Cassette Cogs Update

Hell yah, I just inspected the cassette cogs and they look great. We should be seeing the following sizes go into stock by Wednesday (hopefully) of this week:

13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 22t.

My wife and son spent Friday night with my in-laws, so I had a free pass to pack up a bike and ride out to the country for an overnight in the woods. Thursday’s weather forecast predicted high temps around 35 Celsius (95F) on Friday and Saturday with high dew points, but I wasn’t going to be deterred by the heat and humidity. Water, sunblock, well-chosen food and equipment, and a controlled riding pace would get me to my campsite and back home in good shape.

I chose to ride my Pacer fixie (custom made with Karate Monkey track ends) more or less equipped as I ride it to and from the office on a regular basis: Platform pedals, front brake, 43t x 17t gearing, 700c x 28mm tires, Carradice saddle bag. By adding a small Jandd frame pack and strapping my sleeping bag and pad to the top of the saddle bag, I allowed myself plenty of room to carry enough gear to camp in comfort and safety for a couple of days. I like the concept of overnight bike camping without a trailer or racks. By just using strap-on bags, I can keep my rig light and the supply list very basic. With large panniers or a trailer, I’m more apt to carry more than I need simply because it’s possible.

My shelter of choice was the Hennessy Hammock. It is still one of my favorite lightweight pieces of equipment in the warmer months. I haven’t perfected my cold-weather hammock camping technique, yet. But some new insulating accessories from Hennessy should allow me to use my hammock until the mercury drops below freezing. The biggest benefit of the hammock is the fact that I don’t need flat, smooth, dry ground to set up my shelter. If I can find 2 solid anchors, usually trees or posts, that are 4-7 meters apart, I’m good to go. The hammock fly provides a place to cook out of the sun, rain, or snow, and it shelters any gear, including a bike, that won’t go inside the hammock. I put most of my equipment in stuff sacks that I hang from the main hammock rope under the fly, so my bike is the only thing that stays on the ground. Rain and wet ground conditions are of little concern when using a hammock system.

I’m using a beer can Esbit solid-fuel stove system for most of my camp cooking. I’ve built lots of alcohol stoves and solid-fuel stoves over the last few years, but this system from Ultralight Outfitters is currently my favorite for solo camping. I only need to boil water to rehydrate and heat my rations and brew my tea. No need to simmer, no need for a frying pan. Esbit tabs don’t spill like alcohol can. And the flame is easier to blow out after the water is boiling, so you can save on fuel.

The weather folks were right on target for a change. It was hot. Luckily, my campsite is near a lake, so I was able to go swimming a couple times to cool my core and wash off some of my trail stank. After my post-sunset swim, I decided to ditch the clothing altogether (except for my Keen water shoes) until I was ready to ride home on Saturday. The beauty of camping alone, away from anybody else, is that you can walk around naked without offending anyone or feeling self-conscious about your weird tan lines or giant dong. It’s very freeing to hike, swim, and otherwise go about your camping routine with nothing on. One just has to be a little more careful around sharp brush, poisonous plants, and junk-seeking insects.

The lovely and talented Ms. Bloggins and myself have had a bit of a rough week. Last friday we had to help our elderly golden retriever out of his pain and into the next world. He was about 13 and was having a lot of trouble standing up, walking, and had lost his appetite almost completely. We watched over the last year or so as his energy and vitality faded. I don't mind telling you it's left a big empty in the Fortress of Solitude and in our hearts. Murphy was without question the finest dog I have ever had the pleasure to know. All the usual stuff, of course; back in the day he ran trails while I rode, licked the knees of unsuspecting foreign dignitaries, listened when someone needed an ear, licked your face when you needed bucking up, ate stuff he wasn't supposed to and shed like mad. It's too hard to sum up my feelings about this dog in a way that does justice to him. If you've ever had a really good dog in your life you know what I mean. I feel grateful for the lessons of love, kindness, and patience I learned from him and I am truly honored to have been his custodian on this earth. Vaya con dios, old pal. You'll always be my dog. I'm getting all verklempt...

CASSETTE COGS!

It has come to my attention by my computer screen and by quite a few customers that we're out of many cassette-style cogs. To be exact, we're out of 14-18t and 20t cassette cogs right now. We've done a slight redesign on the tooth profile and this delayed production a bit. In actuality, it's totally my fault, you can blame me for these not being on your bike right now. But don't send hate mail, I can feel your bad vibes across the world and it hurts.

We will have new cogs very soon, as in the next few weeks. No exact ETA yet, so please hang on patiently to whatever gear you're running right now.

