# My Surly Commuter



## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

I built this Surly up over summer to be ready for the winter commute and thought I'd do a post now that I have a few miles on it. The bike is perfect for my commute of six miles each way--mostly MUT, with a few back streets, parking lots, dirt and gravel paths and sidewalks thrown into the mix. Here's the detail on the build. A had a bunch of stuff lying around but otherwise have about $750 into it, not including shipping...

2006 Surly Cross Check frame--56cm--bought new from LBS. Made sure they faced and chased it. It came perfectly straight. It's high quality, solid, versatile, predictable and heavy as hell.
FSA Orbit UF headset--pretty nice for $37 (Bikeman)
Salsa SUL Mountain 90x135 mtb stem--awesome for $27 (Bikeman)
Kalloy Allrounder bar--15 degree sweep, 560 wide. $12 at Bikeman. This frame would have fit me just right with an 11cm stem and drops. It feels perfect with the 135x90 stem and flat bars. 
XT cantis (had them lying around)
XC Comp levers (had them lying around)
Ritchey road cranks with the 110 bolt pattern (had them lying around--swapped out the 53 for a 46 ring which I had). These cranks have a very low Q factor and I was worried about them clearing the c-stays, but it worked out great.
Shimano UN72 bb which I had
Speedplay Frogs which I had
Thomson post scored new off eBay for $40.
Concor which I had
Wheels are new 10 speed Ultegra with MA3s and DT 14 gauge spokes. Got 'em from Cambria for $150. I had to re-dish the rear wheels and true them quite a bit, but oh well, what do you expect. Was cheaper than building them from separate components myself.
Conti Top Touring 700 x 32 tires which are about ten years old and won't die. Awesome and totally bulletproof and predictable in all conditions. And heavy. 
New DA 9 speed front der scored off eBay for $25.
Ultegra 8 speed cassette. 
Old short cage XT rear der which I had lying around.
Pauls thumbies scored cheap off eBay with Ultegra Barcons which I had. 
Sachs chain.
Planet bike fenders and blinky lights front and rear.
Old Night Rider which I had.


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## Sledgehammer03 (Mar 7, 2006)

Nice Work!

If you don't mind, total cost?


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

Sledgehammer03 said:


> Nice Work!
> 
> If you don't mind, total cost?


Not including the stuff I've built up over the years, around $750 or so. Could probably build it for around $1000 if you were starting from scratch and don't include the lights or pedals. I don't feel like I cut any corners, here. Just have to shop for deals and be patient and watch eBay a bit.


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## blackhat (Jan 2, 2003)

now <i>that's</i> a great looking commuter. I really like the way crosschecks handle with wide flat bars and fat tires. probly the best urban assault configuration I could conjure up.


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

blackhat said:


> now <i>that's</i> a great looking commuter. I really like the way crosschecks handle with wide flat bars and fat tires. probly the best urban assault configuration I could conjure up.


Yeah, research I did here and on mtbr was instrumental in selecting the Surly, and I believe you were part of the chorus singing the Cross Check's praise. I have a bad habit of keeping bikes forever, so with five other bikes it made sense for me to get something versatile. I'm particularly impressed with the clearance for tires and fender, how stiff it is through the bb even with those long c-stays, the bomber fork, and how straight it came (especially compared to some of the high end frames I've built up). If for whatever reason I stop commuting by bike in the next few years I'll probably put drop bars on it and make it a monster cross single speed. But yeah, the geometry is pretty much perfect. It goes where you point it and doesn't get squirrelly when you hit leaf covered potholes while bombing down hills in the rain at night while talking on your cell phone.


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## Lamdog (Jan 11, 2006)

Henry, nice build! I am looking into something very similar with a flat bar for a commuter also. Have you looked into a Soma Double Cross? If so, what made you decided on the Cross Check instead?


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

Lamdog said:


> Henry, nice build! I am looking into something very similar with a flat bar for a commuter also. Have you looked into a Soma Double Cross? If so, what made you decided on the Cross Check instead?


