What IS IT About The Surly Cross-Check?
#26
Banned
The TIG welders in Taiwan are good at their job And,. since they work for less , more companies want to sell bike frames that cost less to Make
by Hiring them thru the contract Manufacturer that makes Frames for Surly and many other Brands ..
the rest is Marketing, lots of it for free, on this forum.
by Hiring them thru the contract Manufacturer that makes Frames for Surly and many other Brands ..
the rest is Marketing, lots of it for free, on this forum.
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,487
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 140 Post(s)
Liked 162 Times
in
89 Posts
Gotta disagree with that. On the Cross Check alone, I can think of three recent colors that we've had very strong sales with in our shop, particularly with women customers. Robin's Egg Blue, Hospital Foam Green (how's that for a name?), and the new Dream Tangerine. FWIW, all of these colors look a lot better in person than they do on a computer screen IMO. I'm usually not impressed with their colors when I first see them online.
Last edited by well biked; 10-25-14 at 01:45 PM.
#29
It's MY mountain
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Mt.Diablo
Posts: 10,002
Bikes: Klein, Merckx, Trek
Mentioned: 70 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4337 Post(s)
Liked 2,979 Times
in
1,616 Posts
#30
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Zang's Spur, CO
Posts: 9,082
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3374 Post(s)
Liked 5,508 Times
in
2,853 Posts
I own a Soma doublecross which is a pretty similar bike. The tubing set is I think a little nice (prestige main tubes) than the surly cross-check. It's the most versatile bike I own. I run it with good quality 700 x 32 c tire and as a triple. The bike is comfortable for all day riding over almost any type of terrain. It is simply a solid high quality bike.
#31
aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,502
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Mentioned: 511 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7348 Post(s)
Liked 2,460 Times
in
1,432 Posts
@well biked, I'm glad they've chosen more popular colors now.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#32
Fork and spoon operator
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Hopkins, Minnesota
Posts: 577
Bikes: 2013 Surly Crosscheck, 1990 Schwinn Impact, 1973 Schwinn Continental
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 37 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 11 Times
in
7 Posts
I like mine a lot. If you're looking for a steel frameset with good tire clearance and rack and fender mounts, you don't have a lot of cheaper choices. Possibly the Fyxation Quiver, but I think that's about it. So in that sense it's more like the budget option than the dream of dreams.
#33
bill nyecycles
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston TX
Posts: 3,328
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 789 Post(s)
Liked 350 Times
in
190 Posts
Gotta disagree with that. On the Cross Check alone, I can think of three recent colors that we've had very strong sales with in our shop, particularly with women customers. Robin's Egg Blue, Hospital Foam Green (how's that for a name?), and the new Dream Tangerine. FWIW, all of these colors look a lot better in person than they do on a computer screen IMO. I'm usually not impressed with their colors when I first see them online.
#34
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,487
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 140 Post(s)
Liked 162 Times
in
89 Posts
FWIW, my all-time favorite Cross Check color is "beef gravy brown" from a few years ago. That was a color that had very mixed reviews in our shop.....but I really like it.
P.S. The new orange, "dream tangerine," is a great color, too, IMO. Everyone says it reminds them of an orange creamsicle.
Last edited by well biked; 10-25-14 at 07:34 PM.
#35
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Cascadia
Posts: 1,206
Bikes: Jamis Quest Comp
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 169 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
I didn't see this already but Surly is probably the largest brand pushing steel frames. Trek does their 520 and so on but it's pretty much an afterthought for the bigger retailers. There are certainly other manufacturers that do steel (All City, Jamis, etc) but they at least seem smaller to me. Not as big where I live for sure. Maybe Kona is an exception for a bigger brand that tries hard with steel, but they're also pretty dang popular. Anyway, the Cross Czech is a grumpy fellow that meets a lot of comfort, stability, aesthetic and utility needs that bigger brands don't even bother to attempt. Plenty of other bikes do the same thing but mostly from even lesser brands. Top that off with Surly's strong marketing department and you've got a dime a dozen bike.