If anybody was worried about Snackey P, the new general manager of Surly, not being a good fit with the rest of us, he just announced that he could really go for a donut. Sov and I also expressed the desire to put donuts in our mouths. Without hesitation, Snackey was off to the bakery for a box of deep fried sugar love bombs. You see, with all these guys suffering at Le Tour and watching their slim figures, some of us cyclists have to make immeasurable sacrifices to assure the Lard, Flour, Colored Sprinkles and Refined Sugar Coalition of Earth is still maintaining itself. Snackey + donuts = happy Surly.

Here's an interesting irony: I'm writing a wednesday night ride report even though I didn't actually go on the WNR last night. Why me?
Well, Brauer just rolled in looking peckish. It's 4:30 in the afternoon. Sov and Nick are both scabbed and bruised and look like they slept in a squirrels' nest. And then there are the comments, sporadically arising between phone calls and extended periods of labored breathing, such as:

"My ass still stinks. I can't believe it. I only ate eight of them."

and

"You wouldn't be able to smell it yet, it just happened."

Stories keep bubbling up too, like EazyP.Z. riding over GO's bike after a failed top tube bike surf attempt, which GO escaped from without injury, landing on his feet like a cat. I am somehow both sorry and glad I didn't make it out last night.

Fixed Gear Across the USA

I've heard you, out there, talking. You think you're pretty tough, and you are, sort of. You ride and you drink and you're a messenger and you go big miles and you ride big dirt. Totally cool. Maybe you even rode all the way across something. I ride across Iowa every summer. Don't make me tough though. Nope.

Know what's tough? Riding a Steamroller fixed gear from Seattle to D.C. Know what's tougher? Doing it when you have Type 1 Diabetes.

The guys from Adventures for the Cure contacted us a few months ago and said they'd like us to sponsor them in a ride across the country. Now, lots of folks write and ask us to sponsor them - most are simply doing a ride. Well, that's why we sell stuff, so your ride can be great. Go out and buy the stuff and have a great ride. We love what you're doing, but we don't have a huge budget for gimmes.

Other folks ride to raise money for things. There are all kinds of things to raise money for. We'll look at these more closely, but we still have to pick and choose. We don't have enough to give to everyone.

Then there's these guys.



Adam, Patrick, and Jesse wanted to do a ride to raise money for diabetes. Adam's got type 1 diabetes, but wants to do something about awareness, research funding, and the idea that diabetics can't do crazy shit.

Type 1 diabetes is the insulin-dependent kind - you need to shoot up for every meal, or have an insulin pump that constantly monitors your blood sugar. It's hard. You need to keep track of every gram of carbohydrate that goes in you and keep everything on an even keel. If you're blood sugar gets too high, you cook your organs and you get into all kinds of trouble down the line in your life. If your blood sugar gets too low... well, let's just say that's really really bad.

My special lady-friend also has type 1 diabetes, so I like this raising money for the cure thing a whole lot.

So, the boys decided they wanted to ride across the country to raise money for diabetes research. To up the ante a little, though, they decided to do it on fixed gear bikes. (For you keeping score at home, long tour + good cause + weirdo way of doing it gets preferential treatment from the sponsorship crew (ie. me)).

Well, I'm happy to say that they're well on their way on some shiny new Steamroller frames. They've made it over the Rockies and are currently battling some wicked headwinds in Kansas. (Zeke, can you do something about that?) Soon they'll be rolling across Iowa joining me and my Evil brethren for RAGBRAI.

Do me a favor. Check out their website. Give them some dough, or, if you've got space and you're on the route, hook 'em up with a place to stay. At least get out there and cheer them on.

Thanks guys. Me and the lady appreciate what you're doing.

-Skip

Pathological superfreeek (and so a spiritual father to Surly) and founding member of Pink Floyd Syd Barrett died last friday. Bust out Piper At The Gates of Dawn and shine on.

Surly Sponsors Bicycle Film Festival Mpls July 6-8

Yep, we are sponsoring the first ever Minneapolis presentation of Bicycle Film Festival, which starts tomorrow. We are pretty Jonzed about it, and you should be too.

Here is what is on the menu for the three-day event taken directly from their website:

THE BICYCLE FILM FESTIVAL IS IN MINNEAPOLIS JULY 6-8!!! ONLINE TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE, GET A FESTIVAL PASS!!! The Bicycle Film Festival (BFF), complete with complimentary valet bike parking, kicks off on July 6, 2006 with screenings at the Riverview Theater, Bell Museum Auditorium and The Soap Factory. Admission price per program is $7.00 and festival passes available online. Order your tickets online before they sell out!