I liked the geometry of the Surly better--the shorter tt will work better for me with drop bars, which I'll probably put on eventually (if/when I get a less hectic commute). I also like semi-horizontal drops--can easily make it a single speed. My LBS hooked me up on the price, and I don't care about the weight difference (about 1/3rd of a pound). Also, I think the Surly has better tire clearance. I'm kind of looking forward to slapping some 700 x 45 nobbies on at some point.

The Soma is a nice frame, though. I assume the quality is about the same--my understanding is that they're made in the same factory. If you plan to stick to flat bars indefinitely it might be the way to go, since it has a longer tt and a slightly taller head tube.


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## Chris H (Jul 7, 2005)

Nice build up. I'm glad to see you have it on the road now. 

I too have been impressed with the ride quality that the Cross Check offers. It makes me realize I haven't ridden mine in a while (since I built up my Fixed Gear), so I think I'll take it out for a spin today since this is my day off. I'll even take the camera along as well!


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## brownbear (Nov 21, 2006)

*Surly Cross Checks Make Great Commuters*

Nice looking build-up on your Surly.

I got a Surly Cross-Check myself a little of a year ago. Built it up for commuting and possibly using it in some local cyclocross races. Haven't done any races yet, have one scheduled for next week. Used it for commuting all this year. Have over 5000 miles on it. It works great. 

My setup is a combination of some new and some that I had left over from an old Trek 2300 that I had a wrecked with.

Frame/Fork: Surly Cross-Check
Crank w/BB: FSA Gossmar Compact (50X34) -new
FD: FSA -New
RD/Cassette/Chain Brake/Shifters: Ultegra 9 speed - Used from Trek 2300)
Handlebars: Bontrager Road -Used from Trek 2300
Stem: Ritchey Comp - New
Head Set: Cane Creek - New
Seatpost: Bontrager - Used from Trek 2300
Seat: Terry Fly - Used from Trek 2300
Brakes- Cane Creel Cantis - New
Pedals- Crank Brothers Candy C
Wheels - Sold the Rolf Vector Comps that came on the Trek and got some new MAVIC OP with Ultegra hubs that the LBS had built.
Tires - For commuting use Panaracer Urban Max 700 X 32 (Great Tire)
For Cyclocross/ trails TUFO tubular/Clinchers pro (700X30)

I love the ride the steel frame gives and the versatilty of the frame is great. I have riden 3 centuries in the past year on some pretty rough country roads and I didn't get beat up like I did on my Trek. 

By the way my Surly weighs in at 22.7 pounds including pedals.


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## Lamdog (Jan 11, 2006)

Brownbear, nice setup ... where is the pic?


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

brownbear said:


> By the way my Surly weighs in at 22.7 pounds including pedals.


 Whoa, ti bolt kit?


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

Very nice bike. I like the color. 
I had a CrossCheck that was a couple of cm too small, so I sold it and went to the LBS to buy exactly the same bike one size up. The woman in the shop pointed me to a friend who was selling a Rivendell Atlantis used / cheap, so I went with that, but the CrossCheck is a killer value. 

My most fun trip on the the Cross Check was a visit to Glacier National Park. I rode it in the woods one day with cyclocross tires and up a mountain pass the next day with my lightest road wheels. Both rides were great. 

Enjoy it.


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## ad-sle (Jan 5, 2007)

*Henry and BrownBear and anyone who wants to comment*

Trying to soak up some more info on the Cross-Check. Went to my LBS who I would like to support. Told him my needs. Get out of 5 old half a$$ bikes and get one that does it all. Commute and club rides on weekends. Cyclecross....yeah I said, but I rode one over the summer and they are nice rides but no eyelets or other stuff for the cummuter. AH! he said. Not the Surly....

So I listened and got excited. $1,200 with 105, $1,400 with entry Campy. Be calm. I am trying to. I have ridden home built, trash pick, hand me downs for 30 years and I am thinking of getting a bike made for me. I build 'em myself but with old non brifter technology. Some tell me the new stuff is easier than the old...

