The natural scavenger in a cyclist can be rewarding, especially this time of the year when the snow melts and reveals all sorts of wonderful goodies. The best ground scores are tools, probably from the back of a work truck. This winter I nabbed two nice sidecutters. Two weeks ago I found $15. Every few weeks a good bungee cord comes along.

But sometimes it's that not-so-fresh looking animal that scars your vision, like the half rabbit on the way to work a few days ago that made you wonder where the other half was. Or the classic flattened squirrel, hide and hair remnants of a once well-fed and nimble rodent.

While riding home with QBP regal legal and all around beardo Matt Moore, he spotted something I hadn't seen in the road since that wrong turn in a bad neighborhood in Utah, a deer leg. Just like that half rabbit, it made you wonder where the other parts of the deer were. Or better yet, how it got there. Was it a yard sale reject? Was it a dog toy? Did it fall off the truck that hit the deer? Did little Johnny use it for a baseball bat? One will never know, but it made for a more interesting ride home through suburbia.

When last we left our intrepid hero Brauer, or rather when last he left us, he looked like Merle Haggard, in that he looked, well, haggard. See above photo. What's with that schmaz on the wall behind his head?

Things are looking up for our hero. He headed west on a train with his bike and he's been riding around, meeting people and hanging out with old friends. His last missive found him in Santa Cruz, where he was treated to a hot bed and soft meals at Devon and Surly-4-Lifer Yafro's domicile. He also got scratched by some Swede he met there, a forearm-length meat gully. And most classy of all, he got to hot tub with worldwide celebrity Borat in Yafro and Devon's jacuzzi. We don't expect him back any time soon. In fact, we keep brushing off the pesky idea of heading out and joining him for a week or two. Living the dream.

I bought my first front-triangle frame bag 5 years ago on ebay. I found it by accident while searching for saddle bags. I’m sure I typed “bike bag” into the search engine, and the 1980’s vintage yellow Velocipac popped up as an option. The price, whatever it was, lured me to bid and ultimately win the bag. It sat on a shelf, waiting for a host, until I started commuting on my pre-Pugsley pre-Endomorph snow bike, a 1x1 with Large Marge rims and Nokian 26 x 3.0 tires.

That winter, I learned to appreciate the functionality of a frame bag. Its ample 3-pocket design (2 large zippered pockets and 1 small map pocket) allowed me to store my tools, tube, pump, lunch, rope, toe straps, miscellaneous repair items, and basic survival gear low and centered on the bike.



I used the bag in the 2006 and 2007 Arrowhead 135 races, on dozens of winter commutes to the office, and on several camping outings, because I didn’t have a better vessel for that space on my bike. I thought about sewing a Pug-specific bag for myself, but the project never got past notebook sketches.

Carousel Design Works
I met Jeff Boatman, of Carousel Design Works, at Interbike in the fall of 2006. He stopped by the Surly booth for a lively chat about frameless bike bags and their potential on adventure bikes. At the time, Jeff was mainly catering to 3-season adventure racers who need to carry minimal gear in ultralight frame bags, handlebar bags, and saddle bags.

Jeff contacted me a year ago to talk about Pugsley frame bags. He needed a pattern, so I sent off an 18” frame to live with him for a while. In November, the Pug frame came back to the office with 3 new Carousel Design Works bags: an 18” Pug-specific front triangle bag, a large seat bag, and a large handlebar bag.



I was instantly impressed with the craftsmanship and design intent that went into each bag…flawless stitching, lots of reinforcements at high-stress areas, and the array of different materials chosen to optimize strength and functionality while keeping weight to a minimum…Frame bag: 288 grams, Saddle bag: 185 grams, Handlebar bag: 138 grams. The combined weight of all 3 bags (608 grams) is less than the weight of my lightest Cannondale front pannier (641 grams).

The bags got installed on my geared Pug, which was being used as my daily driver at the time. I’ve loaded them up with commuter gear and camping gear. For each type of ride and its varying list of cargo, I’ve experimented with different packing configurations until everything found its natural place in one of the 3 bags.

The handlebar bag installs with cleverly fabricated and well-placed straps that wrap around the handlebar and stem. It was designed for ultralight touring and depends on the contents of the bag to provide most of its structure. It’s tuned to carry lightweight compressible gear like a summer sleeping bag or bulky clothing items that conform easily to the shape of the bag. I installed a thin sheet of plastic, formed into a tube, for hauling heavier gear that would otherwise deform the bag and make it sag or swing side-to-side.

