Surly Bikes Cross Check...

Not had a great deal of time for blogging of late but wanted to report on my latest road bike build, my 2011 Surly Cross Check.

**Slideshow Pictures here**

I purchased a Surly Long Haul Trucker back at the end of summer but it didn't turn out to be quite what I wanted so I moved it on & picked up a Cross Check to replace it. I built this up with budget in mind, & got some great deals through Specialized Bikes & my LBS. I built the wheels myself with some previously used hubs & some nice Mavic rims I picked up off Gary G & sourced all the rest of the stuff at the best prices I could afford. I decided to go with the Black as I figured most folks will want the new Robins Egg Blue colour which I'm not overly keen on anyway!

Spec:
Frame: 2011 Surly cross Check 56cm
Fork: Surly cross check with mid-mount eyelet
Headset: FSA orbit MX
Brake hanger front: Tektro
Brake hanger rear: Surly SS
Stem: Specialized comp-set road 90mm
Bars: Specialized pro 2 road ergo 44cm
Tape: Specialized BG bar phat 4.5mm gel pads
Levers: Tektro RL520
Brakes: Tektro CR720 canti
Shifters: Shimano dura ace 9sp
BB: Shimano tiagra exo
Crankset: Shimano sora compact 50/34
Pedals: Shimano M520 SPD
Chain: Shimano HG53 9sp
Cassette: Shimano HG50 11-32t
Front Mech: Shimano sora double
Rear Mech: Shimano deore SGS long cage
Seatpost: Bontrager race lite
Seat: Passport pilot leather
Seat Clamp: Surly SS
Front Hub: Shimano deore LX 36
Rear Hub: Shimano deore 36
Spokes: DT swiss plain gauge 3X
Rims: Mavic T224 36's
Tyres: Bontrager all weather race hardcase 700x32
Skewers: Halo hex bolt
Mudguards: SKS chromoplastic P45
Rear rack: Bontrager back rack II
Rack bag: Vaude silkroad plus
Rear light: RSP tourlite rack mount
Front light:
Computer: Specialized wireless sport
Bottle cages: Bontrager race lite composite
Pump: SKS super sport alu


I wanted a classic look using older looking components & to be simplistic & functional. Very pleased with how it turned out & I still need to sort the steerer length & some other minor tidying as it's ridden in. After waiting for 2 weeks to ride her due to the poor weather, I finally managed to get a couple of rides in over the last few days.

Got all my winter weather clothing about sorted so I'm keen to get out as long as it's not icy. It's great having a rack bag as I can take everything I feasibly need for day rides & more?


cheers!

My first Century...

Whoa! & also my first post of the year, talk about unmotivated...

So anyway, there's a bunch of local guys who do an annual 100 mile bike ride on August bank holiday weekend & this was my second year riding it. Last year I only had my Kona single speed road bike so I was chuffed when I ended up doing 82.5 miles of the ride. This year, I have my new Surly LHT (build post to follow....maybe) so was all in for completing my first century ride. The route is basically a loop out of Banbury & around god knows how many villages & returning back in to town on completion so people have the option of cutting back if they feel like they've done enough. We started at 8am & it took us 10.5 hours total to complete, 8.5 hours riding time & 2 hours of snack stops, wee stops, tea stops & lunch stops!

Overall I thought the ride went quite well, we got soaked by a sudden deluge before the halfway point but it brightened up & we managed to dry out. I felt good up to about 60 - 70 miles but started to fade from there on in. We had a shitty head wind for the last 30 miles & it made for very hard work to the finish. Out of seven starters, five of us went on to do the complete route.

I don't mind telling you that I was very tired at the end of the day & it took two days before I felt fully recovered but I am pleased that I have now cracked the century mark.

I hope that next year if the ride is on again that more riders will join in as it's a good social gathering of like minded people & we all had a good laugh & a great days exercise!

cheers.