Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Our Reader’s Rig of the week comes from Matt of Kissing Crows Cyclery in Vancouver, British Columbia, who shares the ever-evolving All-City Gorilla Monsoon rat rod he uses to get around instead of a car. Meet Matt and find details on his rusty basket bike here…
Words and photos by Matt Liliefeldt
Heyo! Name’s Matt. I’m a Scarborough, Ontario, transplant residing in Vancouver (traditional territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlil̓wətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples) for over a decade now, damn. Time flies!
I got into bikes by accident eons ago via a trashed, way too big, janky Apollo 10 speed I got for free in my university days. From there, I was hurdled into riding a fixed gear bike, since a geared bike was out of the question financially. Then I rode fixed for quite some time, and I still do. I have a major soft spot for track bikes. But that’s beside the point. For a long time, I essentially never thought of bikes as something that’d be a significant part of my life, but here we are.
Bikes since those days have been my only mode of personal transportation, being a way to access camping and outdoor adventure and a gateway to health and fitness (lord knows I despise exercise). The bike game is also where I’ve found myself career-wise since 2014, and I’m still loving the problem-solving challenges I face every day. I work mostly in designing custom bike builds these days for folks through Kissing Crows Cyclery. It always puts a smile on my face when clients approach me for dream bike ideas they have; that spark and excitement they carry in those conversations is the best. Of course, helping people with accessories, projects, and stock bike purchases is often just as great of a time, too!
Onto the bike, this one was a super fun personal project! It’s been through a few changes, and it’s been constantly evolving, but I’m super happy with where it’s at currently. For years, I wanted an All-City Gorilla Monsoon. Growing up skating, then years later, seeing Eric Koston’s Monsoon, I had to have one to call my own. Finally, in spring/summer 2023, I bit the bullet and got my hands on a frameset. The first thing I did was tear off the “Charred Berry” stock paint and immediately threw salt water, vinegar, and lemon juice on it. I really wanted that rat-rod look I’ve been obsessed with since childhood and made it happen. Then I sprayed on a half-assed clearcoat and called it a day.
Build-wise, I went for practical, with some pazazz here and there for fun and flair. Working in the bike world, I thought I might as well get a bit of bling while I can (because yeesh, bike parts are pricey). That being said, I run a 10-speed SRAM GX shifter paired with a SRAMApex 11-speed rear derailleur and a 10-speed chain and cassette with the concept in mind of keeping wear parts on the cheap. Also on that note, I opted for cheap and cheerful Shimano BL-MT201 + BR-UR300 levers and calipers. Budget Shimano brakes are fantastic bang for buck! I’m a big fan. I very much recommend them for those out there who are budget-conscious like me.
- Frame/Fork: 2022 All-City Gorilla Monsoon
- Rims: Stans No Tubes, Arch MK4 29″
- Hubs: Shutter Precision PD-7 Dynamo (front) / Onyx Vesper (rear)
- Tires: Pirelli Cinturato Gravel M 700 x 45
- Handlebars: WHISKY No.9 Carbon
- Headset: Velo Orange Grand Cru Threadless
- Crankset: White Industries G30
- Pedals: Shimano Deore XT PD-T8000
- Cassette: Shimano Deore CS-M4100-10
- Derailleur(s): SRAM Apex 1
- Brakes: Shimano BL-MT201 + BR-UR300
- Shifter(s): SRAM GX
- Saddle: Pro Stealth Carbon
- Seatpost: WHISKY No.7 Carbon
- Stem: Pro PLT
- Front bags: Swift Industries Sugarloaf
- Frame bags: Apidura Expedition Full Frame Pack 7.5L (when camping)
- Rear bags: Swift Industries Olliepack (when camping)
- Accessory bags: Randi Jo Fabrications x SimWorks Bartender Plus
- Rack and basket: Wald 137 Basket, Nitto M18 Front Rack
- Lights: Kasai Trail Beam Dynamo Light, Blue Lug Koma Rear Light
- Other accessories: SimWorks by Honjo Flat 65 Fender
Paul Klampers or Magura brakes would’ve been pretty dang cool, but I just need to stop the bike, ya know? Those options have a time and place, but I’m not a ripper by any means, and either would’ve been absolute overkill for me. With that to say though, I did “ball out” on some parts like the White Industries cranks, Onyx rear hub (thank you, Josh), Whisky bars and post, SimWorks x Honjo fenders (thank you, Jeremy), and a few other lil bits.
Finally, the basket and dynamo setup was a must; with no vehicle, and not being a fan of crowded spaces on public transport and in general, I had to make sure grocery carry would be a breeze. To add to that, basket camping is a dream! Packing is easy AF (as the kids say), and setting up camp then booting around with snacks and beverages at the ready can’t be beat! Long story short, I’m proud of this bike and it’s a bike I plan to keep for a lifetime.
You can see more from Matt on Instagram.
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