The adjustable-volume saddle bag attaches with Velcro flaps, that hug the seatpost, and nylon webbing that goes over the rails of the saddle. It uses a cinch cord, like a stuff sack, and a bonnet-style cover to close the bag, compress the load, and keep the contents dry. The saddle bag is used for the some of my lighter, bulkier gear. Like the handlebar bag, it functions best when full.

The frame bag fits like a glove. In most cases, this is good, because the bag looks clean and beautiful, and the fabric tension holds the bag contents from bouncing around. But it’s less than ideal when the bag is completely stuffed and one needs to get an item from the bottom. Gloves and mittens amplify the difficulty. Zippers on both sides of the bag (2 on each side) do help with access issues, but I’d ultimately opt for a looser, roomier bag in lieu of the super-refined appearance. The 100mm-wide bottom bracket shell, and resulting wide Q-factor, allow for a wider bag on the Pug without leg/bag interference problems. The bag has a central, horizontal, internal zippered flap that allows it to be used as a single- or double-compartment unit. I use mine as a single, because the volume is increased in this configuration. On my wish list of improvements: A handle for lifting the bike over obstacles, and more easy-to-access capacity.

Since I received my bags, Jeff has refined his designs and added to his product offerings. If you can articulate what you need, he can probably make it. Check out the Carousel Design Works website to see what Jeff is capable of. Make sure you check out the gallery of photos.

Epic Designs
Eric Parsons - Epic Designs proprietor, Karate Monkey flogger, and Alaska resident - contacted me last October with an offer I couldn’t refuse…in exchange for a Pugsley frame bag, I’d do my best to torture the bag, provide ongoing feedback on it’s performance, and make suggestions for improvement.

My 2-compartment, 2-zipper Epic bag arrived mid-December. I removed the CDW bag from my geared Pug and put it on my single-speed Pug, because I wanted to keep using it to make direct comparisons between the two frame bags. The Epic bag was installed on the geared rig, because it sees more miles than the single-speed, and I wanted to check the fit with shift cables and a front derailleur installed. With the Arrowhead 135 two months away, I needed to put on lots of miles, with both bags installed, to determine which I’d use for the race.



The bag installation went smoothly. The Epic is burly and simple, and it does a good job of utilizing the vast majority of available space in the Pug front triangle. The front of the bag flares out at the headtube, providing extra room in the area where there is no bag/leg overlap. The YKK zippers are beefy with substantial mitten-friendly pulls, the fabric is robust, and the stitching is clean. This bag is roomy. It’s a winter bag. I can access it without removing my mittens, in most cases. .

Frame bags cover up the best handle of a loaded Pugsley – the top tube. So I wish a handle had been sewn into the Epic bag. Eric did send me pics of some Epic frame bags with sewn-in handles. It is an option. Ask, and ye shall receive.

The Epic was ultimately chosen as my Arrowhead bag. It had proven itself on many December and January commutes. The appropriately-blousy volume and ease of use in bitter cold temps made the decision clear for me. I saw several other Epic bags at the race this year. My frame bag was pretty easy to access for eating on the fly, especially with the relatively warm temps and light clothing required to stay warm, but I wish I’d had an Epic tank bag, too. They got good reviews from other racers.

Peruse Eric’s website to see all the other sweet Epic Designs goodies: poggies, saddle bags, handlebar bags, and unique rack bags. Good stuff.

I love seeing these cottage industry bag offerings on the market, and I appreciate the fact that they are being designed and refined by guys who ride bikes. So many of the bags on the market today are more show than go…designed by industrial designers who put more emphasis on color and sheen than function.

Racks, rack-dependant bags, and trailers certainly have their place in one’s collection of commuting, touring, and adventure bike accessories. But, sometimes, they are simply overkill for an ultralight, short-distance, or short-term trip.

Oh yeah, lookit that.


I have placed this image before you as harbinger that orange & black Wraith Rides are beginning to drift into stock. Currently some 18s and a few more 20s and 22s are here and waiting for you, and more of everything, including 14s and 16s, will be here early next month, which is like 2 weeks, not even. Keep in mind the pitchur shows the one we built up to be a show bike... we don't sell these as completes, but as framesets. They're also available in black (with white graphix) because Get Bent, that's why.
This, however, is the first appearance of the orange and black. Orange is fast. And black is fast. Together they're going to make this the bike equivalent of a '78 Cutlass with a hemi, posi, fat shoes, and cop suspension. The last of the V8s. I am a rocker, I am a roller, I am an out of controller. I am a fuel injected suicide machine. I am FM0085 (14"), FM0086 (16"), FM0087 (18"), FM0088 (20"), & FM0089 (22").
Let's have one more quick look:






Oh, that's nice.
BTW, there are still some sparkly lemon/lime frames in stock. Them're yummy too.

