Spotlight on Sponsors: Surly

Browsing their complete line of models and accoutrements makes one curious: Where's the carbon? Where's the chrome? Where's the color choices? Where's all the needless embellishments? Surly responds, humbly, with an even better question: "Who really needs that?" Instead, what Surly offers us are the things we overlook when we're dazzled by a pretty but somewhat useless bicycle: room for fenders, pump pegs, clearances for large tires, rack mounts, brake holes, and other important options that make the bicycle more effective. Even their track bike has two water bottle bosses (or flask mounts) - because we humans do need to take in refreshment now and then if we do happen to ride our bikes more than a mile or so. Their bikes are made to be ridden, and riders to require certain "comforts" such as being kept dry by fenders and having the option to add a rack should we need to carry more than a phone, and room for larger tires that are more efficient in and out of town. All of these "bright ideas" seem to make a mockery of lesser bicycles without such options. Imagine Surly as an attractive mate who will rub your feet, enjoys taking out the garbage, and will be interested in any nonsense you want to converse about - rather than just remaining a fickle but very pretty dimwit. Your track bikes have never looked so beautifully useless as when they are sitting next to a Surly.

Surly sent us a fantastic prize pack this year of shirts, flasks, tensioners, wool caps, and some other stuff. Practical & fun prizes!
(Text courtesy of Brian Raymond.)