Comments on: Update: How the Surly Big Dummy Rides

By: Andy ANDRESEN

Andy ANDRESEN — Mon, 10 May 2010 14:48:03 +0000

Rick, I saw your comments and agree 100%. I am a paramedic and work 24 hour shifts. I carry more stuff to one of these shifts than most moderate tour bikes. I have a full blown touring Puch which I rarely ride and a converted GT Outpost that I do ride 95% of the time. I ride the GT because I leave for most shifts between 4 to 5 in the mornings It is super dark in the upper counties and the roads here in Michigan are some of the worst in the country. So the mountain bike road tires are very forgiving. I have riden that GT for 5 years and some coummutes are 26 miles each way. 2 years ago after battling a heavy and typical head wind home and wishing I rode the Puch that day, I opted to try Nitto Randoneau drop handle bar setup with bar end shifters on the GT. The instant difference in comfort, head wind effeciency, and comfort on my tail was remarkable. The handling was even improved maybe because all my other bikes are drop bars and that’s what I’m used to and actually feels much more secure. I have an extra cross brake levers mounted to the inside of the drop bars for upright riding but can count on one hand how many times I’ve used them. I kept the high stem configuration to compromise on the amount of drop with about 120 mm extension at about 40 degrees rise. This configuration literally knocked 10 minutes off commutes with identical gear, bike, rider. The longest commute usually takes me 1 hour 50 minutes and now typically is 1-40 to 1-35. Anyway I am almost done building a BD so I can more easily carry more gear. I could use front panniers on the GT but have used them in the past and hate them for many reasons. I without hesitation configured this the same as my GT with 45cm drop bars, bar end shifters, road brake levers (*long pull capibles) linked to 180 mm disks. I am a drop bar rider for 40 years and just find the upright position of mountain types very comfortable for 5 miles but agony thereafter. The straight bars are better on trails but I do not ride on trails and 90% of my riding is practical utility. Also I did all I could to keep the BD as road kindly as posible with 1.6 inch Geax road tires, light tubes but Mr Tuffy liners and light parts wherever possible except wheels that are world class hurky. I do not ever plan to haul cinder blocks or house building materials although I do part time build houses and custom cabinetry but do want to be able to carry more bulk and numerous bags of groceries over varying road surfaces so the BD build is tempered to that. To be honest hauling 200 pounds on any bicycle despite the fact it could take it would take the son of Hercules to pedal it unless you only had a mile to go or had nothing to do that week. I am 205 pounds retired military guy avid weight lifter and would not want to try it. If there is away to forward pictures and you are interested after the build let me know. Also will give unbiased reports of the BD with the road bike configuration. If the BD is like pedaling a T48 medium battle tank I will be honest and probably sell it. I love my expedition rigged GT but I just would like to carry a little more and have tried and hate front panniers and trailers.

By: Rick Riley

Rick Riley — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:11:11 +0000

Added the Big Dummy in December and now it’s my primary ride. It’s sturdy and compliant. I get a large measure of what I put into the bike readily converted to speed. I have fun going fast on the Big Dummy. It’s maneuverable even with the long wheelbase — it rides like my hardtail mountain bike but with a wider and longer back end. I don’t know about “dropping on and off curbs” and “ducking between cars” as mentioned in the article. I can handle a lot of different bikes on roads and trails but I never have seen the need to provide a dicey look to motorists while riding a bike in town — no profit in that. That said, I take the Big Dummy on easy trails and have no trouble at all. With the right tread, it will take many of the challenging trails here in Mendocino County as it rides like a tandem and those are not a big deal to manage either.
I have the Volpe but I will tour this year with the Big Dummy. I have racing bikes as well but they come out only for the special occasion now. I’m a working rider on Lamont, the Big Dummy!

By: Allie

Allie — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:22:03 +0000

All very interesting, and I like the design illustration – nice touch.

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 05:03:43 +0000

Dave, I’d think a set of sideloaders on either the Big Dummy or an Xtracycle Free Radical-equipped ride should easily handle a couple wheelsets. Rope or bungees would probably do fine, depending on your roads.

I bet you could get three or four sets of wheels in one load if you built up a jig for them.

I carried my kid’s MTB wheels half-stuffed in the panniers, a bungee at the top to keep them from flopping around.

By: Dave Ornee

Dave Ornee — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:59:38 +0000

I am thinking of building a Big Dummy to act as a delivery bicycle. I need to deliver 26″, 650B, and 700C wheels from the Western Suburbs to Chicago.
Is there a good/secure way to carry a pair (or 4) wheels on the BD?
I have been using the METRA train, but schedules are not convenient and often need to coordinate with CTA + spend time wating for trains & busses.
Anyone out there every carried wheels as cargo???

