BEYONCE
Maggie had been riding a fairly heavy, single pivot full suspension bike and was ready for something a little more playful, a little lighter, and a little more efficient on climbs. She wanted a Karate Monkey, which was an excellent place to start. There are lots of riders who've owned many bikes, but are of the opinion that their Monkey is the most fun.
How do you take a great thing and make it better?
A 2x10 XT drivetrain. XT drivetrains operate on actual magic.
Handbuilt wheels. DT 350 hubs laced to WTB i23 rims. The i23's are, unsurprisingly, 23mm wide. This is wider than traditional rims, which increases the air volume in the Maxxis Ardent 2.4 tires, and helps to square off the tread. Better traction + more float = very good wonderful times.
Rockshox SID XX 100mm fork. Stiff, light, and ready to chew up the gnarliest trails the front range has to offer. Oh, and it's all black.
If you're still not sure whether Maggie built up a rad bike, here's some proof.