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And oh yeah, Deuce? Yes, Surly wool jerseys are still in stock in all sizes (S, M, L, XL), genders (mens' womens', and other), and colors (black with white lettering or green with black). Get summa that too. A guy on RAGBRAI last year saw us wearing our wool, and it was not a cool or even mild day. It was hot. We were sweating, everyone was sweating- but we were sweating less than him, in his stinky, garish synthetic jersey, and still he asked in a somewhat snippy tone, "What is that, wool? You guys think it's winter?" Yes, we think it's winter. Don't be a dillhole like that guy. At least try it for yourself. You'll see.


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The lovely and talented Ms. Bloggins (no longer Ms. Anthropy now that spring is beginning to peek through the snow) sends this link , said it made her cry. I believe it. It's a story of love, when you boil it down. Mr. Cutshall, you have my undying respect.

Big Dumb News

This is only a test.

Yes, kids, complete Mr Whirly cranksets are here. We 'hotted' part of this batch by air-freighting some (i heart buyer speak), and if for some reason you miss out this go 'round we have the rest coming in a couple weeks. At that point we'll also get armsets and small parts too. All the completes are available only in black and come with either a 33t stainless steel Surly ring or swell-looking 22/32/44t rings, all on a 94mm BCD spider. Bearings and spindle included.

Here's what we have right now:

CR0040 - 170mm triple, spindle to fit 68&73mm BB shells.
CR0034 - 175mm triple, spindle to fit 68&73mm BB shells.
CR0041 - 170mm Pugsley triple, spindle to fit 100mm (Pugsley) BBs
CR0035 - 175mm Pugsley triple, spindle to fit 100mm (Pugsley) BBs
CR0036 - 175mm single speed, spindle to fit 68&73mm BB shells.
CR0037 - 180mm single speed, spindle to fit 68&73mm BB shells.

This is all the completes we're doing, at least for now. Armsets will come in black or silver and will be available in 165, 170, 175, 180, & 185mm lengths. Holy crap. Spiders will also be avilable in silver or black, will come in 94, 104, & 110mm BCDs, and everything is interchangeable.

From the OOOBS brog:

Here's some late breaking film action and just in time too. Today I walked a bike out at 6:59pm, rode it around the block. At 7pm it was still light out. This Thursday March 13th, for one night only! Strong Arm Marketing presents, The Pornography of the Bicycle. A series of short films on the theme of Bike Porn. It's cumming on thru its east coast tour here in Mpls. It will play at the StrongArm Marketing Complex, 117 Washington Ave N. Mpls, MN. $5 at the door. 99 to 100 limited seats. That's this Thursday night. Door at 8pm, Director/Producer intro at 8:15pm. Showtime at 8:30pm. Scroll down the trailer page for a short look. We all know cycling, and sex, are some of the best things life offers us. You really do not want to miss this. Spring is coming:)

Thirty 8-foot 2 x 4's and an 8-foot 2 x 8. Solid.

My stars, things are happening. I don't have time to type it all, so just a couple "action items" to "blue sky":

Mr Whirly cranks are in the building but they still need to pass quality control inspection by our intrepid QC Agents, Adam and Hello God It's Me Johnny. Shouldn't be long now.

But currently in stock, for the first time in a long time, are Surly wool jerseys. They're merino (which is a kind of soft-next-to-the-skin wool), because merino is the shit. If you want me to tell you why, write in and ask. Black is still an option, popular among like-minded dark siders and as formal cycling wear for high-dollar silent auction fund raisers, but we also have green, modeled here by our our kilt wearing man of action, Fleck.



Mens' and womens' cuts, long and short sleeve in both, and don't forget the zippered rear pocket, which is not only useful on the bike but also low-key enough to make it suitable for drinks with friends or enemies. A real class act all the way.

Oh, and one more thing: we still have these Karate Monkey caps in stock. Made from scrap wool remnants from our pals over at Walz Caps. They look good, they feel good, and they look and feel good.



More news as events warrant.