By: Franklin

Franklin — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 04:53:16 +0000

Xtracycle is too heavy. Give me a trailer any day. I may get one, But I only own one bike right now.

By: flatboarder

flatboarder — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:52:48 +0000

One more Big Dummy here, built up myself with strong wheels from Sapim Force spokes and Spank Subrosa rims, equipped with Schwalbe Fat Frank tires. No chain shifting, just an Alfine internal gear hub with 34/20 cogs. LED lights, dynamo hub. Sports bicycles parts. 19.5kg without the snap deck, that I will only mount to carry our kid.
I was surprised how easy and efficiently it rides, giving much riding fun while always feeling relaxed on it.
It is an everyday bicycle for me without any limits in usage. Commuting, carrying groceries, light mountain touring with kid and stuff, just riding around, touring. In the next months we will start for a several day trip through the mountains.
Check homepage for technical details in case. One thing I would like to recommend: if you are using disk brakes, be sure to cover the inner side of freeloader bag where it touches brake caliper, since at long downhills it would probably make the nylon melt otherwise.

BTW I do not feel some bow of frame when riding bumps mentioned in original post. Also there is no remarkable frame bending when riding uphill out of saddle in my opinion. Maybe the thick tires just absorb or hide it all, since they give quite a comfortable ride, although running lightly.

By: urbino

urbino — Sun, 11 May 2008 03:16:02 +0000

I have a new Volpe and have been riding an Xtracycle-equipped Electra Townie as my daily commute bike and grocery-getter for the past 6 mos. You just can’t beat the X (or BD) for utility, but an X-equipped bike (or BD) really is a truck, and trucks need big, strong motors to do what they do. Based on my experience, at least, an X isn’t quick and it is a load to haul up a hill, even when unloaded; it’s also a load to get started.

OTOH, like a truck, it’s unbelievably stable even when loaded. Also, the amount of weight you can load on it without it feeling ANY different is pretty remarkable. On my normal grocery runs, the ride home feels exactly like the ride to the store. And, of course, can you just grab a handful of bungees and go pick up 100 lbs. of groceries and dry goods of all shapes and sizes on your quickity-quick bike? No, you cannot. For that, you need a truck.

The Townie-X was the first bike I’d been on in 15 yrs. So when I got the Volpe a few weeks ago (which I pulled home with the X, btw), I couldn’t believe the difference. I mean, intellectually, I kinda knew what the difference would be, but I didn’t really get it until I was on the Volpe. It’s not coincidental that I’ve dubbed it “The Rocket.” I LOVE that thing.

Anyway, I hope some of that helps flesh out what the X/BD is like.

By: Surly Bee-anchi Lady

Surly Bee-anchi Lady — Thu, 08 May 2008 18:25:02 +0000

After riding my Big Dummy daily for the past week, I am very impressed with the ease in riding. For some reason it is much easier for me to climb out of the saddle than on my Volpe and I find myself doing this. I went on a “ladies’ ride” the other day, unloaded, and easily kept up with the ride leader who was riding a high-end road bike with a compact double. While San Antonio is not the hilliest place around, the ride did manage to cover all the neighborhood “hills.”

My biggest problem with the BD, being a small, 118-lb person, is getting it in and out of doorways, backing it into the garage, etc. It is a heavy bike and no way will I be lifting it off the ground to attempt a bus rack or anything like that. However, once it is rolling, I am quite pleased with it.

And my favorite thing, when I go grocery shopping I no longer have to think “I can’t get that now, I’m on my bike.” I am enjoying unrestricted grocery shopping and other errands as well. So far, I am mighty pleased with the BD.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Tue, 06 May 2008 22:18:33 +0000

I’m still having a hard time seeing the correlation between this frame configuration and the drag some mention. I wonder if its more a function of the tires and pressures some people are running on these builds.

Thus far after about 600 miles on mine, my 24mi. RT commutes are at least as fast if not generally a touch faster than the rigid mtb turned commuter, using the same tires on both bikes (schwalbe marathon supremes).

The weight comparison between a sturdy commuter bike with rack, panniers is within a pound or two of an xtracycle/big dummy counterpart, the aerodynamic frontal profile doesn’t seem substantially different either way assuming same/similar wheels and tires.

Like I said earlier, on my build at least from day one doing the same commute I do every day of the year and have for years now, I was actually 1-2 minutes faster than the previous commuter with same tires, fenders, riding position.