Pugsley, Mk II

2013 Surly Pugsley frame, size XL, or 22".

Last summer, after approximately six years of pondering the purchase of a Surly Pugsley, I finally made the leap. I was not disappointed. Riding fat tires is a lot of fun on any surface. The Pugsley has played a big role in my long streak of consecutive days of riding a bike, currently at 270 days. Whether in the depth of winter or on a dusty summer day, heading out for a ride on the Pug is great any time of year.

I can unequivocally attest that fat tires equate big fun. The only running concern I've had about the Pugsley is the frame size. I'm about 6'2", and have a 89.5 cm PBH measurement. I'm fairly tall, sure, but I'm not a giant. I have a 22" Surly Big Dummy, which seems to fit pretty well for my mostly around town trips. I also have a 58 cm Surly Cross-Check, which at times I have wished was instead a 60 cm. When I was in the market for a Pugsley, I couldn't quite decide between a 20" and a 22", out of concern about standover clearance between the top tube and my nether regions while on the soft surfaces likely to be encountered on a fatbike.

Apart from standover clearance, I own bikes that have effective top tube lengths similar to both the 20" and 22" Pugsley, and tend to prefer those with a longer top tube. However, nothing beats an actual ride on a bike to be sure. The problem was, I had difficulty finding Pugsleys of any size to test ride. I was able to try a Large sized Salsa Mukluk, which seemed a decent fit, but in the numbers, is somewhere between the 20" and 22" Pugsley. I'm a steel-frame sort of guy, so I didn't seriously consider the Mukluk, though I'm sure it's a great bike.

I scoured internet forums and reviews, reaching the conclusion that random impressions of fit among a wide range of people, even of similar height to mine, is not particularly helpful. When the time came, the issue of standover clearance must have been at the fore, as I made the plunge toward a 20" frame. The bike rode great and the giddiness of playing with fat tires made me initially unconcerned about the flagpole length of seatpost sticking out of the frame.

My 2012 Surly NecroPug, 20".

I certainly had plenty of standover clearance with the 20" frame, yet I noticed that I had my saddle slid all the way back on the rails for my torso to feel about right, and even then I noticed that I often rode with the bottom of my palms on the handlebar with my fingers wrapped around an imaginary bar about an inch or so in front of the actual one. For all the times that I felt a little cramped along the top tube, I realized that I never once felt greatly appreciative of the copious standover clearance.

Eventually, I thought about the situation. I acknowledged that riding a fatbike is now part of my DNA, and that I'm in it for the long haul. But what about the options? A lot has happened in fatbikes in just the last year, with new models popping up regularly. Yet, though my experience, I greatly enjoyed the versatility of the Pugsley; it can accept the full range of fat tires, from the stock 3.8" fatties, to 3.0" 29ers on Rabbit Hole rims, to 4.8" super fatties with a slightly modified drivetrain. I'm also not particularly interested in carbon or aluminum for reasons of expense and/or dependability, nor am I interested in sacrificing versatility by committing to a bike limited by tire size options. So, weighing the possibilities, an upsized Pugsley frame was the answer I chose.

Meet the new boss, not quite the same as the old boss.

I couldn't get a 22" NecroPug frame with the blacked-out stickers as they were sold out and discontinued, but I could get the new plain vanilla black (or what Surly calls Apathetic Black) Pugsley frame. No problem. All my parts transferred over perfectly, with the exception of the front derailleur, as the design changed from an e-type to a direct mount. The new frame came with the direct mount adapter, so all I needed was a direct mount SLX front derailleur and some new cables and housing.

Park HHP-2. It's nice to have the right tool for the job.

I don't have the vast amount of standover height with the new frame as compared to the old frame, but it is plenty, and in the few rides that I've done since the switch, I'm much more comfortable. This frame just feels more correct for me. I can't definitively say that for anyone out there who, like me, is potentially on the cusp between the 20" and 22" Pug, that the 22" is better. I can say that for me bigger is better, and that I doubt if I'll ever be concerned about standover clearance.

Parts swapped over, the new 22" Pugsley is complete.

Today, just for kicks, I stole the newish geared rear wheel off of Julie's Raleigh XXIX, along with the old single-speed rear wheel from her XXIX and slapped them on the new 22" Pug. The result: even more reason to love the Pug. Instant 29er.

29er wheels on my new 22" Pugsley.

WTB ExiWolf 2.3" tire with plenty of clearance in the Moonlander fork.

The non-offset wheel looks a little odd in the rear, but the rear of a Pugsly looks a little odd no matter what. Plenty of tire clearance even though the centerline is 17.5 mm closer to the drive side. 

The non-offset rear wheel tracks a little to the right of the centerline, but it doesn't seem like much of a problem. No matter what an evolutionary biologist may tell you, bilateral symmetry is overrated.

Like this, the Pugsley could easily be mistaken for a Karate Monkey at a casual glance. 

Looks more or less normal, even from the back.

