Surly Cross-Check

This bike is just fantastic. It'll run gears or, as with this one, as a singlespeed or fixie. It'll go off-road happily (it's got clearance for proper 29er tyres), or it'll fly along tarmac equally well - it'll also happily take panniers.

In short it's pretty much perfect, except for one thing, which is the most God-awful rear brake cable routing I've ever seen on a bike (and I've owned a couple of GTs...) - instead of brazing on a proper cable hanger, Surly have decided to spec a seatclamp-mounted hanger. Why?!? For a start it flexes, and even if you largely solve that by adding a washer next to it, you've still got the fundamental problem that it's simply impossible to fit a standard cable end into the hanger, because it points directly at the clamp. You have to use a special short ferrule and still live with lousy, tight routing - result being that the rear brake fells crap. According to Surly it's done "just to keep a cleaner look on the bike" - huh?

I guess you can't have everything - but come on Surly, sort it out. Proper brake hangers please, not these pieces of crap.

Mine gets used for mixing up road and off-road, with a 36:16 singlespeed most of the time (or a slightly larger gear when it's got slicks on). Proper off-roading with drop bars is pretty bloody hairy, but it's all part of the fun - and it's much quicker getting to the more distant trails than a mountain bike.

Current Setup

Frame: Surly Cross-Check 60cm
Fork: Surly Cross-Check
Wheels: Mavic MA3 on Shimano Deore and Surly 1x1
Tyres: Continental Twister Pro 700x37
Brakes: Avid Shorty 4
Brake levers: Shimano 300EX
Cranks: Truvativ Stylo Team
Chainring: Blackspire DS/DH
Sprocket: White Industries Eno Freewheel and a fixed sprocket
Chain: KMC Kool Chain
Bottom bracket: Shimano UN72
Headset: some old thing
Stem: 3T THE
Bar: ITM Europa
Seatpin: Race Face XY
Saddle: Selle Italia Flite Trans Am
Pedals: Time ATAC Alium