So.....what to do? I've ridden my AD SLE for 25 years. Love the fit. Steel is real! But, not down tube posts on which to 'terminate' cable. 27" wheels which I did tweak to fit 700 and a wider rear wheel. Still a cluge. And...I have just moved to NH from TN where hills and winter are REAL. I rode 2000+ commuter miles over the last year +. I was looking for a bike I a) did not have to frig with b) could commute and hang with the pack on weekends and c) handle winter and hills, aka tires, fenders and gears.

Oh, and obviously....$1,000+ on a bike is not easy for me or I would not be asking questions.

Option 1: Fix up an old Trek 500 Reynolds 501 (Waterloo) and commute on it. Old generation side pull, not dual pivot, no brifter option. 

Option 2: Fix up my old AD-SLE, ditto brakes and brifter and fender would be cut to support Blackburn center support rack as it does not have stay braze ons....like the trek does.

Option 3: Trash pick Giant Innova which is a MTB with 700 wheels. Needs new shifter/brakes to support Altus groupe. Otherwise ain't must different from Cross Check with canti brakes.

Option 4: Use my Memphis commuter/trash pick which weighs 40lbs and runs out of gears and too small to stand on hills. See Link. As you can see....going up a hill, the center of gravity is all wrong! Flats, ok. Hills....funky!

Feeback and opinion invited! No, needed!!


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## jwindhall (Nov 8, 2006)

NICE!!! though i woulda gone SS or Fixed dunno why, but I just love commuting fixed.


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## Henry Chinaski (Feb 3, 2004)

ad-sle said:


> Trying to soak up some more info on the Cross-Check. Went to my LBS who I would like to support. Told him my needs. Get out of 5 old half a$$ bikes and get one that does it all. Commute and club rides on weekends. Cyclecross....yeah I said, but I rode one over the summer and they are nice rides but no eyelets or other stuff for the cummuter. AH! he said. Not the Surly....
> 
> So I listened and got excited. $1,200 with 105, $1,400 with entry Campy. Be calm. I am trying to. I have ridden home built, trash pick, hand me downs for 30 years and I am thinking of getting a bike made for me. I build 'em myself but with old non brifter technology. Some tell me the new stuff is easier than the old...
> 
> ...


First of all, Surly makes the Cross-Check available as a complete bike for around $850. Any bike shop can order them through the QBP catalog. 

http://www.surlybikes.com/bikes.html

Or, just get the frame and build it up from stuff you have and off eBay.

The old Trek sounds cool. If you want to run brifters, there must be a way to get stops on there--may not be elegant but I'm sure you can make it work. Upgrade the brake calipers.


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## brownbear (Nov 21, 2006)

I agree that you may want to look into the complete Surly-CrossCheck. That bike comes with bar-end shifters and brake levers mounted on drop road bars. 

Even if you build one up yourself it is a lot cheaper to go that way. The Brake/Shifter levers are expensive compared to bar-end shifter and separate brake levers. If I had not had a working set of Ultegra Brake/Shifter left from the old Trek 2300, I would have gone that way.The Brake/Shifter levers are the most expensive component, even more then a good set of wheels.


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## single1x1 (Mar 26, 2005)

*nice ride henry.*

Like the build. I have had my bean grean cross check since 2001, been a great ride, it's the best color that surly has made availible and too bad that it isn't availible anymore. I also have a 56cm model with a 110 stem and bell lap bars, always has been set up as a SS or fixed gear, and raced hard like it should be. I like that the new models have two lower eyelets for fender and rack and a rack mount on the seatstays, mine just has one eyelet on the dropout so you have to share the hole and use the plastic covered mounts for the rack on the seat stay. I also think that they should put a canti stop braze on-on intead of the seat post clamp mount stop, they have one on the long haul trucker and the san jose also has one, but I still really like it and ride it often. 
You should also be glad to hear that I have found the paint to be very tough, I have heard that the Soma paint is't nearly as tough. I also have Ma3 rims, FF surly rear hup and a lx front hub made by excel sports, I went through the first rim in 2 years about of hard racing mt biking and some commuting in wet western WA, and probably not washing the bike and rims enough, but they have staid true and were a lot cheaper then open pros.
you should have lots of miles to come, and they also seem to have good re-sale if you want something a bunch lighter or fancier.


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