In some unspecified time in the future I can’t bear in mind when, somebody I can’t bear in mind who requested if I used to be going to touch upon the brand new Surly Straggler:
Effectively, I don’t even know something concerning the outdated Surly Straggler, not to mention the brand new one, however I did watch their irreverent video:
Then I learn an article about it:
It definitely looks like a enjoyable, versatile, and easy bike, which is what you anticipate from Surly, however sadly I’ve reached the purpose in my life the place I can’t recognize any of that and as a substitute simply marvel in any respect the stuff that’s disappearing eternally, like quick-release axles:
Tyre clearance is upped from 42mm to 50mm. Surly has completed the inevitable and transformed from 100mm entrance/135mm rear quick-release dropouts to 100mm/142mm 12mm-diameter thru-axles.
Sure, I do know it’s lengthy been over for the short launch and no one cares, however it nonetheless amazes me. Sooner or later you’ll inform your children about take away a bicycle wheel all you needed to do was flip a lever and it popped proper out and so they received’t consider you. It appears too good to have ever been true, like these outdated images of children enjoying stickball in the midst of the road and doing swan-dives into the East River.
And naturally Surly have added compatibility with stuff like dropper posts and gravel suspension forks, which little doubt it’s essential do with the intention to promote a motorbike like this in 2025, however being outdated and cranky I can also’t consider the biking world has accepted these big headtubes:
The Straggler nonetheless comes with a metal fork as commonplace, however the 44mm non-tapered head tube opens the choice to suit a carbon fork or a gravel suspension fork.
Look, I do know it’s a Surly and never some fancy customized, however even the budget-conscious metal bicycle rider shouldn’t be compelled to reside with the “skipping leg day” look:
I assume the aesthetics shortly pressure you to improve.
Hey, what would you like from me? I miss the outdated Surlys, and studying concerning the new Straggler simply made me wish to examine these as a substitute. So I retreated to the 2007 catalog, since that’s the 12 months I began this silly weblog. In fact there was the Cross-Examine:
Which was after all killed by “progress:”
Gross.
Then there was the Pacer:
Positive, I’ll settle for it could have been a shedding proposition for Surly to maintain promoting a dirt-oriented bike with rim brakes in 2025. However the full disappearance of the no-frills rim-brake highway body (with bonus fender mounts!) is tough for me to reconcile. That must be a staple. It’s like if Heinz discontinued common ketchup and solely supplied the spicy flavors:
Certain, I assume there are sufficient metallic highway bike frames on the used market to maintain the subsequent 5 generations, however it nonetheless looks like a web loss for humanity.
And the way about that Karate Monkey?!?
Keep in mind when there have been mountain bikes that took both rim brakes or disc brakes? That was superb. They have been like these bizarre prehistoric fish that would additionally stroll on land:
In fact I say all this having by no means truly purchased a Surly. I imply certain, I’ve had Surlys (Surlies?), however because of my fleeting Web fame (this weblog was briefly fashionable in the course of the interval when mountain bikes took each rims and disc brakes) I didn’t must resort to the indignity of buying them. For instance, there was the Large Dummy, which was my first actual expertise with any kind of cargo bike, and which got here to me once I was a brand new guardian:
The bike was completely incredible and it couldn’t have been extra well timed, although ultimately once I had much less use for it I handed it alongside to a good friend whose kids have been youthful than mine.
Then there was the Vacationers Examine, which was principally only a Cross-Examine with couplers, and which was a tad too small since that was the one measurement that they had left:
That bike accompanied me on a guide tour and lots of different journeys and likewise served as what immediately can be thought-about a “gravel bike,” although you’ll discover that as a recovering cyclocross racer I nonetheless thought a 39×27 certified as a “low gear.” I consider I took the above photograph throughout a trip on Mount Tam, a full twelve years earlier than I’d trip it once more with Grant Petersen:
[Photo: Dan Leto]
General I’d say the Clem was much better suited to the duty–although the Vacationers Examine served me very properly general (particularly as a journey bike, it took a lot of journeys and I by no means paid a single airline charge, good luck flying with a Clem), and even went singlespeed in the direction of the top of my time with it:
I notice this was presupposed to be concerning the Straggler, however if you get outdated you are likely to ramble.