"The party didn't slow down 'till dawn. The crew of a San Pedro tuna boat showed up about One, and was routed. The police came by at Two, and stayed to join the party. Mack took their squad car to go get more wine. A woman called the police to complain about the noise, and couldn't get anybody. The crew of the tuna boat came back about Three, and was welcomed with open arms. The police reported their own car stolen, and found it later, on the beach. Things were finally back to normal, on Cannery Row. Once more, the world was spinning in greased grooves."
-John Steinbeck, Cannery Row

In my mind, if Satan were to drive around on our roads, it would be in something very exotic and sexy...something without a backseat or a trunk. I was wrong. I left my yoga class on Sunday to find this parked in the lot.




Who knew that Satan drives a Ford Taurus, and takes yoga? He sounds a lot like a suburban mom to me.


___________________


I know Valentine's Day was nearly a month ago. But, since most of you are perfect strangers to me, and I to you, I wanted to give you all this late, but heartfelt Valentine.



Yours,
Emily

Since you're on a computer reading about bikes rather than riding a bike, here is a little story from some guys who are riding their bikes from Alaska to the tip of South America. Sure, this has been done before, but these guys are doing it off-road. This was written by Sean Monterastelli, who is real world testing one of our prototype Big Dummy frames and is currently in Panama. Enjoy.


A Dummy Abroad


It is not always easy having Surly’s Big Dummy for a touring companion. While touring through Guatemala I became afflicted. It was nearly impossible for me not to show off this cargo bike that can carry more than your standard pack animal, doesn’t whine and beg for hay, and has more sexy curves in its frame then your most food deprived lingerie model. Take for example the daily routine of hauling leña (firewood) several miles from the timberline back down to the village. All along dirt roads, highways, or narrow footpaths, strut old men, women, and children hauling burdens that would crush a gringo’s spine like elote into corn meal. Somehow they keep their backs straight and stiff as ramrods, and their burly calf muscles (like knotted tree roots) would put even the most accomplished recreational mountaineer to shame. Without a hint of pain or exhaustion, they handle their business. And yet as I coast along on my extra-long bike, I can’t help but think, ‘hey, I’ve got plenty of room to accommodate those heavy loads, maybe the locals could use a break’.

So one day, upon encountering a man who was significantly dwarfed by his own timber pile (held onto his back with nothing more than a forehead strap), I asked if he’d like a little relief. His eyes immediately brightened at the sound of such an idea, and, slowly bending knees into a squat, he lowered his pile of leña to the ground. His movements were as smooth as a well-oiled hydraulic lift, and I felt embarrassed that my offer could have been construed to imply a certain pity, or god forbid, a disparagement to his enduring backbone. After I had offered him water from my dromedary bag, he informed me that a ride into town would be much appreciated but that he couldn’t possibly leave his son behind. Indeed his adolescent son was already scampering down the steep hill, his own miniature bundle of leña secured with a strap around his shoulders.

“Well…” I began, working out in my head the best way to accommodate the both of them. “It’s fine. We’ll just put one bundle in the very back behind your seat, and the smaller one I can secure with my knees up front, and your son can ride on the handle-bars.”

Yet, in the process of saying this, I caught sight of an older woman following a few feet behind the boy. The man did not say anything (he didn’t have to) he simply pursed his lips to ‘mouth point’ (a mode of communication for which Guatemaltecos are notorious) in the direction of the lady, effectively saying: ‘oh and her too’.

I shook my head, not ready to give up on such a stimulating challenge. Having before witnessed a whole family transported down the road on bicycles half the size of mine, I realized that the solution would come in terms of vertical accumulation; stack one thing on top of the other. An endearing virtue of the Dummy is its vast surface area. It stands slightly longer than a regular mountain bike with an xtracycle attachment and has burly seat stays that run at a nice gradual angle conducive to mounting heavy artillery (or in my case a five gallon bag of water). With all this luxurious and reinforced space, the one thing I never feel is hesitation in increasing the load or company.

I tried explaining to the man that, “if we just strap down all the wood on the deck, they can then ride on-top of the piles…” But then a flock of chickens emerge from behind the wife. Returning my quizzical glance with a slightly bashful nod along with a micro-mouth point, he confirms that these too need to be factored into the solution.

I started to panic; “Eh, horizontal accumulation? I don’t have a ‘Side Loader’ but maybe cut some sticks and build an outward rack…” The man understood at this point that I was thinking too much and overcomplicating a simple task.
“We’ll walk, my friend.” He says, patting my shoulder in sympathy. “It’s a nice day… no rain… we’ll walk.”

Disinclined to admit defeat, I feel compelled at this point to relinquish my beloved Big Dummy to the more deserving party. Surely with the babbling gringo out of the way these people could proceed to really exploit the endless possibilities of this steel beast of burden.

