I realise I’ve been quiet on here (again!) Rest assured, I didn’t decide to pedal off the side of the earth but life has taken yet another turn – a much happier one this time – and I’ve been distracted.
More news on this in the New Year.
That said, I haven’t been in hibernation. Just before said life-changing news broke, I acquired a mutant-friendly Surly Disc Trucker frame from those fine folks at Keep Pedalling. I’d planned some kind of roughish-stuff light tourer using this steel, something folk now like to call a ‘gravel bike’, or an ‘adventure bike’. I don’t buy this marketing garbage of course… it’s a touring bike, without mudguards.
I’m being a little disingenuous here, though. While modernist marketing may have me reaching for the sick bucket, post-modernist grumbling from those bearded tree- worriers at Surly does resonate. I’d wanted a Long Haul Trucker for a while just to remind myself how good a purpose-built, modern touring frame can be. So I decided to buy one, but eschewed the cantilevers in favour of some fancy rotor-rubbers.
The frame had been sitting in my spare room for nearly six months. A couple of weeks ago I reached that now-or-never stage of a build project when the small, mischievous voice inside my head says ‘sod it’ and I shake the Internet for bike components and burn the plastic.
The resulting new addition to the fleet has a name of course – Yorkie (boom boom!) – and I’m very happy with the result. I’ll post some more (betterer) pics when the weather improves in grizzly Glossopdale, but I include a build list for all you bike nerds out there (come on in, the water’s lovely).
Suffice to say, this bike is far more nimble than my heavyweight Ogre and is a joy to ride. The raked fork soaks up the bumps with aplomb while the overall compliance of the steel makes for a very comfy ride indeed. Things are far more taught than my rather splendid Bob Jackson, though, which is handy given my heft and the fact that I will be carrying bags on this bike at some point… no doubt in search of ‘multi-day adventures’ or ‘bikepacking’ if that’s what the cool kids are currently up to.
Build list:
Frame: Surly Disc Trucker 64cm
Wheels: Shimano Deore Hubs, 36-hole, laced onto KinLin XD-230 rims (Built by Spa Cycles)
Tyres: Schwalbe G One 38mm
Bars: Salsa CowChipper 46cm
Levers: Sram Force CX1
Brakes: TRP HY-RD
Stem: Salsa Pro Moto riser (to be changed)
Headset: FSA Orbit
Chainset: Sram Rival 1 (42T)
Rear cassette: Sram 11-42T
Rear mech: Sram Rival 1 (long cage, obvs!)
Chain: Sram 11 spd
Seat post: Deda Rsx 02
Saddle: Specialized Toupe Sport (a bit of a test)
Extras: Problem Solvers downtube shifter boss cover, Bontrager bottle cages, Easton cork bar tape, Velo Vitality Metro Porteur Steel front rack, black (to be fitted)
Northern Walker 