tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58174092008-05-13T18:08:17.191-07:00surlyblogcoflonoreply@blogger.comBlogger637125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-25927057180602722652008-05-12T18:07:00.000-07:002008-05-13T18:08:17.218-07:00If you ever find yourself in Portland, OR, you might want to stop by Zenger Farm and check out the sweetest chicken coop on two wheels.
Last year, Patrick Barber, of the Eastside Egg Co-operative, contacted us for some tough, high-float wheels to go on a mobile home for the co-op's peep of free-range laying hens. The concept intriqued us enough to throw down a pair of hubs, Large Marge rims, andBrother David Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707374670216741048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-56833605283052080372008-05-09T10:14:00.000-07:002008-05-09T10:33:31.831-07:00How Sexy Is Too Sexy?
I for one welcome our new insect overlords, and I'd like to remind them that as a trusted internet personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground sugar caves.Kenny Blogginsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-46862026995576852282008-05-08T15:54:00.000-07:002008-05-09T13:15:39.711-07:00
On Wednesday, I towed six 102cm x 204cm (4' x 8') sheets of 19mm (3/4") tongue-and-groove plywood flooring to my house. The carpenter helping me with my remodeling project estimated a weight of 160kg (about 350 lbs). The salesman at the lumber yard thought it was closer to 180 kg (about 400 lbs). High-speed cornering and rad manuevers were kept to a minimum.
Yesterday, I rode home from theBrother David Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707374670216741048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-58888803481419670082008-05-05T09:16:00.000-07:002008-05-05T12:22:08.823-07:00
Little Tyler was a strange boy. He liked to be alone, perhaps because his odd behavior earned him no friends. He ate dirt on a dare once when he was 4, and it was all downhill from there. He ate glue and paste and newspaper and ball bearings and anything else that would make people respect him, sort of, even if they didn't like him.
One year his parents noticed that Tyler began acting Kenny Blogginsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-39740867546447135582008-05-01T15:03:00.000-07:002008-05-01T15:24:40.409-07:00I play this little game while riding to and from work where I memorize the license plate of a passing car. When the next car drives by I memorize that one, and so on and so on. If there is an altercation, I've trained myself to look at the license plates first. So rather than use my middle finger to tell somebody how I feel, I can find out where they live based on that license plate and send themSwervyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07953244840643080460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-46092058773540284722008-04-21T21:07:00.000-07:002008-04-23T12:12:32.091-07:00A huge time commitment isn't required to get a satifying bike-camping fix. Last Friday, our crew of 5 rode 50km to a campsite in a western ‘burb to put on some mellow, lightly-loaded (referring to the bikes) miles and camp overnight. The packing configurations varied among the bikes…3 Surlys and 2 Salsas. Touring equipment included handlebar bags, saddle bags, baskets, racks, and panniers. Brother David Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707374670216741048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-66715925146908602502008-04-15T12:15:00.000-07:002008-04-15T12:48:26.498-07:00There aren't a lot of Surlies in South Africa. Paul has one though, and writes every once in a while to say hey. Today's email from Paul was special because it reflects a regional ..erm... flavor most of us won't relate to directly:
"I took my young nephew riding at some nearby trails. You often see a troop of baboons there. There’s another troop on the nearby peninsula that’s famously crabby Kenny Blogginsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-34677927301195168632008-04-14T12:31:00.000-07:002008-04-14T13:47:14.619-07:00For those of you heading to Sea Otter for the annual gathering of bike people, bikes, racers, racing, rain, booze, shaved legs, tents and more bikes, here is something else to do over the tweakend. Our fair Andy and Emily will be at Sea Otter, either under a Surly tent or lurking in a dark bar. Say Hi to them.
Swervyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07953244840643080460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-67440141743608323782008-04-03T10:05:00.000-07:002008-04-03T10:22:52.765-07:00This one goes out to pal Nutter Shawn, who has recently had a similar experience:
Can't make this stuff up. Found in the letters to the editor section of a recent issue of the Austin Chronicle in Austin, TX.Kenny Blogginsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-57665155103742429792008-03-28T09:19:00.000-07:002008-03-29T05:52:50.824-07:00The 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 thatSwervyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07953244840643080460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-53703616141869723342008-03-25T18:20:00.000-07:002008-03-25T18:47:40.412-07:00
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 Kenny Blogginsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-78642017242586972462008-03-20T00:16:00.000-07:002008-03-20T10:42:20.847-07:00I 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 Brother David Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707374670216741048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-67598451356548760102008-03-19T09:56:00.000-07:002008-03-19T11:37:21.722-07:00
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 Kenny Blogginsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-75662822202105825152008-03-18T11:50:00.000-07:002008-03-18T11:53:04.914-07:00Big Dumb NewsSwervyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07953244840643080460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-14970102960489441272008-03-17T09:31:00.000-07:002008-03-17T09:32:39.877-07:00This is only a test.Swervyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07953244840643080460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-52318556009145982512008-03-13T14:00:00.000-07:002008-03-13T14:55:43.127-07:00
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 Kenny Blogginsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-12267723060818836172008-03-12T11:52:00.000-07:002008-03-12T12:04:44.278-07:00From 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 willKenny Blogginsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-32984958882218981192008-03-12T10:09:00.000-07:002008-03-12T12:25:40.833-07:00
Thirty 8-foot 2 x 4's and an 8-foot 2 x 8. Solid.Brother David Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707374670216741048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-22649240345836369462008-03-11T15:13:00.000-07:002008-03-12T09:22:47.683-07:00My 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 (Kenny Blogginsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-79004330180699221172008-03-05T13:07:00.000-08:002008-03-07T10:36:03.018-08:00Satan enjoys a comfortable sedan.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. Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01456686741919375587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-77429586835095264592008-03-05T08:02:00.000-08:002008-03-05T08:32:28.306-08:00Since 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 Swervyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07953244840643080460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-25857669833831555072008-03-03T09:07:00.000-08:002008-03-03T09:14:04.315-08:00Our 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.
Skip Bernethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16033177260038459776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-32296146859131308642008-02-29T13:39:00.000-08:002008-02-29T15:16:48.404-08:00
The Big Dummy and I ran some errands today with the help of my Bikes At Work trailer. In one trip, we dropped off a complete door with hardware and frame at the Reuse Center, visited Ryan at Peace Coffee…a local roaster of the addictive bean, took 25kg of steel and aluminum to the recycler, bought an 8-pack of 16 oz Bitburger cans, and mailed a package at the post office. I’m certain it Brother David Sunshinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11707374670216741048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-7360888900224733512008-02-28T13:38:00.000-08:002008-02-28T13:50:43.291-08:00While surfing around for bike maps this weekend, I ran across a Google Earth map of the city of Portland, Oregon. The map was a bike route specific layout of the city, with shops earmarked.
Coincidentally, I got this online petition sent to me today. It takes a minute to fill out and could lead to easier access to bike routes in your town.
Bike Maps PetitionSwervyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07953244840643080460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5817409.post-91881066417605433972008-02-28T09:11:00.000-08:002008-02-28T10:24:42.271-08:00More Big Dumb News
If you haven't already got your name on a Big Dummy frame, we've got a few more 16" and 22" frames coming in the next week, but that's it. There will be no more 18" or 20" available until the next production run.
The next production run will not get us more frames until August. Why? These frames are so large and clog production so much, they need to be carefully scheduled to Swervyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07953244840643080460noreply@blogger.com