#surly disc trucker

[urbanadventureleague]

Rim brakes are dead. Long live rim brakes.

Emee’s Surly Cross Check in Cherry City Park, 19 June 2021. Minolta SR-T 101/MC Rokkor PG 50mm f/1.4/Kodak Portra 160 Be in a certain subculture long enough and you’ll witness the death of things. Last week it was “announced” that Surly’s venerable Cross Check bike/frame had been discontinued. I put “announced” in quotes, as there was no press release, just some internet sleuths who noticed that…

[gravelish]

Green Lake and Lake Union

14 September 2023

I wouldn’t normally do this, but I decided to simply copy this text from my corresponding Instagram post. It’s a short story about two bikes.

I took my Surly out for a ride this afternoon since my Warbird is at the UPS Store, packed into a cardboard box with my camping gear, and headed for Utah.

Four years ago today, I was riding this bike from Carroll to Onawa in lowa, sheltering from thunderstorms in Westside and Vail in the morning and rolling through the Loess Hills in the afternoon. I was three weeks from Maine; still four weeks from Seattle.

Since then it's seen a few thousand miles on the indoor trainer (mainly in the virtual worlds of Watopia and the Makuri Islands) but I think this was the first time it's been outside since I bought my Salsa Warbird in early 2020. The Disc Trucker is a great bike, but the Warbird is more fun to ride and has become my go-to bike for everything from short rides around home to epic adventures in the Rockies.

With any luck, it (the Warbird) should be waiting for me next week when I arrive in Salt Lake City!

[dandonoriginal]

Ghost Grappler

Berawal dari gelisah karena masih pingin single speed cuman masih kurang sreg kalo dipakai di Surly Disc Trucker. Guatel pingin Steamroller, warna kuning cuantek pool. Sercing2 lah tu persepedaan. Gagal fokus bet hari ini, tapi untung masih produktip ngelarin banyak shot. Mana di chat HR juga untuk kontrak baru.

Nah, keinget sama frame yang disebutin mas ijul "Ghos Grappler", ketrigger nyari di utube mtb btm, munculah channel Batam MTB Explore. Seru ne pool mblusuk2 hutan, naik turun bukit. Secara kontur dan wilayah pulau Batam yang seuprit gini kalo road jelas bosyen. Beda kalo di sumatra / jawa, bisa main jauh2 dan seru. Nah di sini, seputeran tok habis, ketambahan kok yo gak mikir. Mosok mau sepedahan sendiri, jelas bakal bosen dan bakal jadi sarang laba2 itu sepeda.

Brosing sana sini selain otak juga berseliweran kudu kerja. Gas lah nanya, tuker ga jadi pesen DT, di tuker ama steamroller awalnya. Nah karena nemu channel tadi, terus kalo di sercing anak2 fixe juga rata2 para remaja. Duh, kok aga ga masuk kayaknya ya kounitasnya ama saya yang udah bapak2 gini. GG juga kayak nya masih oke2 aja kalo di gas utuk turing dan di jalan, udahlah sikat.

Beok eksekusi ini transfer, alamat megap2 ini sampai thr turun mungkin. Gatel pingin beli moloko bar juga, males kalo pakai drop.

[kinkicycle]

SURLY サーリー / DISC TRUCKER　TICKET　CUSTOM

[rideinternal]

https://flic.kr/p/gH1b2H

[gregglatz]

Loving my new (to me) Thompson seat post from @bikeedmonton south workshop. The stock post was the only thing I DIDN’T like about this Surly Disc Trucker. #problemsolved #yegbike #ridebikes #bikelife #bikeeverywhere #pedalpower #disctrucker #surlydisctrucker #surlybikes (at Edmonton, Alberta) https://www.instagram.com/p/CjeI6l8PI-1/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[tomasoski2]

*SURLY* disc trucker (50) by Blue Lug https://flic.kr/p/2mm46Vv

[aces5050]

(via *SURLY* disc trucker (50) | Frame :*SURLY* disc trucker Head… | Flickr)

[thalasin]

*SURLY* disc trucker (50) by Blue Lug on Flickr.

[biketrip2019]

THE BIKE

19 September. Chadron NE.

This is one of those posts I originally planned much earlier. But all this bike riding has sort of gotten in the way of doing anything else.

