I think I'm gonna cry. This is just beautiful. Yes, that is a mobile bar, and yes, it is pedal powered. *sniffle*

did i say ADJUSTABLE? good, i meant it.

ad·just ( P ) Pronunciation Key (-jst)
v. ad·just·ed, ad·just·ing, ad·justs
v. tr.
To change so as to match or fit; cause to correspond.
To bring into proper relationship.
To adapt or conform, as to new conditions: “unable to adjust themselves to their environment” (Karl A. Menninger). See Synonyms at adapt.
To bring the components of into a more effective or efficient calibration or state: adjust the timing of a car's engine.
In chiropracty, to manipulate (the spine and other body structures) to treat disorders and restore normal function of the nervous system.
To decide how much is to be paid on (an insurance claim).

When a "shop mechanic" tells us his Surly New hub bearings were fried after two months of riding, we see a red flag. Bearings simply don't fail after that short of a riding period under normal circumstances, so there must be another problem. We use tough Enduro 7901 angular contact bearings that have a load rating better than our previous generation 1x1 hubs. What you all should know about our hubs is that these are ADJUSTABLE cartridge bearings. This means you or the shop mechanic must adjust these bearings for minimal friction and minimal side play when brand new and periodically throughout their life in order to maximize their lifespan. Even brand new, out-of-the-box Surly hubs should be either adjusted or checked to make sure the outer locknuts are securely tightened against the cones. Failure to do so will likely result in premature bearing failure. Successful completion of this task will result in a very long lasting and smooth operating hubset. You've been warned, now go ride.

Judging by a recent spate of emails regarding our Fixxer, there seems to be some confusion about this item. Several folks have written and asked if this is what they need to convert their bike to single speed. Yes and no. The Fixxer is meant to convert most Shimano hubs to fixed gear. Fixed gear, for those unfamiliar, technically is single speed, as there is only one cog and ring combo, but instead of the freewheeling you normally experience on a geared bike, there is no coasting. When the wheel is in motion, so are the pedals. To slow down, back pressure is applied to the pedals to slow the rotation of the wheel.
Most of the time when people refer to single speeds, however, they mean a bike with one ring and one cog but which also freewheels. You can put a single speed freewheel on the Fixxer to make your bike a single speed with the ability to coast, but this is sort of a circuitous and somewhat expensive way to do it. Mostly, though, it's unnecessary. If you simply want a single speed, you're better off getting the appropriate parts (usually some cassette spacers, the right ring and cog, and some sort of tensioner, like our Singleator) and using the freehub that's already part of your rear wheel.
If you really do want a fixed gear bike and already have wheels and an appropriate frame (usually an old road frame, though some do it with mountain bikes too...the important thing is that your frame does not have vertical dropouts, but rather horizontal or semi-horizontal dropouts), I'm not aware of a better way to do it than the Fixxer. One other note regarding the Fixxer: as I said, it is designed to work on most Shimano hubs. This does not just mean Shimano compatible hubs, as that refers to how the cogs fit on the freehub body. The Fixxer replaces the entire freehub body, and the way this connects to the hub itself is specific to each brand of hub. Spinergy, Zipp, etc. generally will not accept the Fixxer.
Maybe I'll flesh this out with instructions on how to convert your current geared bike frame to a single speed and post it as a Spew. In the meantime if you have questions about this, or any of our other stuff, or even if you just have oddball bike related questions, give us a holler on the digital pigwhistle, derby@surlybikes.com.

QBP's open house for dealers and industry leeches (ostensibly "Frostbike," though we think Winterbike would have been a more fitting moniker) is this weekend. That means there's gonna be a bunch more cyclists in town. They start trickling in today, more on Saturday, and Sunday is the big hoo-ha. Surly will have a booth, so if you're coming, head upstairs and say howdy. Check out our disc hubs (36 hole option!), buy a flask with the open house discount (this means you'll have enuff left over to go buy a pint of something firey to put in it), and generally soak up the bike-ness.
2 shows to consider seeing this weekend while in our fair city:

>Tonight, Friday the 20th, is Big Ditch Road. They must be country because they have a pedal steel and the singer wears a beat up cowboy hat and boots and they sing about drinkin' and lonely times on the midwestern plains. Eric Sovern, QBP employee, Evilcycling.com cohort, and banjo plucker on BDR's CD is making noise about going. I'll be there. If you're in town and not completely repulsed by anything approaching country, come on down. The show is at the Turf Club in Saint paul, just off the corner of Snelling and University.

>Saturday night is long time MPLS loud band Otto's Chemical Lounge at the legendary First Avenue in downtown Mini-apple-us (actually, in the 7th Street Entry, not the mainroom). In my opinion, this is a do-not-miss show. I'll be hikin' up my panties and riding through the slush from my fortress of solitude in nordeast MPLS, perhaps with visitors in tow. Heck, if you're around and thinking it might be fun to be at the Frostbike with ringing ears and possibly a loud hangover, why doncha drop me a line, acorson@surlybikes.com? I bet I can find a bike for you. Saturday night wednesday night ride? Sure, why not? Chrisdemeanor, ditch the post-Supercross and go to the show!

post script: local news on winter commuting featuring some friends of ours. and i'm not saying that just because jennifer's got a Surly in the photo.

Hello again, Surly minions.

Dave is once again in Taiwan. Surly stuff, as you probably know, is designed here in good old Minnesota, and the majority of it is made in Taiwan. So we head over at least twice a year to meet with our suppliers and manufacturers to iron out details, look at cool stuff and soak up some humidity. Dave sent us an email letting us know he had arrived and included this photo:

I believe the sign loosely tranlates to "Lose weight with no effort! Call to find out how!"
The other photos he sent were of something we're doing which we think you'll like. Can't tell you what it is yet, but we'll let you know here on the blog when the time is right. You're gonna want one.

Canadian Wendy Simms rode the World Cyclocross Championships in Pont-Chateau, France, on a pink Surly Crosscheck. You saw the photos of her bike, no doubt, if you've read our blog recently. The World Champs was her 7th cyclocross race EVER, and in a field of global elites she took 26th.

from her diary on canadiancyclist.com:
"The crowd was going CRAZY!! They were screaming go Canada, Wendy, Surly. They were pinned up right against the barriers."

Surly normally does not condone racing events, as they lead to all kinds of bad things, like obsessive eating habits and egomaniacal training regimens, but damn, that's pretty cool. Global domination is imminent.

In looking through the photos, I saw another Crosscheck, too. For her complete write up and links to photos, go to canadiancyclist.com. Click on Daily News, then click on World Cyclo-cross Championships--Final Report. Oh, and when you're at the home page, check out their "Editorial Beers" section. Gotta love them Canucks.