November 19, 2018
This is a fat tire bike with steel frame and no suspension. Folks say that with those big tires, you don't need a suspension, and the steel frame, along with being indestructible, has a certain sprint to it that aluminum frames don't have.
I am 6 foot 1 inch and plan to buy a Large size. This matches key dimensions (especially effective top tube length) on my Marin, that I am very pleased with. It also matches the highly scientific surly size chart:
Frame: Surly Ice Cream Truck, 100% Surly 4130 Chromoly steel. Fork: Surly Ice Cream Truck, 1-1/8" straight steerer with tapered straight blade. Seatpost Clamp: Stainless 33.1 collar, Black Headset: Cane Creek 40, ZS44/EC44 Brakes: Tektro Gemini HD-M520 Brake Levers: Tektro Gemini HD-M520 Shifters: Shimano SLX SL-M7100-R Stem: 4-bolt 31.8mm Handlebar: Salsa Rustler w/o logo Saddle: WTB Volt 142 Seatpost: 2-bolt 30.9mm Crankset: Race Face AEffect w/ DM30t N/W ring Bottom Bracket: Race Face 100mm Front Derailleur: N/A Rear Derailleur: Shimano SLX RD-M7100 12 Speed Cog or cogset: Shimano SLX CS-M7100 10-51t 12 Speed Chain: Shimano SLX CN-M7100 12 Speed Front Hub: Novatec 150x15mm 32h Rear Hub: Novatec 197x12mm 32h w/ Shimano Microspline freehub Rims: Surly My Other Brother Darryl, 80mm w/speedholes Tubeless Ready Tires: Surly Bud and Lou, 4.8", 120tpi
So, the gearing is 30 in front, 10 to 51 in back. The back is 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 24, 28, 33, 39, 45, 51. I have heard the 51 back gear described as a "bailout gear". The 51 is aluminum, the rest are all steel.
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