THURSDAY, JULY 6 Riverview Theater 3800 42nd Ave. South
PROGRAM 1 7:30 pm Sunday in Hell Denmark 1973 35mm, 110 minutes Jorgen Leth - A rare screening of one of the finest cycling films ever made. It features the annual Paris-Roubaix road race, which taxes the energy of Europe's top riders. A Sunday in Hell is over 100 minutes of finely-calculated suspense that leaves viewers limp from pain and pure excitement Don't miss this rare and amazing film!
PROGRAM 2 9:30 pm BFF Classics, M.A.S.H, and WARRIORS: THE BIKE RACE M.A.S.H. (Preview) USA 2006 DV 22 minMike Martin and Gabe Morford Mike Martin, best known both for his fine art and commercial photography for clients including Nice Collective, Adidas, Nike, and Microsoft teams up with Gabe Morford a highly respected skateboarding photographer. They take a look at the style of fixed gear riding in San Francisco. This film, modeled after skate and surf videos, brings out the skills and beauty of these SF riders. This will surely be a landmark in an already emerging subculture of urban riders.

FRIDAY, JULY 7 Bell Museum of Natural History 10 Church Street SE
PROGRAM 3 5:30 pm Joe Kid on a Stingray - The History of BMX USA 2005 DV 90min 90min Directors: Mark Eaton and John Swarr. Jesse James from "West Coast Choppers" narrates this film. It features legends like Scot Breithaupt who started the first organized races in Long Beach in 1970, to Bob Haro, who pioneered BMX Freestyle riding, and created the first BMX freestyle bike, to Mat Hoffman, who's personal sacrifices helped propel BMX stunt riding into the spotlight. Filmmaker Spike Jonze is featured as well. He was influential on the documentation of BMX through his photography and involvement in BMX magazines. These are some of the people who helped make BMX such a unique subculture. The directors have assembled a 30 year timeline packed with rare archival footage and interesting interviews to create a film which explores the history, trends, stars, and current direction of BMX stunt riding and racing.

PROGRAM 4 7:30 pm Fun Bike Shorts and PEDAL USA 2001 DV 52 min. Peter SutherlandAcclaimed NYC filmmaker and photographer, Sutherland is known for his work as Director of Photography on the skateboarding film "Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator" which played to audiences nationwide, as well as the photography book AUTOGRAF. Pedal is a fast-paced documentary film about surviving in the streets of NYC as a bicycle messenger. It features messengers from all walks of life as they battle traffic in a race to make their next delivery on time. It premiered in 2001 at the South by Southwest film festival and in New York at the Bicycle Film Festival, and later was acquired by the Sundance channel, where it aired until 2004.The Bicycle Film Festival re-screens Pedal in 2006 to celebrate the Powerhouse Books release of Sutherland’s new photo book, also titled “Pedal.” The book features photos of messengers from around the world who came to New York in 2005 for the Messenger World Championships.

PROGRAM 5 9:30 pm A Couple of the best short films from the Minneapolis 24 hour Film Series and B.I.K.E. USA 2006 DV 89 min. Jacob Septimus and Anthony HowardJacob Septimus has directed videos for KRS-one and Mos Def, among many others. Anthony Howard is an award-winning director of fine art films recognized by audiences at festivals and media such as Art Forum. Howard began to make a film about New York's chapter of the Black Label Bicycle Club and found himself vying to become a member of the group. Black Label is known for living a lifestyle centered on building bikes together, riding together, eating together, and sometimes living together. Black Label is more than just a bike club or a lifestyle – it is life. This is a rare look at a way of life that may challenge your own. Producer Fredric King of Fountainhead Films presents B.I.K.E. as the first in a series of intimate portraits of New York City’s subcultures, past and present.

AFTER PARTYONE ON ONE Bicycle Studio 117 Washington Ave N

SATURDAY, JULY 8 SOAP FACTORY 518 2nd St SE
1PM All Day Bike Block Party - Bring a Blanket At Sundown free outdoor screening:Pee Wee's Big AdventureUSA 1989 16mm, 90 min.Director: Tim Burton. There's no doubt that the love of Pee Wee's life is his bicycle. When the beautiful cruiser is stolen, Pee Wee consults a fortune teller who tells him his bike’s in the Alamo. He crosses paths with an array of characters during this wild cross- country odyssey. To recover his love, he must overcome many obstacles in all shapes and forms.

Followed by CLOSING NIGHT BIKE BASH!!!!


Hope to see you there!