I've now been pondering a 29er for some time. Following my little experiment with 29" wheels on the Pug, I now know that I have a geared 29er at my disposal already. However, I still have a bit of an itch for a dedicated single speed 29er, which is another pathway to two-wheeled fun. For whatever reason, finding a used Redline Monocog 29er (in the 21-inch size) has piqued my interest. I'm still trying to lighten my load a bit, so I probably won't act on a Monocog anytime soon, but I do know, with my proclivities, something is bound to happen at some point.

In the mean time, I am likely to have a used but in good condition 20" Pugsley frame for sale, likely offered as a good deal to my loyal readers. Look for more details here soon. Until then, happy trails!

NAHBS 2013, Day 1. I was there.

A Moots built to carry a chainsaw, among other things. This was perhaps my favorite bike of the show. Plenty more on that about halfway down the post.

UPDATE: Day 2 photos are here.

I have not previously attended the North American Handmade Bicycle Show, or any other large bike event of its kind. However, this year it is in Denver, so there was no way I would miss it. So, if you're ready to see the bikes, brace yourself. A word of caution though, a tremendous number of photos are to follow. As overwhelming as the number of photos may be, it is not nearly so much so as to have been there. It was a good thing, but overwhelming just the same.

If you are still here, it may help to make sure you have a tasty beverage before you begin.

My Pugsley on light rail on the way to the show. Not handmade, per se, but certainly hands were used in its construction.

Off to a good start, I parked next to Cass' snazzy '84 Stumpjumper, also not exactly handmade.
Thanks to BikeDenver for the valet parking.

NAHBS Denver. It's official. 

Right out of the gate, I met the incomparable Tarik Saleh, of whose famous bike club I am a member, as well as his fine family.

I got there right as the place was roaring to life.

1987 Steve Potts Signature. Fillet brazed.

Ordinarily I'm fairly organized, but I immediately realized there was too much going on for me to quickly make any sense of it. So, I started with something akin to comfort food; a vintage mountain bike. This Steve Potts wasn't new, but it was as much of a gem as any of the bikes there. It's a masterful drop bar mountain bike, chock full of creative innovations.

WTB roller cam brakes, front and rear. Vintage Specialized Ground Control tires.  

Note the custom shifter pods for the Deore XT top mount shifters. 

I can easily imagine a Gypsy on this bike.

That's Steve himself on the right.

Beautiful Wheel Fanatyk hardwood rims and Curtis Odom hubs.

More shiny things from Curtis Odom.

Curtis Odom bike jewelry with a gigantic chainring.

A Brodie full-suspension electric bike. 

Go Rider bamboo longtail fatbike. Excitingly, many longtail fatbikes were to be found.

A Peacock Groove running the current gold-standard of superfat wheels and tires.

A slightly skinnier Peacock Groove with paint too impossibly bright and sparkly to capture on camera.

A Geekhouse Brentwood, in quite possibly the same hue as an '87 Raleigh Seneca, for you Raleigh folks out there..

I'm thinking the Pugsley wants a set of these nicely thin VP platform pedals. Who am I to say no?

I met up with Cass of while out riding and Scott of Porcelain Rocket, who were looking at Scott's amazing new Hunter adventure bike. These guys are both titans of the adventure biking world.

This Hunter is another longtail fatbike, and one of my favorites at the show. Scott has big plans for it on the Canning Stock Route, as first ridden here.

As incredible as the bike are Scott's frame bags. They bolt into the frame, with no need for straps. The result is lighter and stronger than other frame bags. That yellow fabric glows to assist in finding things at night.

Beautiful fork on the Hunter.

The rear rack of the Hunter is removable. Smooth clean lines on everything. Not quite as long as a Big Dummy, this bike should be a bit more nimble off road. 

Fat front, full suspension. Fat was definitely a recurring theme.

Another fattie, this is the same Reeb that I encountered a short while ago. There were many bikes sporting the Gates Carbon Drive everywhere I looked. 

A trio of Independent Fabrications 29ers. The paint was so glossy that it appeared wet.

This Ti Cycles electric assist bakfiets had a lot of things going on.

Some bikes have flask cages. This one had a cage to hold a full-sized 750 ml bottle of scotch. Note the Gates Belt Drive.

I remember Funk as a Denver area custom builder in the late '80s. They are still kicking with this nicely executed 29+ front, fat rear bike. 

This English Cycles 29er has gracefully arced top tube to seatstays.

Another beautiful English, that is probably very fast in the right hands. I'll have to say that the required riding posture would probably rip me in half.  

This Andy Peirce had the best flowing lines of any bike at the show, and this was my favorite tandem. The colors and craftmanship were astounding. I have to get better pics tomorrow. That's Andy on the left.

Andy Hampsten, second from the left, and his eponymous bike.

It's easy to see the inspiration for his modern bikes from his Huffy-branded vintage race bike from the 7-11 team glory days.

Vibe fatbike with some extreme copper plating.

The Vibe's copper theme is carried through on the custom flask.

Vibe's custom integrated tail light.

Avery Cycles of Denver had a very clean bike with a velvety blue matte finish.