#36
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Maybe I'm a dinosaur, but the GT Outpost I bought in 1996 for $300 got me through 4-5 years of almost daily mountain biking, has taken me over hundreds or thousands of miles of road all over the country, and still gets me to and from work safely several days a week, eighteen years later. I haven't priced bikes lately, but I estimate that this bike (or its equivalent) would be about $500 now.
The first thing many NY City bicycle commuters do is deface their rides to lessen their appeal to thieves. Others just ride clunkers to avoid having to worry. So why would a commuter ride a $1,200 bike to work? I'm not trying to be a smart-*ss. The investigative side of me just wants to know!
#37
bill nyecycles
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston TX
Posts: 3,328
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 789 Post(s)
Liked 350 Times
in
190 Posts
To be fair, I don't commute on my CC, I rebuilt a single speed Raleigh from the 80's to commute on. I use he CC for recreation and event rides. I also don't live in NYC, so I don't have to worry as much about bike theft, though it is kind of rampant in Houston. But my bike at work is locked in a garage that requires an ID card to get into. Even so, I'm not sure I would ride it to work being such and expensive bike. Though I do lock up next to a Scott MTB, a Domane, and an S-Works Rockhopper.
#38
Lost at sea...
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Western PA
Posts: 935
Bikes: Schwinn Paramount (match), Trek 520, random bits and pieces...
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Lots of commuters out there that aren't in NYC. If I got to a point where I needed to deface a bike for security, I'd be ordering from Nashbar or BD. I used a beat up Kona hybrid while living in Chicago and Seattle.
Last edited by headloss; 10-25-14 at 09:04 PM.
#40
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Incheon, South Korea
Posts: 2,835
Bikes: Nothing amazing... cheap old 21 speed mtb
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I ride a $200 modified mtb for my commuter. The Soma is my toy. It cost more like $2000 to build with the specs I wanted. Sure, its not cheap but compared to what you could pay for a bike its not bad. I also know I'm running quality parts I can trust in the middle of nowhere. Now that mtb... I wouldn't ride it more than 60km away from a source of replacement parts.
#41
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: The Great Pacific NW
Posts: 162
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The Motobecane Fantom CXX was clearly designed to compete with the Cross Check, but I think it's a better bike at 2/3rds the cost. I test-road the Cross Check and liked it, but decided to take a chance on the Fantom CXX, and that was the right choice for me: Save up to 60% off new Cyclocross Road Bikes - Motobecane Fantom CX Clearance
#42
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,487
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 140 Post(s)
Liked 162 Times
in
89 Posts
Yes, linear pull brakes in place of cantilevers, appropriate brake levers for the different brakes, a ten speed cassette instead of nine speed, 700 x 41c Knard tires, these are now stock items on the complete Cross Check, the color on this newest version is Dream Tangerine.
#43
Fork and spoon operator
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Hopkins, Minnesota
Posts: 577
Bikes: 2013 Surly Crosscheck, 1990 Schwinn Impact, 1973 Schwinn Continental
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 37 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 11 Times
in
7 Posts
I commute on mine every day, and it's pretty beaten up. I do bring it inside during the work day though. the frameset only costs about $450, so the other $800 just reflects the quality of components they've built the stock bike with.
#44
Senior Member
I guess that's what has me puzzled. I get the "sensible bikes" and "sensible people" part, but how is $1,200 a "sensible price?"
Maybe I'm a dinosaur, but the GT Outpost I bought in 1996 for $300 got me through 4-5 years of almost daily mountain biking, has taken me over hundreds or thousands of miles of road all over the country, and still gets me to and from work safely several days a week, eighteen years later. I haven't priced bikes lately, but I estimate that this bike (or its equivalent) would be about $500 now.
The first thing many NY City bicycle commuters do is deface their rides to lessen their appeal to thieves. Others just ride clunkers to avoid having to worry. So why would a commuter ride a $1,200 bike to work? I'm not trying to be a smart-*ss. The investigative side of me just wants to know!
