My New Whip
The epitome of being a bike geek requires you to own a Surly bike. Ok maybe not, but for me, that marked what a “true” bicyclist should ride. I know its silly to generalize on such things but I can’t help it. I know when I first laid eyes on my first Surly, I had to have one. Surly bikes are not the lightest or the exotic bikes out there. Heck some people may even cringe at the ugly selection of colors available (Robins Egg Blue or Beef Gravy brown). The frames are made of steel. Trusty ole steel. You won’t find a dual-toned color scheme on any of their bikes. No sir. Just a plain solid color. The fact that they stick to something as traditional as steel frame and solid color makes them so much more desirable. Each frame they sell serves a purpose. For example, the Long Haul Trucker was meant to be your base for a touring rig. The Karate Monkey, is your mountain bike. Last but not least, the Cross Check, the cyclo-cross bike.
So when I first saw a Surly I carefully researched which frame I wanted to build my bike from. The obvious choice was the Surly Cross Check. It was the most versatile frame they had. You can build it up as a normal drop bar cyclo-cross bike or you can build it up as a regular grocery getter / “city” bike, or even a single / fixed gear bike if you like. I wanted a city bike. I wanted something I can ride around the city with normal clothes, a front and rear rack, and fenders. What I finally got built was this work of art!
Say hello to my new whip! A custom built Surly Cross Check. This thing is loaded with a whole can of awesomeness! We’re talking about a 8-speed internal geared rear hub, a front dynamo hub with accompanying Busch & Mueller lights, and a chainguard!
Thanks to Jon Raspa & Josef Bray-Ali of the Fliying Pigeon LA bike shop for making this happen. These guys helped me pick out the parts that I wanted and hand built the 36 spoke rims and every component on the bike. I love you guys!
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Themocracy
Great looking bike! We need to have a Surly Owners Rally sometime!
@Errin – Heck with the Surly Owners Rally! I still need to meet you in person.
Dude, why isn’t there a startup guide on cycling from you on Wise Bread? This is unacceptable.
Johnny,
I love your setup! What kind of kickstand is that?
Thanks,
Nick
Hey Nick – Thanks for the kind words. I’m not sure what the kickstand is called. It was not listed by brand on my invoice but feel free to contact http://flyingpigeon-la.com/ for more information.