# Surly Big Dummy vs Trek Transport



## jsidney (Aug 24, 2011)

What do you guys think. Which is the better bike if you are mainly going to be on paved but hilly roads. I will use a 520 if the road is too rough.

I would daily being carrying a bulky but some what light load each day then once a month might take it 100 miles each way to a city.

How do you guys think they compare?


----------



## bignose (Sep 15, 2005)

Disclaimer: I own neither of these bikes.

I would not worry about the Big dummy on rough roads at all. Its basically a long mountain bike. Its all in your choice of tires.

The trek transport really looks to be the same geometry at half the price, so factor that in. Surly does like to over build tho (in a good way).

I think folks think about stuff too much. 

I'd wager both of these bikes will run just fine on paved roads and since they both have mountain bike gearing they're probably really comparable.

Get the one you like and put the tires you like on it.


----------



## wiggles (Feb 12, 2008)

I currently own a 2010 big dummy. I use this bike every other day for commuting into work (the other bike i use is the cross bike) my round trip is 36miles and includes 2400feet of climbing. 
Currently the bike is setup with Fat Frank 2.5 balloon tires, a schmidt edelux dynamo light, an alfine hub dynamo, and about 23pounds of locks - since the dummy won't fit in our companies bike lockers and cable ones cut far to easily, the bike also hauls all the stuff i take to work (lunch, breakfast, coffee/tea, clothes to change into, sandals for the shower, and all the necessary stuff to clean and make myself presentable. I also keep a rain jacket in one side pocket and carry a pump, tube, extra chain links, and a multi tool just in case the bike has a mechanical.
So loaded up with all this stuff the bike weighs about 65-75pounds and when i start the climb i go to the middle ring front and back and can make it up the hills at a 5 to 7.5mph (the hill according to the garmin is 10-12%)

I don't have any experience with the Trek but i will say the big dummy does a great job on the roads and has decent capability off road. I rate it as decent since the bottom bracket is a bit lower and will tend to scrape on obstacles that are easily cleared on a mountain bike. 

Over all i dig the dummy and i like all the after market parts that are available for it (xtracycle.com)
Its comfortable and its a great feeling when you can load your bike up with groceries and get adults to stop and talk with you!

if you have any other questions let me know!

cheers
joe


----------



## jsidney (Aug 24, 2011)

bignose said:


> Disclaimer: I own neither of these bikes.
> 
> I would not worry about the Big dummy on rough roads at all. Its basically a long mountain bike. Its all in your choice of tires.
> 
> ...


I can get a Big Dummy complete for $1840.00 but I would need someone to put it together as I don't know how much assembly would be required.

I found a place that has the Transport at $1249.99, it looks like this is not something they will ship. Don't know how much it would cost if I want to Tulsa to get one. 

The weight does not seem that different between to two of them.


----------



## jsidney (Aug 24, 2011)

wiggles said:


> I currently own a 2010 big dummy. I use this bike every other day for commuting into work (the other bike i use is the cross bike) my round trip is 36miles and includes 2400feet of climbing.
> Currently the bike is setup with Fat Frank 2.5 balloon tires, a schmidt edelux dynamo light, an alfine hub dynamo, and about 23pounds of locks - since the dummy won't fit in our companies bike lockers and cable ones cut far to easily, the bike also hauls all the stuff i take to work (lunch, breakfast, coffee/tea, clothes to change into, sandals for the shower, and all the necessary stuff to clean and make myself presentable. I also keep a rain jacket in one side pocket and carry a pump, tube, extra chain links, and a multi tool just in case the bike has a mechanical.
> So loaded up with all this stuff the bike weighs about 65-75pounds and when i start the climb i go to the middle ring front and back and can make it up the hills at a 5 to 7.5mph (the hill according to the garmin is 10-12%)
> 
> ...


Do you think the as completed Big Dummies have a sufficient gear range for rolling hills carrying a 50 pound load? Could it use more gears or would that not make much difference?


----------



## wiggles (Feb 12, 2008)

Honestly i think the gearing is great, the mr.whirly crank is a 48-36-26, and the rear cassette is an 11-32 or(34). I've been able to climb most everything in the middle ring on road, and when i took the bike off road i dropped it into the low gear since i still had all my work stuff on the bike and the trail had a small short punchy climb, but for rolling hills i think the gearing is great.


----------



## jsidney (Aug 24, 2011)

wiggles said:


> Honestly i think the gearing is great, the mr.whirly crank is a 48-36-26, and the rear cassette is an 11-32 or(34). I've been able to climb most everything in the middle ring on road, and when i took the bike off road i dropped it into the low gear since i still had all my work stuff on the bike and the trail had a small short punchy climb, but for rolling hills i think the gearing is great.


Thanks, 

I think I will be getting a Big Dummy, I am going to read a little more about the Trek Transport but from what I am reading I am thinking the Big Dummy is a better bike.

On the complete bike, is there anything you would have changed.

I am thinking the only thing that needs to be added is a light?

Oh, I forgot to ask, I read on the early Big Dummies they came with kickstands, I am thinking people have to add one on their own now?


----------



## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

I'm not sure if this applies to the Big Dummy, but one thing I learned from riding a tandem: it is very hard to pop a wheelie to go up a curb on a bike with a long wheel base. I found this out through empirical testing with hilarious results.


