You don't need much to have fun on the dirt -- and in many cases less is more. Single-speed, rigid mountain bikes like the Civilian Luddite are shining examples of this. You won't find any finicky components, unproven technologies, or frivolous luxuries muddling the Luddite. Just the necessities and a intelligently designed, history-rich frame to connect you to the trail.
Unless you've paid close attention to regional hand-built bike shows, or forked over a few grand to Civilian's founder for a custom, hand-crafted piece, you probably haven't heard of this brand. Tyson Hart, the driving force behind Civilian, set out building cleanly designed, progressive frames in 2005 after attending UBI, a respected frame building school in Ashland, Oregon. Relying on a combination of extensive personal experience and close work with clients, Hart crafted everything from utilitarian city, to classic road, to durable mountain bikes.
These distinctive rolling sculptures quickly gained a cult following for their seamless balance of fun-to-ride attitude and distinctive style. Hart's passion however is on the dirt, and that's why Civilian's world headquarters has relocated from Portland, OR, to mountainous Park City, UT. On trails like Mid-Mountain and the Crest, Hart applied his knowledge to dial the Luddite's geometry and tube set for climbing prowess, stable descending, and a smooth ride.
Hart's work was once reserved for those willing to be on a waiting list and pay a premium for craftsmanship, but now they're packaged for everyone. The Luddite uses a double-butted 4130 Cro-Moly tube set that offers a ride and weight that'd rival frames costing twice as much. What gives the Luddite its distinctive ride quality is the shaped chainstays that offer explosive acceleration and kinked seat stays that dampen choppy trails. This keeps you fresh for the final sprint back to camp or the trailhead. The shapely stays are joined with Tange Design sliding drop outs.
These drops are 7075 T6 aluminum sliders, with two bolts on each side and tensioners to ensure the chain won't slacken in the course of a ride. There is a derailleur hanger, which is sold separately, if the option to shift in the future appeals to you. The frame is equipped with a full complement of cable stops, in case you ever want to ride with gears.
The Luddite's front end uses the Chubby head tube, a stout, oversized unit that ensures precise steering and plenty of strength. Keeping that theme alive is a full-carbon, tapered fork that's designed to resist flex from braking and steering forces. This makes negotiating technical switch backs a breeze, and ensures the Luddite stays pointed where you desire on high-speed berms.
Avid BB7 mechanical disc brakes with a 180mm rotor in front and 160mm in the rear keep maintenance simple while offering cool, smooth operation for long and steep descents. Avid has the stopping department covered, and a Truvativ FireX crankset is handles the go department. It's equipped with a 32T chainring that spins an 18T cog. This gear ratio is equivalent to a 2:1 on a 26in wheeled bike and is ideal for rolling terrain. Gear it lower to favor climbing or higher for flatter terrain.
The Luddite rides on WTB Speed Disc rims laced to Quando hubs with traditional J-bend spokes. The hub is not single-speed specific, so you won't need to purchase a new rear wheel if a geared drivetrain's in your future. Wide, 29 x 2.3in Kenda Nevegal tires offer the volume for a smooth ride and the traction to keep the Luddite from spinning out on loose, steep climbs. The handlebar, stem, and seatpost are constructed of 2014 aluminum and feature gradients to make fine tuning fit simple. Velo lock-on grips and a Cutter saddle complete the Luddite's build.
The Civilian Luddite comes in Small, Medium, Large, X-large, and XX-Large sizes, and it's available in two colors: Burner Orange and Mojito.
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Civilian Bicycle Co. Luddite - 2012
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Hi, I have jus received my Civilian Luddite,...
Thomas Saunders
Member since
Hi, I have jus received my Civilian Luddite, and was wondering whether the stem is able to be inverted?
Cheers
Lance Starling
Member since
You can flip the stem upside-down to get a more aggressive climbing stance.
Are there any size large Civilian Luddite...
jayp360724
Member since
Are there any size large Civilian Luddite bikes anywhere? Can't seem to find one!
Awesome bike!
wil797326440
Member since
- Gender: Male
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
I can't say enough good stuff about the Luddite. It loves going over, around, or even through any obstacle you throw at it. The thing climbs like a goat! It's confidence-inspiring, to say the least.
This is my first experience with a rigid fork, and I love it. The carbon fork really absorbs a lot of trail chatter like they say. Yes, if you hit a big bump you'll feel it, but the front end of this bike comes up so easily that you'll find yourself hopping over roots, rocks, and the neighbor's purse dog just for fun. The front end feels extremely quick compared to a lot of hardtails I've ridden, and the back end does a great job staying planted during out of the saddle climbs.
The paint does chip around the dropouts, but I've had no problems with alignment or the back wheel slipping. This bike is solid, and the paint chips aren't enough to notice unless someone points them out.
I'd say this bike is a great value at the sale price they're running it for, but after riding it for while, I'd buy it at full price and still consider it a deal. If you're on the fence about the single speed thing or concerned about the rigid fork (I was), give it a shot. Riding one of these is about as much fun as you can have with your pants on.
Recent SS convert
jefp52928
Member since
just got mine (size L, burner orange) last week - love it. geometry is pretty upright. components are all very solid with exception of grips which are total junk. Put Crank Bros. Candy 2 on it, so is an orange explosion. If thinking about SS 29er, get this bike (plus is on sale, free shipping).
--update: I've seen others on various reviews talk about loosening of the rear dropouts due to the paint on the frame chipping off. This is very true. On your first 1-2 rides, take a 6 mm hex with you so you can tighten the heck out of those bolts because it will get rattly
Does HucknRoll sell the derailleur hanger...
ark1396766135
Member since
Does HucknRoll sell the derailleur hanger mentioned in the description?
So nice, I bought it twice
Ben Smith
Member since
I bought one of these bikes on sale from BC.com a few weeks ago. Only have about 50 miles on it, but it's really awesome. I think the biggest downside is also the most easily upgraded part - the tires are super heavy and slow. Not a huge deal for me since I'm picking my way through ridiculously rocky/rooty trails (I'll take the traction, thx), but the speedier types have a simple upgrade to shed some serious weight and add speed.
I was happy enough with it that I bought one for my wife as well. It's her first MTB, and she didn't want to deal with gears or suspension at first.
The only complaint that I have is that the paint is peeling up around the rear wheel tensioner assembly. This wouldn't be a problem, but when the paint peels, it slips. I've had to adjust it several times. I'm going to take the advice of some folks online and just file off the paint to keep this from happening more.
How do I size the bike? I'm 6'-0", 170...
Burner
Member since
How do I size the bike? I'm 6'-0", 170 LBS. Guessing b/w medium & large...
Thanks
Where is the geometry for the frame?
rich
Member since
Where is the geometry for the frame?
not on the rug man
Member since
check out the civilian website
http://www.ridecvln.com/bikes/luddite/
Sweet bike
Mike Lee
Member since
I just picked this one up last week and so far I love it. I'm still not in the best shape for a single speed but this will definitely get me there quick. The handles great, climbs like a best, and is an all around killer deal for the price.
What country is the Luddite frame and...
cal1897072191
Member since
What country is the Luddite frame and carbon fork manufactured?
Mike Lee
Member since
The frame is made in Taiwan but I haven't been able to find anything on the fork.
not on the rug man
Member since
looks like the fork is also from taiwan
http://www.bev-intl.com/fork-fmc-703.htm
Wondering what the total bike weight of...
botav131061192
Member since
Wondering what the total bike weight of the Medium Luddite would be?