The Moots IMBA trail bike

Alright, we've arrived to the philosophical reckoning section of my NAHBS experience. As a precursor, I have to say that every bike at the show was terrific in its own way, and many incorporated some ingenious elements; it's just not possible to get to this level otherwise. However, along with stunning beauty and craftsmanship, I think that an event of this caliber requires a bit more from builders in order to rise to a peak among their peers. For me, that something extra is the conceptual underpinnings of a bike's design. It is that ethereal something that a builder weaves into the construction of the bike itself. It's something that inspires those who see the bike to absorb its encapsulated concept, perhaps learn and grow from it, and even to carry it to action. The Moots IMBA trail bike does just that.

At the show, I overheard several people comment on the "chainsaw bike." True, it has a chainsaw on the rear rack. Obviously, most bikes do not. What makes this bike different is not the chainsaw specifically, but that it encourages an expansion of view beyond trail riding, to both trail building and toward community building. IMBA has long supported stewardship and responsibility for off-road bicyclists; an admirable effort perfectly embodied in this bike. Key elements of a trail building experience are there: a range of tools for the labor of trail work and a beer carrier for reward following hard work, all wrapped into a capable trail bike born of the pride of superior craftsmanship. The assembled form is acknowledgement of the collective efforts of a community to build and improve itself, and to shoulder its share of responsibilities for all trail users.

A second conceptual layer for me is that Moots chose to build the IMBA trail bike around the design parameters embodied within the Surly Krampus 29+, which, from my encounter with a Krampus last Fall, I feel is emblematic of the next generation of trail bikes. This perception was strongly supported by many of the bikes that I saw at the show; fat 29+ wheels and tires, comfortably swept wide handlebars, and simplified drivetrains, all coupled with varying capacity for racks, packs and cargo. Conspicuous racing pedigree or intent was largely absent. Amid the synesthesia-inducing environment of the show, these features came into focus among many of the off-road bikes. It is perhaps a signal to a return to the roots of what it means to venture off road on a bike; it is to experience the journey as the destination.

These ideas are at the core of why the Moots IMBA bike struck me as impressive even among all the other amazing bikes. And with that, I'll return to more bike photos.

Yes, that is several linear feet of curvy titanium tubing, not the least of which is that gloriously wide handlebar. Masterful Porcelain Rocket bags.

See the theme? Again, this is another longtail fatbike. The idea makes a lot of sense for a lot of reasons. 

Handles and heads for a functional pulaski/shovel are integrated into the front rack. Yep, it holds beer, too.

I would love to take a ride to check out that wide bar.

Superb attention to detail; craftsmanship bar none.

The insert panel reads, "Routt County Riders," the locale of Moots in Steamboat Springs. The IMBA logo is on the other side.

Moots again.

Incredible artistic detail on these Ventus lugs. 

The paint on this Ground Up looked like candy.

An elegant Legacy Frameworks mixte.

The chrome and blue of this Ellis is a perfect match. Really looks like a capable bike.

These Zambikes were specially designed to increase bike accessibility in the developing world.

A Sycip of classic, functional form.

Bilenky had some bikes with incredible paint.

Bike icon Tom Ritchey is on the right, in front of his Break-Away tandem. 

I've long admired Retrotec bikes. This was another of my favorites of the show. A Retrotec 29+ beautifully built around the conceptual heart of a Surly Krampus. Curtis Inglis, the builder, is in green. Tracy stands mesmerized, at left.

A Boo fatbike from nearby Fort Collins. The swoopy fork has nice lines. 

The svelte titanium bar/stem combo on the Boo harkens to the days of the bull moose bar. 

Bikepacking also figured prominently, as in this Cielo.

The bar on the Cielo. I'm really liking the utility of an extended crossbar, appearing with some frequency on several bikes. 

YiPsan bikes of Fort Collins; the builder is at center.

This Donkelope had a whimsical, 18th century vibe. That's some sort of retrofitted carbide bike lamp up front. 

Breadwinner Bikes, from a duo of Portland's custom superstars.

Breadwinner's built-in u-lock system.

One of the Masi bikes used in the movie Breaking Away, a perpetual favorite of many a bike nut like me.

This Co-Motion tandem has dual Gates Carbon Drives. Gates is a historic Denver company and key sponsor of the event.

Great classic styling in these Kohak bikes from Japan.

A sleek, chromed Masi.

Fine flowing lines of a fatbike made by Black Sheep from Fort Collins.

Nice pink rims on this Twenty2.

I didn't quite capture the full name of this very masterfully brazed bike, but the young Japanese builder was a charismatic fellow.  

This Hunter was another that I quite liked, with a style and camo paintjob likely inspired by the popularity of similar features in the early days of mountain bikes. Another bike that Nicholas would probably enjoy.

I spent part of the afternoon talking with Cass Gilbert of while out riding. He and his Stumpjumper are new to each other, but he is not new to adventure biking. He has gained some fascinating perspectives while riding much of the world, including my Peace Corps service country of Kyrgyzstan.