I really don’t have anything for you. I promised our marketing director I’d have a blog post ready to go up on our website Monday morning and its 4:30 AM Monday morning right now and I've just ran out of whiskey. This happens to be the forth blog post I’ve started since Wednesday night and I still don't have an idea of what to write. It’s not as easy as you might think and I tend to stress out about it more than the rest of the fine Surly folk I work with. I think it's because there's been a few times that my blog posts have gotten me into hot water with the management types. It's not intentional or premeditated, it's more accidental than anything else. We are given a considerable amount of leeway here at the Headquarters and that's always been one of the things I appreciate most. That's a rare thing now-a-days and I like to take advantage of it.
Another perk is the people I get to work with everyday. I have the honor to work with some of the most innovative designers and engineers in the industry that are not afraid to go out on a limb. I know what some of you are thinking; “All Surly does is makes frames out of steel and bikes that are in the middle of the road”. I’d say that you’re moderately right. Surly does indeed make bicycle frames only out of steel and we do price them so they’re not out of reach for most everyone but there is a lot more to it than that. Now I’m going to toot our own horn a bit; something that is pretty taboo in these parts.
Let's talk some about those wonderful designers and engineers. Here's two words that have arguably changed the bicycle industry – fat bikes. That’s right, I said it. Let me say it again and add a couple more words to it – fat bikes, you’re welcome. “Holy crap. Surly is saying that they invented fat bikes. They really are a bunch of jerks.” That’s not what I’m saying at all. Let me explain myself before you start typing that angry email to us or jump on the forums to voice your expert interpretation of what I'm talking about. Surly was the first company that produced a fat bike on a large enough scale to put them into shops across the country. Not only the fat bike itself but Surly had to design a crankset, a rim and tire to go along with it. Surly needed to do all of that at the same time and at the same scale. Our enginerds made it happen and continue to improve the platform. Surly was willing to take a risk on something we believed in and we really wanted to ride when no one else was willing to do it. We were laughed at and ridiculed for spending so much time and money on something that would only be a fad at best. Well I guess "they" were wrong and we were right. You’re welcome.
Then there’s the 29+ and 26+ platforms that the Surly enginerds did happen to invent. Since the whole fat bike thing happened it seems to me that the rest of the bicycle industry is paying a little closer attention to Surly. I say that because it took them 4 or 5 years to recognize that fat bikes are not a fad and jump on the band wagon. Now, with the 29+ and 26+ platform, the industry hasn’t waited so long. We’re seeing some of the larger bicycle companies embrace this new platform and add to it with their own products. It looks like they don't want to miss the boat on this one. If you haven’t ridden a Krampus or an Instigator 2.0 you’re missing out on some outstanding riding.
Now it's time for me to jump down from my high horse and concede that not everything we do turns to gold. Enter the Conundrum. The Conundrum seems to be shrouded in mystery and is only spoken of in soft whispers here at the Headquarters. Then there's the 29+ Dirt Wizards. I fully understand that the delay of the 29+ Dirt Wizards have destroyed your life and your will to ride. Maybe they'll be here sooner than we've let on. Maybe we just canceled them and we're leading you on. Maybe we've been delaying them because it's so entertaining to hear people whine. Maybe I should quit typing before I get into too much trouble.
Like I said at the beginning; I don’t really have anything for you.
Stay Surly,
BoB