Maybe I'm a dinosaur, but the GT Outpost I bought in 1996 for $300 got me through 4-5 years of almost daily mountain biking, has taken me over hundreds or thousands of miles of road all over the country, and still gets me to and from work safely several days a week, eighteen years later. I haven't priced bikes lately, but I estimate that this bike (or its equivalent) would be about $500 now.
The first thing many NY City bicycle commuters do is deface their rides to lessen their appeal to thieves. Others just ride clunkers to avoid having to worry. So why would a commuter ride a $1,200 bike to work? I'm not trying to be a smart-*ss. The investigative side of me just wants to know!
#45
bill nyecycles
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Houston TX
Posts: 3,328
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 789 Post(s)
Liked 350 Times
in
190 Posts
Yes, linear pull brakes in place of cantilevers, appropriate brake levers for the different brakes, a ten speed cassette instead of nine speed, 700 x 41c Knard tires, these are now stock items on the complete Cross Check, the color on this newest version is Dream Tangerine.
#46
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,487
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 140 Post(s)
Liked 162 Times
in
89 Posts
I think the 10 speed thing is just to keep the bike fairly current (after all, higher end road stuff is now 11 speed), linear pulls are generally more trouble free than canti's for most people....as for the big ol' Knards, who knows, Surly does a lot of things that aren't necessarily normal. I've test ridden the tires, they are a lot of fun hopping over stuff and playing around on the bike, would be good for rough dirt roads, maybe some snow riding, even cyclocross in some conditions. Tires are easy to change, of course.
#47
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: NA
Posts: 4,267
Bikes: NA
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
7 Posts
My commuters go in my office or in an electronic key-card bike storage area. I could also use the full-service bike valet but I prefer riding up the hill to work.
#48
aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,502
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Mentioned: 511 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7348 Post(s)
Liked 2,460 Times
in
1,432 Posts
I guess that's what has me puzzled. I get the "sensible bikes" and "sensible people" part, but how is $1,200 a "sensible price?"
Maybe I'm a dinosaur, but the GT Outpost I bought in 1996 for $300 got me through 4-5 years of almost daily mountain biking, has taken me over hundreds or thousands of miles of road all over the country, and still gets me to and from work safely several days a week, eighteen years later. I haven't priced bikes lately, but I estimate that this bike (or its equivalent) would be about $500 now.
The first thing many NY City bicycle commuters do is deface their rides to lessen their appeal to thieves. Others just ride clunkers to avoid having to worry. So why would a commuter ride a $1,200 bike to work? I'm not trying to be a smart-*ss. The investigative side of me just wants to know!
Maybe I'm a dinosaur, but the GT Outpost I bought in 1996 for $300 got me through 4-5 years of almost daily mountain biking, has taken me over hundreds or thousands of miles of road all over the country, and still gets me to and from work safely several days a week, eighteen years later. I haven't priced bikes lately, but I estimate that this bike (or its equivalent) would be about $500 now.
The first thing many NY City bicycle commuters do is deface their rides to lessen their appeal to thieves. Others just ride clunkers to avoid having to worry. So why would a commuter ride a $1,200 bike to work? I'm not trying to be a smart-*ss. The investigative side of me just wants to know!
So in my view, it's not an amazingly great bike, nor is it a rip-off in any way. It's a solid value. As I said before, it's not my taste because I prefer bikes that are a little lighter, and many bikes at that price point are lighter. But it accomplishes what it sets out to be, a solid, reliable bike, probable to last a lifetime. The design is smart, too, as it aims to be versatile.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#49
one life on two wheels
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Posts: 2,552
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 18 Times
in
15 Posts
The TIG welders in Taiwan are good at their job And,. since they work for less , more companies want to sell bike frames that cost less to Make
by Hiring them thru the contract Manufacturer that makes Frames for Surly and many other Brands ..
the rest is Marketing, lots of it for free, on this forum.
by Hiring them thru the contract Manufacturer that makes Frames for Surly and many other Brands ..
the rest is Marketing, lots of it for free, on this forum.