Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Steel is Real

The Great Singlespeed Experiment is coming to an end. I recently posted my thoughts about riding to work on a singlespeed, and stated that if my commute were to get any longer, the first thing I’d do is install gears on my old Stumpjumper.

I knew at the time that a longer commute was a possibility. Now that it’s becoming a reality when I move to a new job later this month, I’ve decided to retire the beloved 15-year-old Stumpy and its bombproof M2 frame, and replace it with a 3-in-1 ride.

Surly’s new Trucker Deluxe—which won’t be released until about the first of July—is equipped with S&S couplers and will 1.) make a faster, more comfortable bike for my 20-mile roundtrip commute; 2.) eliminate my desire to buy a Bike Friday to avoid airline baggage-fee extortion and still get exercise during short, nonbiking vacations and business trips; 3.) accommodate tires up to 2.1” wide, meaning I won’t to keep an extra bike around for icy conditions.

There’s even the fourth benefit of giving me a touring and brevet bike in case I someday manager to get off my ice and actually do a tour or brevet. And because the Trucker Deluxe comes only in a 26-inch-wheel version, I can save money by cannibalizing wheels, brakes, fenders, etc., from my existing bike and spare-parts box.

It’s gonna be one bad mother trucker.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Would be perfect for the BAK.

Jonathan said...

The De Ronde van Anchorage 100K Populaire (aka Bread & Water) is on June 19. Starts at 8:00 AM at the Peanut Farm and rides a nice loop around Anchorage before ending up back at the Farm. (Mmmm, post-ride beer.) You should give it a try!

Tabb said...

I love my Long Haul Trucker, I think it's the most solid bike I've ever owned. Maybe because my last bike was such a headache all the time, I didn't realize you could ride a bike for 3000 miles with virtually no problems.

saved by biking said...

Time to start looking at craig's list drum cases, custom music cases for that matter...geo equip cases ( Mark D ?) anything has to be cheaper than that S&S case...

Debbie said...

"I can save money buy cannibalizing wheels..." Am I a) having a stroke b) getting raptured or c) Did you just have a homonym mishap?????

Griddle said...

^^^^
Both b and c, I deem. Check it:

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17.3.14159265: "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and an infidel shall be elected Fool in Chief of the Whore of Babylon, surpassing mighty war heroes and even the Great Princess of the North, savior of orphaned moose and noted Revolutionary War historian: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: and the bloggers of the Whore of Babylon shall make grammatical errors of a homonymistic manner: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and the miserable sinners still bound to the earth shall have their pick of the carriages and libations and dwellings and pornography of the righteous: and so shall the righteous ever be with the Lord: and the righteous shall not miss their carriages, nor their libations, nor their dwellings, nor their porn: for the Lord's whip is sick beyond mortal comprehension, and the Lord's libations are stronger than the strongest mortal concoction, and the Lord's crib is pimped beyond mortal pimpation, and there is no porn in heaven: for the Lord's johnson is also beyond mortal comprehension, and under its mighty one-eyed gaze men and women both shall fall into a holy horny supplication, even unto orgiastic veneration."

Tejvan Pettinger said...

I was riding a steel bike recently, first time in a long time. Quite a revelation to remember how soft the ride is compared to an aluminium.
Tejvan - cycling UK

Maura said...

You could buy 29er wheels for that Fatback and ride it in the summer as a commuter. Works for my Pugs.

The Old Bag said...

AND he's going to "someday manager". I think that's Timothy 17.3.478.

WheelDancer said...

So in the new job you're not an editor anymore, is that it?

Tim said...

That is quite true, Wheeldancer. I will now commence inserting errors in every post, just to make a point.

The Old Bag said...

Hey, what I meant to say was congrats on the choice! You'll love it.

Jeff Moser said...

I meant to post something useful, but after reading "bloggers of the Whore of Babylon" I forgot what it was I was going to say. That's awesome.