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Preamble is a hard-boiled steel commuter built for comfort, durability, and buffoonery on pavement and gravel.

Nothing More is Needed. Nothing Less Will Do.

The challenge was thus: Build a serious steel bike and give it only the attributes that matter most. Make it quick and comfortable on pavement, as well as confident and compliant on degraded surfaces. What the Enginerds put forth is Preamble, a pavement and gravel utility worker that proves you don’t need to cut corners or clip coupons to make a more affordable steel bike. You just need to keep shit simple.

Preamble can run racks and fenders and carry a couple water bottles. Surly was raised on stealing basic cable, after all. Smooth and efficient on asphalt, Preamble’s double-butted main triangle provides a resplendent ride feel and withstands abuse from life’s inevitable potholes. Make it your own with flat bars, drop bars, a basket, or bags. On the road to steel euphoria, Preamble is the gateway drug.

  • Let facts be submitted to a candid world: Offered in flat-bar and drop-bar configurations
  • Easy T-Shirt sizing to fit nearly every rider (XS,S,M,L,XL)
  • Sloping top tubes on XS and Small frames for improved standover and comfort
  • To offer the best rider experience for every frame size, XS and S frames get 650b wheelsets while M–XL get 700c
  • Custom-cast single-position vertical dropout

Bike Capabilities

  • 5/5 with Commuting Commuting: 5 out of 5
  • 4/5 with Tire Clearance Tire Clearance: 4 out of 5
  • 5/5 with Keeping Shit Simple Keeping Shit Simple: 5 out of 5
  • 5/5 with Pavement Pavement: 5 out of 5
  • 5/5 with Gravel Gravel: 5 out of 5

NOTE: You can ride your bike wherever the hell you want, but this is what we think this bike is best at.

Preamble Flat Bar Skyrim Blue bike side view on gravel trail through woods
Preamble Drop Bar Thorfrost White bike, front view close-up
Preamble Flat Bar Skyrim Blue bike, down tube focus showing Surly Natch Chromoly Steel decal
Person riding Preamble Drop Bar bike on gravel road through forest
Person riding Preamble Drop Bar bike on street, focus on bike
Preamble Drop Bar Thorfrost White bike side view parked next to building
Preamble Drop Bar Thorfrost White bike, close-up of drive-side rear dropout, cassette, and derailleur
Person with hands on grips of Preamble Flat Bar bike with foot down, stopped, focus on bike

Related Content

A Preamble to the Surly Preamble

by Atom
Wednesday, February 22nd, 2023
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Where to Buy

Surly Preamble Flat Bar bike, Skyrim Blue color

Specifications

Frameset

Frame
Surly Preamble, 100% Chromoly steel tubing, E.D. coated
Fork
Surly Preamble, 100% Chromoly steel fork, Disc Only
Seatpost Clamp
Surly Stainless 30.0

Components

Headset
VP 1-1/8" Threadless
Brakes
Avid BB5 Mechanical
Brake levers
Avid FR-5
Rotors
SRAM 160mm F/R
Shifters
microSHIFT Acolyte Xpress
Stem
Kalloy 31.8
Handlebar
Kalloy, 35mm rise, 9-degree backsweep
Grip/Tape
Black Rubber
Saddle
Selle Italia X-Base
Seatpost
Kalloy 27.2 x 300mm

Drivetrain

Crankset
Samox, 3-piece, 40t
Bottom Bracket
JIS 68 x 124.5mm
Front derailleur
N/A
Rear derailleur
microSHIFT RD-M5185M
Cog or cogset
microSHIFT 12-42t, 8-speed
Chain
KMC Z8.3

Wheels

Front hub
Novatec, 6-bolt disc, 32h, QR
Rear hub
Novatec, 6-bolt disc, 32h, QR
Rims

Tubeless Compatible 

Tires
Kenda Kwik Tendril 700c x 35mm (MD/LG/XL) & Kenda Standard 650b x 1.35 (XS/SM)

Frameset

Frame
Surly Preamble, 100% Chromoly steel tubing, E.D. coated
Fork
Surly Preamble, 100% Chromoly steel fork, Disc Only
Seatpost Clamp
Surly Stainless 30.0

Components

Headset
VP 1-1/8" Threadless
Brakes
Avid BB7 Mechanical
Brake levers
microSHIFT R400-L and R-490-R
Rotors
SRAM 160mm F/R
Shifter
microSHIFT R400
Stem
Kalloy 31.8
Handlebar
Salsa Cowbell
Grip/Tape
Black Cork
Saddle
Selle Italia X-Base
Seatpost
Kalloy 27.2 x 300mm

Drivetrain

Crankset
Samox, 3-piece, 40t
Bottom Bracket
JIS 68 x 124.5mm
Front derailleur
N/A
Rear derailleur
microSHIFT RD-M46S
Cog or cogset
microSHIFT 11-36t, 9-speed
Chain
KMC Z9

Wheels

Front hub
Novatec, 6-bolt disc, 32h, QR
Rear hub
Novatec, 6-bolt disc, 32h, QR
Rims

Tubeless Compatible 

Tires
Kenda Kwik Tendril 700c x 35mm (MD/LG/XL) & Kenda Standard 650b x 1.35 (XS/SM)

Complete bike spec subject to change

MY23 Preamble Drop Bar Geo MY23 Preamble Flat Bar Geo
units:

Select a few bike sizes to compare.