----------



## FrontRanger (May 19, 2004)

nonsleepingjon said:


> I'm not sure if this applies to the Big Dummy, but one thing I learned from riding a tandem: it is very hard to pop a wheelie to go up a curb on a bike with a long wheel base. I found this out through empirical testing with hilarious results.


I thought the same thing but I think we must be doing it wrong.


----------



## wiggles (Feb 12, 2008)

The one thing i believe that should be bigger from the factory is the stock rotor. Surly provides a 185mm front and rear rotor and honestly the front 185 fills very flimsy, and you can see it flex as the front brake is applied. So when i had my dynamo wheel built (alfine hub with center lock) I upgraded to a 203 xtr centerlock rotor and can't see visible flex when i apply the brakes. This is really the only thing i would change and i only do it to the front. [since most stopping comes from the front of bike]

All the big dummy's as far as i am aware come with a basic kick stand - two other owners have warned me that eventually it will break - but it does come with one! xtracycle.com has some center stands that look promising but are rather expensive and preventing me from getting one, so i may just try fabricating something from a motorcycle center stand. 

Grips, seat, and pedals all seem to be fairly personal so i won't comment on those. 
(my Seat is a brooks, grips are stock, and pedals switch out every week from flats to spds)

Ill try and grab a couple good pictures and post them later this evening

let me know if i can be of any extra assistance

joe


----------



## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

FrontRanger said:


> I thought the same thing but I think we must be doing it wrong.


He's got mad skills. And the tandem is even longer than that - some super human rider might be able to lift the front wheel, but I sure can't. Maybe a captain/stoker synchronized bunny hop... but I can tell you how that will end up.


----------



## wiggles (Feb 12, 2008)

pictures as promised 
First picture is day i purchased it and rode it home 

The bottom pictures (the one in garage with bob trailer, specialized rock hopper, and honda motorcycle in back ground) are how the dummy stands today. 

joe


----------



## crossroader (Sep 3, 2011)

*Dummy question*

Ute vs Transport vs Dummy vs Radish vs Mundo.....?


----------



## Plum (Mar 27, 2005)

crossroader said:


> Ute vs Transport vs Dummy vs Radish vs Mundo.....?



Lots of things between these bikes:

The radish is a standard frame with a painted to match xtra-cycle, not a dedicated longtail.

The Mundo is a stripped down, heavy duty hauler with limited (stock) gearing options and industrial-ish specs. Higher weight capacity than the rest of the bikes listed here, IIRC.

The Ute, Transport and Dummy are closer, although there are differences. The Ute is a 700c, smaller tired, steel longtail frame with a lower overall weight capacity. It has a bag system unique to itself.

The transport is a 26", aluminum framed longtail frame, similar weight capacity to the dummy, but with a unique to itself racking system. Available with electric assist as a stock feature, if you need it.

The dummy is a 26", steel framed longtail. It's compatible with all the xtracycle stuff, kid seats, wide loaders, kick stands, etc. Pretty burly, very versatile, etc. Not as burly as the Mundo, but moreso than the Ute, dunno where it stands up to the transport.

I have a dummy myself and use it for everything. I did a 70 mile tour over 2 days, with approximatley 20 miles of singletrack to finish off the mileage. I wasn't heavily loaded, but it did everything I asked of it, even rode the singletrack largely like a 'single' bike. I use it to ride my kids to school, tow a trailer, grocery shop, etc.

I think you are comparing apples to oranges in some instances. The Dummy and transit are pretty close. The radish is no different than a standard longtail conversion, the mundo is more utilitarian than any of the others, and the Ute is somewhere in between.

I think if you're serious about it, look at the transport or the dummy. If you need just a little more capacity than a normal bike with fenders, look at the ute. If you need to haul pianos across town regularly, look at the mundo. If you want to do a conversion, I think you can source a cheaper mule than the radish to convert with a normal xtracycle kit, but it'll have that conversion 'waggle' under heavy loads.

Nice to have choices...

Plum


----------



## predictive (Aug 8, 2009)

I test rode a Trek Transport when they first came out; fully loaded on both racks, the bike just had a ton of flex in the downtube. You could smack the handlebars and watch them wobble while the rear stayed planted. I really wanted to like that bike, but the flex bothered me too much to buy one.


----------



## crossroader (Sep 3, 2011)

Thank's so much for the imput. I looked @ the Transport yesterday and noticed the "flexi-flyer" tendency as I had felt in the Radish on a prior ride. Also, the largest frame on a Transport isn't big enough. My svelt 6'6"/295 physic has a LOT to do with this......i'm thinking dummy. Cheers!


----------



## Plum (Mar 27, 2005)

crossroader said:


> Thank's so much for the imput. I looked @ the Transport yesterday and noticed the "flexi-flyer" tendency as I had felt in the Radish on a prior ride. Also, the largest frame on a Transport isn't big enough. My svelt 6'6"/295 physic has a LOT to do with this......i'm thinking dummy. Cheers!


I don't think you'll be unhappy with a dummy. I've had mine (running) since January, we use it as our 2nd car. 

Lots more information on them over here on the sister site:

http://forums.mtbr.com/cargo-bikes/

Happy dummying.

Plum


----------

