Review: Surly CrossCheck "Complete"

[KnottedYet]

I have 28mm Randonneurs on my Waterford, and 32mm Randonneurs on my Surly.

I really like these tires, they are tough (I run over broken glass and other sharp junk all the time, hit potholes and cracked pavement full on, just kinda clumsy that way). They are very smooth riding, and their max pressure is low enough that they absorb bumps, but they don't feel slow and mushy. The tread sheds water well and they are nice and stable on wet pavement. Cornering is smooth. (Surly came with knobbies, which I traded for Randonneurs before I took her out of the LBS.)

If you do commuting in the dusk or dark, I highly recommend spending the extra $4 for the reflective sidewalls. Those puppies are BRIGHT, and if you see a pair in your headlights, man, you know there's a bike in front of you! (I caught a bike with reflective sidewalls in my headlights, dunno if they were Vittorias, but they were sure obvious!)

[RoseC]

You wouldn't happen to know of any mail order type places that sell Randonneurs, would you?

I still haven't discussed tires with my new favorite LBS...I should see what they carry. I don't think they have a huge selection, though.

[KnottedYet]

I get mine at my LBS.

Vittoria is a pretty popular brand of tire, I would expect your LBS to have an acct with a distributor, so special ordering a pair if they don't have the tires in stock shouldn't be an issue for the LBS.

I really try to buy my goodies at the independent LBS, "shop locally" and all that. If they know you want something, they'll generally order it for you. (and if you know an online price, they might be able to match it) I'm ordering my 2nd Brooks thru my LBS, and they will match Wallingford's price.

[mimitabby]

what model Brooks you buying, Knott?

[KnottedYet]

another B67, in honey for Flossie. Crow has the black one now.

[mimitabby]

excellent choice!

[KnottedYet]

AAAAAAAHH!!!!! I'm so SLOW-brained! I only JUST NOW realized that the "compact double" crankset on my Surly Cross Check will accept a 3rd (granny) chainring! Holy toledo! And with the bar end shifter, all I'd need to do is adjust the limiter screw and finagle the spacing and I'd have a TRIPLE. (already has a long-cage rear der to handle the chain)

WOW!!!!!!

duuuuuude, what an awesome utility bike!

[madscot13]

Don't you love those moments when everything comes together better than if you had planned it?

[KnottedYet]

It's official, Crow Carmelita Cross Check is now a bone fide member of the family: she's got my underwear hanging on her bars to dry.

[pooks]

And she's steel, right?

How do your tires compare to Armadillos?

Maybe I need to test ride some crosses. I know where they sell Surleys, I think!

[KnottedYet]

Yup, she's all steel! (I hang my underwear on the aluminum bars, no fear!)

I don't know how Randonneurs compare to Armadillos. I've never used Armadillos.

If you can test ride a Surly Cross Check, please do! The geometry is just grand (for me) even though I need to get the bars up about 1 1/2 inches for complete happiness. (rode 45 miles with the bars "too low" and it was still grand!)

Surly Long Haul Truckers are supposed to be fab-o, too. I loved the Cross Check so much that I had to have her, didn't even wait for my LBS to get a Long Haul Trucker in for me to test ride. If there's a LHT at your LBS, give that a try, too. Trek420 is thinking of getting a Surly LHT. (that would be her 4th steel bike in her stable... but who's counting?)

[eofelis]

Yup, she's all steel!
Surly Long Haul Truckers are supposed to be fab-o, too. I loved the Cross Check so much that I had to have her, didn't even wait for my LBS to get a Long Haul Trucker in for me to test ride. If there's a LHT at your LBS, give that a try, too. Trek420 is thinking of getting a Surly LHT. (that would be her 4th steel bike in her stable... but who's counting?)

I sure love my LHT, and my Pacer is pretty darn sweet too. I recently did the Little Red Riding Hood 100 ride in Utah on the Pacer and it was a great ride right to the end.

I have 4 steel bikes too and I love 'em!

[KnottedYet]

Into the Belly of the Beast: shopping at Costco with my Surly Cross Check.

Ok, she looks a bit different than she did a year ago. Now with a triple, moustache bars, and Ortliebs. Oh, and "mud flap girlie" mud flaps, and heart spokees. And Crank Bro 50/50 BMX pedals. And probably a couple other things I forgot already.


Costco was fun. They have a wimpy old slot-style bike rack, which you can only use sideways or at the ends. I'll probably ask them if they'd consider another style of rack. There are often bikes locked to signposts and the "smoker's shelter", so a more functional rack really would come in handy.

I loaded my panniers into a cart, and bravely ventured forth! Costco on a weekend is a frightening place. I was grateful for my helmet and my day-glo vest. Scary people being aggressive with scary large carts full of stuff and wielding far too much momentum with their "shoppers' rage." And my glasses mirror was very handy for watching those folks who like to ram you in the butt with their carts. (why are they almost always short women in their 60's?)

Bought my stuff, took the cart out to the bike rack, and loaded the panniers and the bike. I could have bought the 3-pack of Oregon Chai after all, there was still room in one pannier. But I wasn't going *back* in there!

The CC handled the weight surprisingly well. No squirrelly steering or awkwardness at all. Steady as she goes, and spry as always. I've carried stuff in both panniers before (usually I use one) but this is the most stuff I've ever carried.

The moustache bars might have helped with the steadiness, I don't know. I'm just loving those bars, let me tell you! Folks talk about how a good saddle "disappears" and I think the same thing happens with good bars.

[twin]

a Crosscheck in light grey...Surly number two...After reading your review who could refuse a Crosscheck?

[Blueberry]

Twin -

You know you have to post pictures now

Love my cross check too

CA