My pack horse is a Surly Disc Trucker, the disc brake version of Surly’s Long Haul Trucker. It’s your classic steel touring bike. I bought it in June 2017 and since then it’s ridden all over Washington, in scattered places like Taos, Madison, Portland, Glacier NP, and Saltspring Island, and maybe a thousand miles in Watopia (which is a whole story in itself - Google it).

Photo: Brunswick, Maine, almost exactly a month ago, showing bike without gear.

It has a 62cm frame, which discourages short bike thieves from trying to ride off with it. But probably also contributes to a lot of flex in the frame - which I notice when the rear of the bike is heavily loaded and I try to get out of the saddle when climbing. It also can lead to some wobble when going downhill (it goes away as I go faster :-)).

There are three rings in front (48-36-26). And ten in back (11-36). You’d think the 26-36 combo would get me up anything, but I’m always wanting one or two more gears. I suppose by then I’d be going so slowly I’d just fall off. The bike has bar-end shifters, which I have mixed feelings about.

The bike rolls on 700x38 tires. I began the trip with a brand new Schwalbe Marathon Plus tire on the front and a fairly fresh one on back. I’m using Continental Touring tubes. I seriously fear jinxing things, but in more than 2200 miles of asphalt and gravel, I have had no flats. I have added air to each tire once or twice the entire trip!

Mounted on the bike, I have Planet Bike fenders, a Tubus rear rack, three bottle cages, and two additional L-shaped King ManyThing cages on the front fork. I have a small Lezyne pump mounted behind the seat tube and a light mount on the fork crown. I also have a mount for my Ortlieb handlebar bag and a small Knog bell on the bars.

I’m using a Brooks B-17 leather saddle. Which has worked well for me, though with this much riding, nothing is likely perfect.

The bike - without water, luggage, or me - weighs about 35lbs.

I’ll describe the bike luggage in a separate post(s).

[jromansky]

My Surly Long Haul Disc Trucker #surly #surlydisctrucker #surlybikes #johnromansky #jromansky #ride #rideabike #twowheelsmovethesoul #twowheels (at Fort Collins, Colorado) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByilKsEAm9O/?igshid=1keolklikdwp3

[bicyclerevolutions]

INTERSTELLAR INVENTORY REDUCTION SALE!

Final sale before we move!

February 7th - until we move!

(last day for scheduled service:  FEB 15th)

All in-stock apparel discounted 70% OFF regular price!

We’re taking an additional 10% off all in-stock apparel previously discounted at 60% off!  In-stock, regular priced items only.

Enjoy 20% off SHOP-WIDE!!!

EVERYTHING in the shop is  20% off or more!  (*excludes bikes)

20% off selected city bicycle models! 

All single speed city bikes & cruiser bikes!  Includes remaining All-City Big Block, Fuji Feather, Linus Scout 1, & Fyxation Eastside models.  In-stock only.  Ends February 16th.

Close-out bikes are priced to move with additional discounts of up to $100 off our “We’re Moving!” sale prices! 

Ridiculously low prices on already heavily discounted bikes!  In-stock only, Ends February 16th! (scroll for specific models, sizes, & prices)

30% off all Brooks leather saddles! 

We’re taking an additional 10% off all Brooks leather saddles previously discounted at 20% off!  In-stock, regular priced items only.

70% OFF Apparel!

Take advantage of the lowest prices ever seen on your favorite brands of technical cycling and bicycle commuter casual apparel.

Choose from Twin Six, Chrome, Levi’s, Swrve, Modrobes, Endura, & Smart Wool!

jerseys

bibs

shorts

shirts

jackets

hoodies

jeans

sweat shirts

wool knits

Find the lowest prices imaginable on selected bicycles which are already heavily discounted! 

Additonal discounts of up to $100 off previous sale prices!

Now until we move!  In-stock only!

