(All photos courtesy of Rob English from his news blog.)
The Surly Pugsley proved to be an exemplary expedition bike in South America. Though I remain tempted by Moonlanders*, I expect the Pugs to be the go-to machine for anything properly silly. There were a few things, however, that I wanted done for future missions to make it more suitable for carrying water and gear (cf., Cass’s Troll), and I finally got around to sending it to English cycles. These mods were surely embarrassingly brainless for Rob, who builds exceedingly clever and innovative machines, including my folding 2-9 and my road race bike.
I had him install triple bottle bosses on the down tube for a regular cage or a Salsa Anything.
Too, there are now two sets of bosses on each fork leg, one triple set angled rearward at about 4 and 8 o’clock as viewed looking down from the cockpit and one angled forward 2 and 10 o’clock-ish. The result is a much cleaner version of my hose clamp madness.
Then an additional boss was installed on each chain stay near the dropout to use in combination with the original rack mount for the rear bottle setup that I found useful.
Since my Pugs is mildly vintage, I also had the canti brake bosses and cable noodle removed. The repaint is a flat black.
* Because I’m American and know that bigger is better, which is true about half the time.
Looking good Joe, you thought of trying it with regular 29″ wheels or are you sold on the fat bike floatation?
If only the LHT had multi use drop outs like that…would save me going down the custom route. Fancy a Rivendel / LHT all rounder with a basket on the front and rear rack :)
Alex
Pingback: Weekly Dose of Fat 6-29-12 | FAT-BIKE.COM
Joe, i just bought my first LHT, similar to one of your setups, looking at getting a puglsy for winter and bike packing. Keep up the motivation brother. When you get finished setting up your pugsly, it would be appreciated if you could post some specs, im hoping to go bike packing in Alaska this fall. Thanks man.
Hey Seth,
Thanks for visiting. For sure I’ll post the built up Pugs when it’s done. Would love to see your LHT, post a link here!
Joe
Joe, here is the LHT. http://wp.me/p2cHRf-1V Are you going to have your front wheel geared again for backup? Looking forward to your next creation.
Hey Seth, love your LHT, it’s a great looking bike. They always build up to imply that they are ready for anything. I’ll be interested to hear about your experience riding it off road when you put knobbies on. People complain about the low bottom bracket, but I’ve always had a pile of fun riding mine on group rides.
You’re thinking of heading on an Africa tour? Sounds splendid.
As far as keeping the freewheel cog on the front of the Pugsley, I guess the weight of it didn’t hurt any and it generated more than one conversation about the setup. On the other hand, having your cassette blow up and having to switch wheels is probably one of those exceedingly low probability mishaps that it makes little sense to plan against.
I worry that cycle tourists in general and myself included are susceptible to an irrational backwards kind of reasoning where if we have a ready solution to a conceivable problem, that problem seems more likely to happen than it actually is. It’s as if enthusiasm about the solution increases the salience of the problem. Someday I’ll have to go back and precisely catalog things that really did happen while rough touring. Off the top of my head, I feel like worn tires and chainrings are the main ones.
Cheers,
Joe
Joe
It’s great to see the frame looking so good, and recovered from South America in ever better shape :-) I reckon you can never have too few bosses! Colour change also a good’un.
I also have a fat bike in the making – photos coming in the next couple of weeks.
We must have been aligned in our thoughts – mine too will be matte black…
Looking forward to hearing from you soon – hope your 4th July excursions go well?
Tom
Brilliant. The naked Pugsley frame looks like a cloud compared to the built, loaded version. That flat black with fresh stainless bolts looks sharp, a bit like a tuxedo.
hello philosopher cruz. i am stepping around the 4th wall, as it were, after years of vamping and lurking on the information superhighway, clicking here to buy now and poaching others’ diy concepts, to say thanks. i just sent a similar sentiment to nicholas the gypsy; i’ve been logging some time soaking up your experiences and waging the great debate over getting fatter. i’ve been living car-lite for a few years(my girlfriend’s truck my dirty little habit now and again), cruising around on a 30 yrd old schiwnn cimmaron & a big dummy, trying to slow down the way i participate in the big situation. on both of those bikes i roll (depending on availability,) maxxis h.r.’s 2.4 or the k-rad equivalent and have been a very happy man. most of the time. all of the time, really, but sometimes i feel like…getting fatter. after stumbling on your & the gypsy’s sites while trolling for info about alternatives with wheelsets, etc, I a) became enamored of y’all &b) developed fatbike fever. my progression reflects nick’s imitation of yours. and so, i found a pugz for a secondhand song and clicked here to buy now. it should arrives on my girl’s porch in time to get souped up for a long trip in death valley n.p. (one of the backyards out here in the eastern sierra). i am elated. or in an elated state of anticipation.
nevertheless, as a world-wide-web-aphobe/closet user of the web, i wanted to thank you for taking the time to process your experiments and share them. it has a positive effect. and if you find yourself out in the great basin and need a safehouse or good route give a holler.
~michael
Hi Michael,
Thanks so much for visiting and your kindness. Reading your note when you first left it made my day, and—though I’m rueing my tardiness in replying—seeing it again today brings a smile.
Keep in touch,
Yours,
Joe
Pingback: Skinny Pugsley « Pedaling in Place