Surly Bikes

Infobox Company
company_name = Surly Bikes
company_type = Private
company_
location_city = Bloomington, Minnesota
location_country = USA
industry = Bicycles
foundation = Minnesota, 1998
homepage = [http://www.surlybikes.com/ www.surlybikes.com]

Surly Bikes is a manufacturer of bicycles, frames, parts, and accessories in Bloomington, Minnesota, established circa 1998.cite web| url=http://bluecollarmtb.com/2005/04/04/interview-surly-bikes/|title=Interview: Surly Bikes|date=14 April 2005|author=Tim Grahl] Distinctive products made by Surly include the Dingle cog, cranksets with separately detachable spiders, and reversible chain tensioners. The Surly Singleator chain tensioner is credited by many with having started the single speed craze. [cite web|url=http://charliethebikemonger.com/userimages/procart2.htm|title=Complete One Speed Kits|publisher=Charlie The Bikemonger] The Singleator was Surly's first product, before they even had a brand name. The company aims to build solid components for a reasonable price, [cite web|url=http://www.singlespeedoutlaw.com/issue3/junkdrawer.shtml|title=Surly 1x1 Frame Review|author=Joe Whitehair|publisher=Single Speed Outlaw] this approach and the honest and down to earth attitude along with a dash of eccentricity is what has elevated them to their current status within the singlespeed culture, [cite web|url=http://graveltech.com/osr/osr_issue_2.pdf|title=One Speed Revolution,Issue 2|publisher=Gravel Tech|date=18 September 2001] as Minnesota's "The Rake" magazine stated, "carving out a solid niche".cite web|url=http://www.rakemag.com/reporting/features/twin-cities-two-wheels?page=0%2C3|title=Twin Cities on Two Wheels|date=29 May 2007|author=Dan Gilchrist|publisher=The Rake Magazine]

All Surly frames and forks are made from cromoly, a low alloy steel. [cite web|url=http://centurycycles.com/page.cfm?PageID=428|title=Surly|publisher=Century Cycles] The company is well known in bicycle messenger and single-speed culture and helped establish the Single Speed World Championship ("SSWC"). A Surly frame was given as a prize at the 2005 SSWC, it was decided the frame should go to a volunteer to acknowledge their efforts.cite web|url=http://www.surlybikes.com/2005_08_01_blog_archive.html|title=The blog for all things surly] Surly chose the location of the 2006 SSWC as the victors of the derby in 2005, demonstrating how embedded the company are in the world of single speeding.

In 2005, Surly began selling the first mass-produced mountain bike with extremely large volume tires for deep snow and sand riding. [cite web | title=Adventure bikes :: Gear Review :: July, 2006 | last=Regenold | first=Stephen | date=July 2006 | url=http://thegearjunkie.com/gear-review-adventure-bikes | accessdate=2008-05-15] This model, the Pugsley, required different tire, tube, bottom bracket, and frame design than had been seen before in mountain biking. The bike's front and rear wheels share a common hub size and can be interchanged, allowing for additional gearing combinations. The Pugsley is still sold, as of 2008, but has inspired similar models sold by other manufacturers. Noted bicycle technical authority Sheldon Brown said, "Pugsley is, in its way, as revolutionary as the original mountain bikes were in the early 1980s."cite web | title=The Amazing Surly Pugsley! | url=http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/surly-pugsley/index.html | first=Sheldon | last=Brown | accessdate=2008-05-15]

Surly also produces a mountain unicycle, the Conundrum. [cite web | title=Surly 2008 | url=http://surlybikes.com/files/Surly_CatV2_2008_lo_res.pdf | accessdate=2008-05-15]

Surly now expects to sell 10,000 frames a year. They are owned by Quality Bicycle Products, and share a location. The companies have certified sustainable practices, including on-site worm-composting. The company offers indoor bike racks, showers, changing rooms, and a competitive league challenging teams of employees to rack up the most bike commuter miles.

References

External links

* [http://surlybikes.com Surlyville: Surly Bikes home page]
* [http://www.flickr.com/groups/surly/ Surly Bikes group photo pool]
* [http://www.63xc.com/raoul/crosscheck.htm Review of Surly Cross Check]
* [http://groups.google.com/group/SurlyLHT/ Surly Long Haul Trucker & Cross-Check Owners Group]