Kona Rove NRB (2018)

Size(s): 50, 52, 54, & 56cm

Interstellar Sale Price: $1100

Regular Price: $1699

“We’re Moving!” Sale Price:   $1189.30

Foundry Thresher Disc B3 (2013)

Size: 54cm

Interstellar Sale Price: $1000

Regular Price: $2750

“We’re Moving!” Sale Price:   $1100

Surly Disc Trucker

Sizes: 52cm (26″ wheels)

Interstellar Sale Price: $900

Regular Price: $1550

“We’re Moving!” Sale Price: $930

Surly Moonlander (2013)

Size: 16″

Interstellar Sale Price:  $900

Regular Price: $2350

“We’re Moving!” Sale Price: $940

Salsa Mukluk 2 (2013)

Sizes: XSmall

Interstellar Sale Price: $900

Regular Price: $2450

“We’re Moving!” Sale Price: $980

Surly Krampus (2013)

Size: Small

Interstellar Sale Price:  $700

Regular Price: $1950

“We’re Moving!” Sale Price: $780

Salsa Colossal 2 (2014)

Size: 53cm

Interstellar Sale Price:  $700

Regular Price: $1999

“We’re Moving!” Sale Price: $799.60

Volume Cutter V5 (special custom build)

Size: 56cm

Interstellar Sale Price:  $650

Regular Price: $1450

“We’re Moving!” Sale Price: $725

***SOLD***

Kona Cinder Cone (2016)

Sizes: Large

Interstellar Sale Price:  $500

Regular Price: $1199

“We’re Moving!” Sale Price: $599.50

Look for new additions to our selection of 60% OFF tires!  Including some ultra fancy Dia Compe SS (regular price $60)

Only $24 after discount.

Deep discounts on all Brooks Leather Saddles!

30% OFF all Brooks Leather Saddles!

40% OFF Brooks C13 Saddles!  & 40% OFF all Brooks Bags & Accessories!

*excluding Brooks non-leather bartape

We’ve also discounted items not previously on sale.

20% OFF Shop kits (jerseys, bibs, & socks)

20% OFF WINTER WARMERS, GLOVES, & HATS!

20% OFF ALL GLOVES!

ALL  GLOVES 20% OFF!

Take 20% OFF all:

Winter Warmers (neck, arm, leg, & knee)

Winter hats & caps

Gloves

Socks

Shop kits (jerseys, bibs, & socks)

bike parts

In-stock items only.  Sale runs NOW until we move!

(last day for scheduled service:  FEB 15th)

cs

[gravelish]

Bike Touring and Bikepacking

13 June 2021

I was really happy with my bike and my gear for the ride back from San Francisco. I had considered taking my Surly with the touring gear, but opted instead to take the Warbird and the bikepacking gear. Both would have worked, but I think the latter was simply more enjoyable.

The distinctions between bike touring and bikepacking are nuanced, debated, semantic, and sort of irrelevant, but to me touring implies riding long distances over many days on the road, whereas bike packing suggests more an off-road bicycle equivalent to backpacking. But the line between these two pursuits is blurry. In addition, bike touring and bikepacking are associated with different types of bikes and different ways of carrying gear - a touring bike with paneers versus a mountain bike with soft luggage. But again, the lines are fuzzy.

My 2019 cross-country trip was pretty classic touring. My Surly Disc Trucker is a classic touring bike and I was loaded with panniers, duffels, and a handlebar bag. But during the past year and a half, my Salsa Warbird has become my go-to bike for both day rides and 3-4 day overnight trips. It’s a lot more fun to ride than the Surly. It’s lighter, it handles better, and frankly, I really like indexed shifting at my fingertips. The Salsa is very much a gravel bike with wider tires and is comfortable on both pavement and on rough gravel roads. On the other hand, the bike requires a completely different approach to packing.

One of the things that makes the gravel bike/bikepacking setup work is that you can’t carry as much stuff, so it’s lighter (it helps that the bike itself is much lighter, too). This not only makes pedaling uphill easier, it makes it easier to maneuver the bike around obstacles or carry it up steps. Combine this with the way the weight is distributed - higher and narrower - and the fact that the bike itself handles more nimbly than a touring bike, and the result is a much more fun and versatile touring rig.

BIKE

The bike is a Salsa Warbird with a 61cm carbon frame. It has Shimano GRX components with 2x11 gearing. It came with an 11-34 rear cassette, which I've swapped out for an 11-40. This gives me a much-needed granny gear for steep, loaded climbs. I had to tighten up a loose derailleur hanger early in the trip, but besides that the only problem was noisy gears as the grit and the crud built up on the chain, the pulley wheels, and the chain guides. Occasional attempts to clean things helped, but it was hard on the road to do a very thorough job.