My desire to demonstrate the utility of the extra-long bicycle originated from my hearing about the Mayapedal project. Since 1997 the Guatemaltecos at Mayapedal have been coming up with simple bike related solutions to improving efficiency of work in self-sustained communities. They are innovators in creating time and energy saving devices out of recycled bike parts. Their inventions include: a mill, water pump, coffee bean de-pulper, washing machine, and metal sharpener (all pedal-powered). In such a land, where the quality of life can be so greatly improved by bicycle technology, Surly Big Dummy touring companion feels right at home.

As the father once more picked up the load, his young son tapped the snap deck to the Dummy and called out: “Un colossal por favor” (a ride please)”. I smiled thinking that the boy’s gesture would encourage the rest of the family to try out the Big Dummy, but the mother’s face suddenly looked worrisome. Perhaps she was suspecting me of being a kidnapper and believed my bike to be specially designed to whisk away her children to an underground adoption agency. Child abduction being a common enough occurrence in rural Guatemala, the fears of this mother were apt enough to warrant my growing sense of foreboding. I was now hoping that any misunderstanding could be remedied without the involvement of a machete wielding lynch mob.

Luckily the father appeared to be confident in my good intentions. After a quick exchange of body language, during which the lip-pointing technique was employed several times to reference me, the wife was reassured. The small boy was then able to ride a few kilometers down the road to the next pueblo. I went slow, and made frequent circle in the road to ensure that the boy never left sight of his mother. I think, that had they had been traveling further; each member of the family could have been convinced to take a turn on the Dummy. The solution to my previous problem of accommodating so vast a company was not in vertical or horizontal accumulation, but in gradually de-mystifying the strange new tool to those unfamiliar with its utility.

This description of the Dummy abroad is by no means meant to detract from its inherent value back in the states, or for that matter, any environment worldwide. It is rather to show, by example, how much fun can be had in absence of machines and petroleum –a purity of environment which is often difficult to imagine, let alone find, back in the states. Furthermore, the structure of the Dummy has something that other cargo carrying bike systems lack. Being a burly one-piece frame, it will remain solid and reliable throughout all the adventures of your wild years.

So far, my Big Dummy has endured seven months of off-road bike touring (from Michoacán, Mexico, to Bocas del Toro, Panama). I have taken it (loaded with sixty to seventy pounds of gear) down steep canyon trails, dragged it over jagged rocks during nightmarish hike-a-bike sections, and ridden it down the slopes of Volcán Tajumulco (the highest point in Central America). And yet, despite all its virtues as a calloused touring machine, I am most impressed with its sensitive side; its ability to make me friends.

Since I am a full time biker, I encounter people on a daily basis who inevitably initiate a conversation with; ‘that’s a real interesting bike you’ve got there’. Having began my current bike tour nearly two years ago in Prudhoe bay, I was initially riding with an xtracycle hooked up to a regular mountain bike. That setup certainly got its share of attention; however, it’s most memorable admirers were the score of welders that were required to mend the cracks and fractures that emerged from daily off-road abuse. Starting in Canada (in the towns of Banff and Elko, then continuing down the continental divide (in Pinedale, Wyoming; Grand Junction, Colorado; Monticello, Utah; and finally in Flagstaff, Arizona) the Riding the Spine crew and I have had to elicit the services of local welders to fix and reinforce our xtracycles. All the people who’ve helped us did so enthusiastically requiring no more payment than a case of beer. Most were such characters unto themselves that it would have been a shame not to have met them (this holds true with exception to Monticello, where a shop mechanic blew huge holes into my frame, performed the ugliest patch job imaginable and still had the nerve to charge me thirty bucks for his services).

Ever since taking over my tour on the Big Dummy, I have had no need visit welders. I have been able to carry whatever I want on whatever road or lack of road that suits my fancy without having to worry about equipment failure. I can give unlimited rides to a whole village of Guatemaltecos down steep cobblestone roads or carry two keggers to a party in the middle of a cloud forest. No matter how heavy my load may be, I feel confident that I’ll still always have room to pick up a hitch-hiker along the way. In other words, the dependability of the Big Dummy has allowed my imagination to run free.

Our friends in San Francisco - specifically, bon vivant and generally good egg Spaceman - are putting on phase two of the Soil Saloon dirt crits in Golden Gate park. I heard nothing but good times and shenannigans from the first one sponsored by them Swobo types. Round two is on us, so show up with a bike and a penchant for naerdowellery. You might just walk away with useless Surly crap.