Review: Surly CrossCheck "Complete"

[Surlygirl]

Another Surly cross-check owner here too. My main ride these days is my Orbea Dama but I couldn't bear to let my Surly go. I have the lovely green bean color in 42. I bought mine from AEbike.com and upgraded pretty much everything on the bike myself. I love the fact you can run fat tires on it and I put a nice tubus rack on it for touring. It loves to go downhill. Steel is just so cushy. It spends most of its time on the trainer during the winter but I have had it out when I can't bear to get my Dama dirty and wet. Great bike for the money. Surlypacer, you must be a wee bit of a thing. I'm 5 feet and the 42 fit me great.

[KnottedYet]

I put the 52 cm Crosscheck on hold at the LBS.

First I rode her for an hour. We did a little bike trail, we did a little road, we did some gravel, we did a little lawn-riding. We did a LOT of dodging weekend warriors who weren't quite sure of how to behave on a busy bike trail.

The Surly handled it all just fine, she's so spry and perky!

When I (finally) took her back to the LBS they had her leaned up against a wall as they filled out the hold-slip. A dude walking in said "wow, sweet bike!"

(and I'm sure she'll look even sweeter with my springy Brooks saddle and fenders and rack! )

[eofelis]

I put the 52 cm Crosscheck on hold at the LBS.

First I rode her for an hour. We did a little bike trail, we did a little road, we did some gravel, we did a little lawn-riding. We did a LOT of dodging weekend warriors who weren't quite sure of how to behave on a busy bike trail.

The Surly handled it all just fine, she's so spry and perky!

When I (finally) took her back to the LBS they had her leaned up against a wall as they filled out the hold-slip. A dude walking in said "wow, sweet bike!"

(and I'm sure she'll look even sweeter with my springy Brooks saddle and fenders and rack! )

must.see.pictures!

[KnottedYet]

must.see.pictures!

If everything works out, I hope to bring her home tomorrow. (gotta get some more batteries for my camera so I can take LOTS of pictures!)

[KnottedYet]

Got her. Pictures on the way.

[KnottedYet]

Ta-DA!!!!!

Meet "Crow Carmelita Crosscheck the Disco Queen"! "Crow" for short. Someday she'll have a crow on her seat tube.

Here she is, fresh from the LBS.


And here she is after getting naughty with Knot. (Note the bottle cage, fender, rack, Brooks saddle, pannier. Front fender bolt got lost somewhere, will get that fender on soon.)


It's raining, of course, but I'll probably take her out for a ride soon anyway. I don't think I'll damage her going for a couple wet rides without a front fender.

(Those aren't whitewall tires, they're reflective Vittoria Randonneurs glowing in the camera flash.)

[MM_QFC!]

Hey there - congrats and welcome to the new bike in yer fleet! Looks like a great ride and yeah, your inaugural ride may well be a sloppy one, but that shouldn't stop you!
You're in the Seattle area, right? Me too - so I'm wimping out today and planning for a dry ride tomorrow. Tailwinds to you and Crow for the start of many great adventures together!
Mary

[eofelis]

Surlypacer, you must be a wee bit of a thing. I'm 5 feet and the 42 fit me great.

I'm 5'2" and a 70cm standover is all I can handle, which is what the Pacer and LHT are. The 42cm CC is a 72cm standover.