TIRES

The tires are 700x42s. The front tire is the Teravail Cannonball that came with the bike (4000+ miles), still with the same tube. The rear tire is a relatively new Teravail Washburn set up tubeless. They both worked well - no flats and and few signs of wear over the 1200-mile trip. I topped off the air a couple of times (larger tires means I run fairly low pressure - maybe 45psi).

ATTACHMENTS

A Wahoo Bolt bike computer (and a cadence sensor on the crank). A rear blinker. I had a good headlight, but kept it stowed the entire trip, since there were no night rides and no tunnels. I have bottle cages on my forks and under the down tube. A Salsa Cradle is mounted to the handlebars, to which I strap my sleeping gear. I have an improvised porteur rack above the front wheel (the carbon forks are not intended to carry a traditional front rack) that provides some extra stowage for light stuff and a mounting location for the headlight. All the other luggage is soft stuff strapped to the frame.

LUGGAGE

Handlebar roll. A good compression dry sack holds my 'sleeping system.' It straps into a cradle on the bars.

Utility bag. Easy to unclip and bring with me when I'm away from the bike. Holds electronics, toiletries, spork and knife, other odds and ends. An additional pouch served as a holster for my iPhone.

Two stem/feed bags. Easy access to snacks, layers, and a little spare space for a bottle of Gatorade, a defrosting burrito, or in one case, a chocolate milk shake.

Gas tank/top tube bag. Small camera, handkerchief, buff, face mask.

Seat bag. Clothing, outerwear (when not strapped on elsewhere), a small cook set, a little food. I strap on a pair of sandals which serve as camp shoes, town shoes, and for potential water crossings.

Frame bag. Tools, spare tube, parts and supplies, water filter, stove, tent poles/pegs, a small daypack, a small towel, and so forth. It’s a good place to stuff frozen burritos, extra napkins, sweaty arm warmers, and other stuff during the day.

GEAR

It’s impressive how much stuff I squeezed into a pretty compact suite of luggage. This photo shows everything I took off the bike when I got home, including the clothes off my back, the helmet and glasses off my head, and the shoes off my feet.

Shelter/Sleeping. My ‘sleeping system’ fits in a small dry bag on the handlebars. It includes a lightweight tent, a down quilt, and an ultralight air mattress. The combination works to the mid-30s and if it’s colder, I can wear my down jacket. The tent poles and pegs live in the frame bag.

Clothing. A change of bike shorts and socks, a short and long sleeve jersey. A set of lightweight clothes for off the bike. A rain jacket, rain pants, and a light down jacket. I’ve got both fingerless and full-finger gloves. Two headbands, one for sweat, the other for warmth. Arm warmers. Leg warmers. A rain cap. A baseball cap. When I'm on roads and not wearing my rain gear, I usually wear a lightweight yellow vest - both for visibility and as a windbreak.

Cooking. I have an MSR pocket rocket stove in my frame bag and a compact cook set in my seat bag (small titanium pot, fuel canister, lighter, rubber scraper, and a stove stand). I don’t cook much, but mornings are better with boiling water for coffee and oatmeal. I occasionally cook a dinner, such as a dehydrated backpacking meal.

Food. Unlike backpacking, where you carry food for days or weeks, biking involves resupplying as you go. When expecting to camp, I tend to buy a sandwich or packaged burrito earlier the day, though I always have some sort of backup meal in my gear. I carry instant oatmeal packs and instant coffee for mornings. I keep an assortment of snacks - nuts, string cheese, pepperoni sticks, candy bars, gels, energy bars, fig newtons. Things that cover a range of cravings and nutritional needs and that can be easily restocked at gas stations and general stores.

Drinks. I carried three water bottles, one on each side of the fork and another under the down tube. Whether I use all of them depends on conditions and availability of water. I can typically make room in a stem bag for more water or a large bottle of Gatorade when I expect a long dry stretch. I have a small collapsible water bag and a water filter so I can resupply from natural water sources.

Tools and supplies. The lower portion of the frame pack holds bike tools, supplies (Gorilla tape, super glue, a patch kit), and spare parts (brake pads, chain link, zip ties). An extra tube, a small pump, tire sealant, and a small bottle of chain lube. I keep my good bike multitool and a small knife/scissors in a pocket on one of my stem bags for easy access.

