Surly Bike Owners

lean in to being old and uncool

Shouldn't be difficult!

A little progress on the Bridge Club - proportions look good, I think, and fatties do indeed fit fine. Bigger clearance than the proper MTB it's replacing

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Nice wheels

Said hello to someone on a black MS round regents this morning. On here?
Intrigued to see your build properly. Looked decent.

Such a good colour! "Perfect bike" as my friend Hayley would say.

Colour is growing on me too

It's now - just about - a working bike, albeit with only one brake connected, and with a ludicrously long hose, until I get hold of some more barbs.

Chopped the steerer once but will probably do another as the bars will be coming down a bit

Been a real nuisance of a build so far - the rim tape on the wheels had somehow slid away from the spoke holes so needed replacing - dropper seatpost had to be ordered from Germany as none in this country that were affordable - kid seat mount needed adapting as plastic bits has deformed - dynamo headlight had broken so another is on order - forgot I would need brake adaptors etc etc

Still to fit are all the functional accoutrements - Bluemels with questionable RAW mudflaps - dynamo lights with, if I can be bothered, internal fork wiring - Pizza rack with Wald on top, and big plastic bin panniers either side - and yes probably a kickstand. Maybe more bougie pedals.

On a more positive note, even from a brief jaunt round the block, geometry/proportions/position/etc feels and looks great

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questionable RAW mudflaps

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Looking good!

Looks rad, dunno if these are any good?

https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/gravel-dropper-post-27-2mm-100mm-w-remote/

That looks like a great deal.

I think all the cheaper droppers are the same, whatever the brand, certainly that looks the same as Brand X, XLC and so on.

That one is internally routed though, and the Bridge Club frame isn't equipped for that.

Not sure why but droppers in general seem priced too high given the technology has been around for decades in office chairs

Cross Check in front of the snow shelter we made during the biggest storm this area has seen in 30yrs. Fixed gear, big squishy tires, flat bars, giant front carrier. One side geared low for fun off road, the other geared just high enough not to be annoying on the road. I'll get there when I get there on this one.

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Ace

Bridge Club is, as expected, mega functional. Nursery runs, big shops etc accomplished with aplomb. Shout out to the Specialized big plastic bin panniers which are by far the easiest way of doing big shops I've tried - they each take exactly one full to the brim bag-for-life, I just leave them on the bike, drop the bag in and away we go.

What I hadn't expected is how incredibly fun it would be to ride - it really is an absolute blast despite having several kilos of fictional gubbins arranged.

Will have to take some proper photos - otherwise also making appearances in Bristol Bike Tag

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Nice! Looking forward to more pictures

Slight improvement albeit still far from professional

All finished now apart from fitting tweaks (saddle up some more for sure), kickstand, some cloth tape on the 'hooks' of the bars for headwind days like today, and possibly a top tube protector on the down tube - as the bars have a real tendency to flop with any weight in the basket, and the rack would smack the down tube

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Selling my ogre to make way for a hard tail. Has Thomson bits, SLX, geoff bars, two sets of tyres - 2.6” knobblies and surly 2.5” jobbies. SP dynamo and a revelate frame bag. Free Palestine sticker. £800 or there abouts

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Dibs cranks if you'd split!

No love for the Preamble here yet? Looks like a good commuter

Unfortunately it was stolen a few (100?) years ago..

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Has anyone been able to fit a 700x45 rear tire in a 2016/17 Straggler?
Never went more than 40, but never tried either and it looks like there is some room.

I just about squeezed a 700x45mm in my 2014 56cm Straggler. Occasionally it would rub the stays if I was climbing.

This is on a loaded touring bike with a shitty qr skewer so you might have more luck on a different set up.

Thanks! My setup will be similar, did you actually measure the tyre width?

I can’t 100% remember but I think it measured 45mm. It was a cheapish tyre from Colombia and had a bit of a wobble so maybe a more premium tyre would help too.

43mm rear is probably the optimal size and if you can deal with the toe overlap 50mm on the front is possible.

+kjlem

No love for the Preamble here yet? Looks like a good commuter

The Preamble looks like an interesting bike. The thing that would most put me off about it are the weight and that it is only supplied with 35mm tyres when it has clearance for 41mm.