Surly Cross-Check

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Jax Bicycle Center I

Favorite Ride:
changes often

Bike Setup:
stock surly build with a third chainring added (26 t)lx rear der, 105 triple front der 11-34 lx cassette, salsa steel stem trek rear rack.

Summary:
This bicycle has changed me! I love it! This bike got me back into riding after a long hiatus. I now use my cross check as my only bike. I mountain bike the san gabriel mountains with it, road ride it, take it on fly fishing trips on the west fork and mt baldy area, run errands on it, ride it to the pub.....It handles great off road, works just fine on road and comes specd great for the low price. It's best feature besides the steel construction is it's versatility. This bike feels like I've owned it longer. I added a small chainring to the crank which was already set up for a triple conversion, put on a triple front der (105)Lx rear der and an 11-34 LX cassette. I also have a rear rack on it. Highly reccomend this bike for just about anyone. So glad I bought it. Surlys run a bit big so be careful sizing.

Strengths:
Steel! Affordable! Great off road! Comfortable

Weaknesses:
I'd say weight but then the price would go up. It's light enough. get over it.

Similar Products Used:
Lemond poprad, bontrager cyclocross frame. numerous nice road and mountain bikes

Price Paid:  $930.00 at City Bikes

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
My VA-DC commute

Bike Setup:
Basically stock but with SKS fenders and a Topeak rear rack. Replaced stock Ritchey tires with Michelin Jets (faster), then Panaracer T-servs (faster still). Tried using Speedplay Frogs but gave up and went back to toe clips. Considering a CETMA front rack. Oh, and I track my miles religiously on a Cateye Strada wireless.

Summary:
Having recently exceeded 2,000 miles on my Surly, I felt it was time to submit a review. I bought it last November at my LBS for use as an all-weather daily commuter. My ride from Arlington VA to Capitol Hill is 12 miles roundtrip. For a year, I had been commuting on an MTB with semi-slicks. I eventually decided it made more sense to get a road bike as I never went off road.

The Surly is the first bike with drop bars I've owned. I decided on the Surly because I wanted a cyclocross bike with a steel frame. (I also looked at the Bianchi Volpe.) The transition from the MTB to the Surly was brutal. I couldn't get used to the Surly's geometry, the narrow bars, and the bar-end shifters. For a few weeks, I thought about going back to the MTB.

I'm so glad I stuck it out. Nowadays, I couldn't be happier with the Surly. This bike is solid, smooth, reliable and FAST. There's nothing more gratifying than ringing my bell and blowing past Spandex-wearing posers on their road bikes. I do this a lot climbing hills. They'll be standing on their pedals, and I'll ride by with my butt still on the saddle.

My commute is mostly along trails where the primary danger is clueless tourists taking and posing for pictures. Thankfully, the Surly manuevers quickly and braking distances are short. The last mile of my commute is along DC streets. This is where I appreciate the Surly's speed, allowing me to keep up with (if not exceed) the traffic.

So, to sum up: Surly = awesome.

Strengths:
What's not to like?

Weaknesses:
Black paint job gets dirty very quickly.

Similar Products Used:
Just my retired Raleigh M80.

Price Paid:  $930.00 at Recycled Cycles, Sea

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
any day, every day

Bike Setup:
It's the stock Surly build except I put fenders, lights and a Brooks B-17 on her.

Summary:
What a great versatile bike. I've ridden it at least 5 days a week since I bought it. At least the rain is warm. I have a Blur for the mountains and a light steel road bike for relaxing sunny days (lucky me). The Surly is the ride of choice when I don't know where I'm going or what I'm doing.

Strengths:
Versatile! Sucks up lousy roads, bad weather, and creative routes with ease.

Weaknesses:
The bike and I are heavy more me than the bike. The good news it's cheap and easy for me to loose weight. We both win.

Similar Products Used:
Converted aluminum mt. bike.

Price Paid:  $1299.00 at King Street Cycle

Favorite Ride:
Waterloo Hydro Cut

Summary:
2008 Surly Cross Check. Have been riding seriously for about 4 years purchased a Brodie fury hard tail XC 2 years ago great bike. Used it in a few endurence races. Paris to Ankaster and Lake to Lake classic these races better souted to a cross bike. Plus I like to road bike at times so this cross again a good combo. Tested a Brodie Romax great components out of the box. Alum frame carbon fork. Surly still felt better, Lemond Propod, Steel frame carbon fork excellent feel ride quality good Surly still better, Scott Comp Alum frame carbon fork this one felt great would of been second choice but the surly still felt better.

Strengths:
Great smooth ride takes rough well this thing want to move feels very confident well biult and solid. The bar end shifters work flawlessly. This thing is as rugged as a tank but drives like a corvette.

Weaknesses:
Heavier than the res with time atac pedals installed tips in at 25 lbs. although the components are good reliable ones I will be swithcing them out as needed. Spooky breaks later on, Mavic Krysium wheelset etc after a few years I should be albe to get it down to about 22 lbs.

Price Paid:  $2100.00 at Sunflower Outdoor an

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
cutting through down town on the way to work

Bike Setup:
custom built w/ shimano 105 drive train/etc, salsa bars, stem and post, chris king headset, avid shorty 6 brakes, mavic open pro wheelset, nokian hakkapeliitta w106 tires (winter - richey speedmax for summer) and specialized avatar saddle

Summary:
Kicks ass! Perfect go anywhere, do anything bike! I use it everyday for my 10 mile commute to work on the worst streets in the midwest in rain, snow, sleet and heat. Fully lives up to my expectations.

Strengths:
steel, built to last, easy to keep clean, withstands ice, snow and freezing rain build up with lots of clearance. takes on the roughest pot-holed brick roads we have!!! SMOOTH!!!

Weaknesses:
They don't make a kid's version for my 8 yr old.

Similar Products Used:
bianchi milano cruzer