Electronics. iPhone. Bike computer. Rear blinker. Headlight (not used). Canon SX720 camera (small camera with a good zoom). All USB rechargeable. A good 13mAh battery (I can go three days on phone, blinker, and bike computer with this). And a spare 6mAh battery, just in case. A corded five-outlet USB charger/adapter. An SD-lightning adapter to load camera pics to phone. And several microUSB cables and a lightning cable for phone (this can fail and is critical, so a spare makes sense). Cables and charger live in a pouch in the utility bag. It didn’t happen on this trip, but on long days I can charge phone and bike computer while I’m riding.

Other Stuff: First aid kit, TP, a small fast-dry towel, shower wipes (wish I’d discovered these years ago). Wallet (in jersey or shirt pocket), a bunch of quarters for showers and car washes. A few paper maps for old times sake and souvenir stickers I pick up along the way. The mesh pockets on the stem bags hold a bike multitool, a small knife/scissors, a small bottle of DEET, hand sanitizer, and sunscreen. I have two sticks of Burt’s Bee’s Wax - one is for chapped lips and the other is for my pedals to keep my cleats/shoes from squeaking (I try to keep the two straight). It’s nice to have this stuff easily accessible and not buried deep in larger bags.

[dandonoriginal]

Surly Can!

Akhirnya, telahpun sudah men-depe surly disc trucker! Percaya ga percayaaaa, asli. Seletah sekian purnama kegalauan ini. After dapet restu dari kanjeng mami, langsung lah gas. Meskipun kayaknya kanjeng belum tau harganya muihil :D

Yah, saya niatkan. Beli sepeda ini untuk self reward yang maksa. Haha. Kalo mas ijul sih dia udah kerja eras dari jaman jebot pas ifw, ngedouble2, freelen, dan rajin menabung. Kebutuhan rumah dah tercukupi, barulah dia gas beli. Nah saya, pas lagi terlilit utang gini malah nyemplung belii. Hiyaaa..

Yawes lah, terlanjur basah. Diniatkan untuk memperbaiki diri dan kesehatan, have fun juga tentunya. Mencari komunitas dan circle baru.

But, perjalanan masih panjang. Frame masih inden, pengiriman maret. Sementara masih ada sisa 12.5 jt yg harus dibayar, plus entah part2 yg lain juga belum tau mau beli apa aja. Main gas beli frame aja. Kalo ga gini ga belik2 haha.

Dari pada mati menyesal? :F PR selanjutnya, kalo di cir mau taro dimana itu sepdaaah?? Rumah seupil, penduduk banyaks.

Surly Can! Pokoknyaaa!

19 jan 23

[kinkicycle]

*SURLY* disc trucker (52) by BLUE LUG Via Flickr:

[loiswolf]

Day 60 August 1 Toronto 35kms

Another beautiful sunny day not to be wasted! It was also a public holiday so Rushd didn’t have to work.

We rode the bikes 5kms to the subway and took the train to the middle of the city which I recognised from my ride yesterday. This is Rushd in Nathan Phillips Square

Then we cycled 5kms down to the ferry which took us to Toronto Island.

There were a lot of people going over to the island with good reason. It’s a fantastic place with no cars and beaches all around the edge. Pretty pathetic beaches compared to Australia but one of them even had red and yellow flags to swim between. They were a long way apart since there is no surf. The cycling was very enjoyable since it was flat and I wasn’t carrying any luggage. Rushd rode his Surly Disc Trucker which looks a little like it could be Shirley’s brother.

Once we had done a circuit of the island we took the ferry back to the mainland and cycled around the waterfront ( the route I should have taken yesterday) then back into the city in search of somewhere to eat.

Eventually we found somewhere after putting in another 10kms thus making sure we were well and truly ready for food.

It was almost 3pm by the time we finished eating ( the service was very slow) and we cycled to the nearest subway station, took the train back then cycled the 5kms back to Rushd’s apartment.

So that’s it….I now have to dismantle Shirley and pack her in a box which Rushd kindly organised for me. He is an exceptional host!

I’ve tallied up my kilometres

2438 in the UK, 2373 in Canada making it 4811kms total.

Not my finest effort but like I said, I just feel like it’s time to go home.

Once again I have always felt Gods protection and provision at all times so am thankful to all those who have been praying for me. I am also thankful to those who wrote to and messaged me at regular intervals.

I have stayed a huge variety of different accommodation but really failed in my usual quest to find great cakes. Maybe that can be my new thing…I’ll see where else I can find to stay next time…….if there is a next time…….you never know!!