at the bike shop I visit.  Of course, the owner of Stooge built one for himself, so there are a grand total of two of these framesets in existence, and I got to ride one of them!!

Stooge C.K. Flyer

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The thing was a blast to ride, but probably not for everyone, just die hard bike nerds.  I once had a 1984 Takara Highlander, which was very representative of those first mountain bikes and this thing rode like a much nicer version of that bike.  This was also the first titanium bike I've ridden.  Previously, titanium had no interest to me, but after riding this bike and discovering that as pictured, with huge 27.5+ tires, the bike weighs in at 25 lbs, I now want a titanium bike!!!

My old Takara Highlander

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That is cool stuff. That Stooge with the skin wall plus tires is sweet! I'd be nerding out on it too if I got to ride it!  Love those old bikes.

I went on a vintage kick for a while, sold almost all of them off, just don't have the space to "collect" bikes, and somewhere along the way I got too into "performance" oriented riding/bikes.
 
 Still have an old 87 Cannondale, and a Worksman I cobbled into a klunker, (still a work in progress)
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I still have my 93 Schwinn Moab. Mostly original. Replaced the grips, saddle, tires, and brake shoes. Otherwise, still original parts. Bought it new from the bicycle rack in Spotswood, NJ.

Still miss my 84 Mongoose California that I assembled from new and used parts.
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I rode a titanium -framed road bike some years back
It was sooooo smooth.

Cool story and neat bike, thanks for sharing OP.

Found an article with more photos and info:
https://theradavist.com/stooge-cycles-ck-flyer-mtb-review/

Yep, that's him.  He did mention that he usually runs 27.5+ but when I rode it, he had regular 29'er wheels/tires on it.  The tires in this article look HUGE, even for 27.5+.  He said he's constantly changing stuff on it.  He also said he's used to bikes with very steep seat tube angles and this thing, like the old MTB's that inspired it, has a very slack seat tube, so he has the saddle all the way forward on the rails.  He's a skinny guy and I'm not, so I had a bit of trouble squeezing in between the saddle and the handlebars.  He's also a bit taller than me and had a drop-post with two setting, his saddle height and all the way down.  I started in the down position but quickly realized it was unrideble for me and figured out how to raise it, while riding.  Even though he has 3" in height on me, I could ride from his saddle position.

That LBS visit was a revelation for me.  I've been riding with various degrees of enthusiasm since 1995.  In 2011, I started a thread here that, like so many other threads here, sent me down the rabbit hole of bikes, in and of themselves.  I became a total bike nerd and actually riding one became a secondary interest.

I spent years and hours designing custom frames I could commission as well as browsing the forums, websites, etc..   I even bought a Rivendell frameset, which if it was still made, would cost $1750.  I spec'd it with pretty decent components and enjoy riding it.

At the LBS, I first rode a Surly Bridge Club, which was really nice.  I then rode a Salsa Fargo which as far as components go, was a much nicer bike.  I then rode the Stooge, which is the pet project of a bike shop mechanic who has spared no expense on his bikes.  I now realize the research and investment should be in good components.  I've known for years that I want a higher engagement hub.  I can't stand the slack in the cranks when I start pedaling after coasting.  And the XTR drivetrain?  Holy Mother of God.  That was precision shifting like I've never experienced.  Being owned by a bike mechanic/nerd, I'm sure it was set up to perfection.

Now, I can't decide whether to sell my Rivendell (the owner of the Stooge said he would be interested in it) and get a Bridge Club, sell Riv and invest in better components for the old Karate Monkey frameset, or keep the Riv and build up the Karate Monkey as more of a neighborhood bike.  But then do I put the decent components on the Karate Monkey or the Riv, with the new, better components I plan to buy going on the other?  

First world problems.

27.5 fats are very cool. Even moreso on a bike like this thread subject's where you don't expect them. I bikepacked the 3" set below across Catalina several years ago. Don't think I've ridden that bike since

I am riding 99% eMTB these days but still appreciate the unique frames and setups. Most of them seem to be born from practical ideas and purposes and later morph into whimsical aesthetic treats.

The latest XTR iteration is most impressive. It wasn't long ago I converted a mid 2010s XT 2-ring bike to Sram one-by 12x when that was new. Sold it and went all in on Sram 12x, gripshifts, everything. And recently have gone back to XTR for both shifting and brakes. The shifting action can't be beat and 4-pot brakes are the chef's kiss. You really can't go wrong with it.

I am excited for the new belt-drive tech and other things that are in development. Shimano has filed a number of very interesting patents in recent years.

If you guys are in to the older stuff. I can't recommended Bicycle Heaven in Pittsburgh, PA enough. Stopped by on a trip and it blew my mind.

If they made that thing in fatbike (4+) with a 197 rear I know a ton of people who would buy them.

they all have why (now revel) big irons. Ti bikes are huge in the fatbike world.

I still have my 1980 Kuwahara KZ-1 BMX. Rode it recently, still fun!

Just started ridding the roads and gap this year.  Rode past twice.  Gunna have to check it out.

Nice OP !


Titanium is very nice !     Not as light as carbon but they say its a "forever material"  

My example is a Litespeed Team.   Regrettably it has the stack height and big tubing diameter of a pure race machine so probably isnt the best representative of a Ti bike as far as ride comfort goes  , but it has a timeless look that appeals to gearheads.    I am a big buy so i never really build a bike with an emphasis on light weight, but as pictured, its about 19 pounds.  

 I didnt think that was bad at all considering the heavy Octalink style bottom bracket and old school eyeletted box section aluminum rims -- and the remaining Campagnolo components are known for being heavier than equivalent Shimano Dura Ace stuff IIRC

Plus - i just enjoy looking at it