SIZE XS SM MD LG XL
Rider Height 5'0"–5'5" 1524–1651 5'4"–5'8" 1625.6–1727.2 5'7"–6'0" 1701.8–1828.8 5'11"–6'3" 1803.4–1905 6'2"–6'7" 1879.6–2006.6
Reach 13.9 352 15.0 381 15.4 391 15.9 404 16.6 421
Stack 20.4 517 21.1 535 22.3 567 23.8 605 25.3 643
Head Tube Angle 70.0° 71.0° 72.0° 72.0° 72.0°
Head Tube Length 4.7 120 5.3 135 5.1 130 6.7 170 8.3 210
Seat Tube Length 16.1 410 19.9 505 22.2 565 23.8 605 25.4 645
BB Drop 2.1 54 2.1 54 2.6 66 2.6 66 2.6 66
Wheelbase 38.9 987 39.9 1013 40.6 1030 41.5 1055 42.7 1085
Chainstay Length 16.5 420 16.5 420 17.1 435 17.1 435 17.1 435
Top Tube Length, Effective 19.7 500 21.5 545 22.4 570 23.6 600 24.8 630
Seat Tube Angle 74.0° 73.0° 72.5° 72.0° 72.0°
Standover Height 28.4 722 30.6 776 32.5 826 34.0 863 35.5 901
Stem Length 3.1 80 3.1 80 3.5 90 3.9 100 3.9 100
Stem Angle 7° 7° 7° 7° 7°
Handlebar Width 15.0 380 15.7 400 16.5 420 17.3 440 18.1 460
Crank Length 6.5 165 6.7 170 6.7 170 6.9 175 6.9 175
Fork Length 15.0 380 15.0 380 15.7 400 15.7 400 15.7 400
Fork Rake 1.9 47 1.9 47 1.7 44 1.7 44 1.7 44

Standover height measured at the center of the TT; and based on a wheel diameter of 677mm on X-Small–Small, and 717mm on Medium–X-Large

Select a few bike sizes to compare.

SIZE XS SM MD LG XL
Rider Height 5'0"–5'5" 1524–1651 5'4"–5'8" 1625.6–1727.2 5'7"–6'0" 1701.8–1828.8 5'11"–6'3" 1803.4–1905 6'2"–6'7" 1879.6–2006.6
Reach 13.9 352 15.0 381 15.4 391 15.9 404 16.6 421
Stack 20.4 517 21.1 535 22.3 567 23.8 605 25.3 643
Head Tube Angle 70.0° 71.0° 72.0° 72.0° 72.0°
Head Tube Length 4.7 120 5.3 135 5.1 130 6.7 170 8.3 210
Seat Tube Length 16.1 410 19.9 505 22.2 565 23.8 605 25.4 645
BB Drop 2.1 54 2.1 54 2.6 66 2.6 66 2.6 66
Wheelbase 38.9 987 39.9 1013 40.6 1030 41.5 1055 42.7 1085
Chainstay Length 16.5 420 16.5 420 17.1 435 17.1 435 17.1 435
Top Tube Length, Effective 19.7 500 21.5 545 22.4 570 23.6 600 24.8 630
Seat Tube Angle 74.0° 73.0° 72.5° 72.0° 72.0°
Standover Height 28.4 722 30.6 776 32.5 826 34.0 863 35.5 901
Stem Length 3.1 80 3.5 90 3.5 90 3.9 100 3.9 100
Stem Angle 7° 7° 7° 7° 7°
Handlebar Width 27.6 700 27.6 700 28.3 720 28.3 720 28.3 720
Crank Length 6.5 165 6.7 170 6.7 170 6.9 175 6.9 175
Fork Length 15.0 380 15.0 380 15.7 400 15.7 400 15.7 400
Fork Rake 1.9 47 1.9 47 1.7 44 1.7 44 1.7 44

Standover height measured at the center of the TT; and based on a wheel diameter of 677mm on X-Small–Small, and 717mm on Medium–X-Large

Frame Construction

100% Surly Chromoly steel, Natch tubing, double-butted main triangle, TIG welded, E.D. coated

Fork Construction

Surly Preamble, 100% Chromoly steel fork, Disc Only

Rear Dropout Configuration

Vertical

Rear Hub Spacing

10 x 138mm Surly Gnot Boost QR

Front Hub Spacing

10 x 100mm

Rear Brake

51mm IS (160-180)

Front Brake

51mm IS (140-180)

Headtube

Ø34mm

Steerer Tube

Ø28.6mm

Crown Race

30mm (1-1/8")

Stock Headset Upper (S.H.I.S)

EC34

Stock Headset Lower (S.H.I.S)

EC34

Seat Collar

Ø30.0mm

Seatpost

Ø27.2mm

Front Derailleur (Clamp)

Bottom Pull (Ø28.6)

Max Chainring (CL) [3]

1x: 42t
2x: 46/36t max

Bottom Bracket

68mm BSA, threaded

Tire Clearance Frame [1]/[2]

XS-SM frames: 650b x 41mm (with or without fenders)
MD-XL frames: 700c x 41mm (with or without fenders)

Tire Clearance Fork [1]

650b: 650b x 38mm w/ fenders,  650b x 41mm w/o fenders
700c: 700c x 38mm w/ fenders, 700c x 41mm w/o fenders

Bottle Mounts Frame

2: Standard

Rack Mounts Frame

Yes

Rack Mounts Fork

Fork crown and mid-blade rack mounts and fender mounts

Fender Mounts Frame

Yes

Fender Mounts Fork

Fork crown and mid-blade rack mounts and fender mounts

  • [1] Different tire and rim combinations will result in different clearances.  
    [2] Depending on drivetrain configuration, tire clearance may be limited by the chain and not frame.
    [3] Listed chainring clearance is worst case scenario.  Clearances vary widely depending on components and configurations.

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