Surly Bike Owners

I read somewhere that Surly usually do two year paint cycles.. so you're probably out of luck.

Possibly why Surly do Decal kits + head tube badge, that the paint job thing is out there :)

Repaint, resticker, ride

https://www.ison-distribution.com/english/product.php?part=FMSUZDBDK not direct from ison but any shop that deals with them can get them in. If in London... Brixton Bicycles worth a shout to order some in.

Cheers for the responses. I'll most likely go for black in that case. Will get a build thread started when it arrives :)

Took my Surly onto the Richmond Park Gravel this morning. It was also the first ride since converting it to 1X.

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Another 2 bike tours under my Straggler's belt this summer.

A snap of it on a recent trip from Bulgaria to Greece.

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Nice. Very understated.

Anyone ridden a bridge club? Feel it’ll sit nicely between my mid fat ogre and lht for mixed surface touring over the winter...
I’m not really into drop bars so feel it might do me better than a straggler.

Before a little tour of east anglia last weekend. Friday evening train to kings lynn > wild camp near sandringham > NCN to Wells on Sea, Oldham, wild camp outside cromer > NCN 30 and 1 down to a nice NT windmill, yarmouth and lowestoft (grim). Onwards to Halesworth for a Sunday evening train back to Liverpool street. Would recommend.

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I've got one. I haven't ridden the others you mention for comparison, but it's not a million miles off a rigid Karate Monkey 29er in terms of handling, well a bit steeper but a good balance for mixed surface touring. It's great on tarmac, the stock 2.4s roll fairly well and the lightish gearing means you take it easy and enjoy the view. On looser stuff it's solid too, I took it around the long blue route at Thetford Forest with my kids yesterday and it was more than up to it. Lots of deep sand & roots to deal with and it was a nice steady cruise.

Deals well with loads as well, I regularly run front panniers on a Tubus Duo which is nice and discreet when not in use. I have a rear rack but it's a bit tight with the tyres if there is any mud around, need to investigate an alternative.

I'd sum it up as a great tourer which happens to take massive tyres. Mine is stock bar the brakes (swapped out for cheap hydros, you could go for those Clarks ones on offer at CRC right now). Thinking about it I also swapped out the cassette as I don't need 40t but that's just personal preference. I prefer it to the KM unless you are mainly riding steeper offroad stuff as the rear dropouts are simple vertical jobs.

Great review! Thanks :)
I’m happy with my lht for touring and day rides and my ogre is the complete opposite end of the spectrum on 3” tyres for tractor rides and the ditch-shitting bivvy adventures I’ll enjoy once I leave London.
It’s a fantastic ride but on tarmac it’s only comfy as long as you don’t intend to travel faster than walking pace. It’s great at what it’s for basically.

I don’t really get rad that often so it sounds perfect.
Fuck it payday, yolo etc. Incoming.

I’m getting a bit of time off work in the next month or so so will swap the racks over from my lht and do a couple of easier sections of the great north trail to test it out.

Happy to help. By comparison to your experience on the Ogre, the last tarmac ride I did on the Bridge Club was at 23kph average just taking it steady between pubs.

Looks like Ison are stocking the frameset now too, available in about a month for £600. Greenish colour only. I've got the original blue and it's nice, a lot of people seem to spot it too.

I would probably have bought the frame over the full bike given the choice. I tend to build things up rather than buy them off the shelf as a rule. But then again I probably wouldn't have built it up as it comes stock, and having now ridden it for nearly a year I think that would be a shame as a lot of the enjoyment I have had from it is down to its easygoing character.

This is the first time I’ve bought a stock Surly. Drivetrain-wise it’s probably along the lines of what I’d do anyway. I’ve got 3x9 and 1x11 on my lht and ogre respectively so I’m certainly not fussy. Going forward I’m sure I’ll put hydros and dynamo hub but no rush.
I’ve gone for black but was tempted with the blue. This was an impulse purchase of the highest order so I’m damn well going to make sure I make the most of it.

New bike day :)
Rides nice just needs a bit of dialing in the fit. Passport cages are Liz’s, will steal the rear tubus off my lht and got a 24pack rack on the way.

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Black looks good

Just taken it to the post office and back via the park. It’s like a 90s mtb gone swole. Lots of fun and does roll along like a proper bike.
Rear rack clears the tyres but not bags of room. I have decent panniers so won’t be going full bikepacking setup.

Can anyone recommend decent carbon forks for a straggler? Really like CGR1, but they're out of budget.

So the tubus expedition from my lht doesn’t fit but the tubus cargo from Liz’s troll does. Lucky this is a solo tour as I’ve stolen most of her luggage now..

Just got my straggler back from Steve (Aurum). He’s done a grand job, miles better than armourtex and much cheaper.

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He made your top tube a bit blurry.

That’s made me want to paint my straggler and my wife’s crosscheck, both of which are boring black

Very nice. A fine looking Surly you have there.

Test fitted the 24pack rack but need to trim the top stays down a bit as when adjusted low and level they sit proud of the top of the rack. Attempted with a junior hacksaw but stainless+no bench vice meant they laughed in my face. Will take them into work for a trim with some real tools.

@JoeC that’s a lovely shade

https://surlybikes.com/blog/important_safety_notice_surly_8_pack_and_24_pack_racks

Great, just after I spent half a day swearing and readjusting to get mine suitably tukt.
Signed up for the email but will likely reassemble with loctite for now.

I can’t find details online as to how the rack failed, only the recall notice. Any more info out there?