Summertime rolls and so do these bad boys.

The Surly Long Haul Trucker pictured here will be rolling across Europe this summer. Surly’s relaxed, CroMoly steel frame is designed to be loaded up and pedaled all day. With room for 3 bottle cages, front and rear racks, front and rear fenders, chainstay spare spoke holders and pump pegs this bike is ready for the long haul.

Surly Long Haul Trucker
Surlyville: Long Haul Trucker
Gobs of Surly Pics

When the ride you’re on runs out of road, Salsa’s Fargo keeps on riding. The Fargo is an adventure touring mountain bike with fat, trail-loving 29″ tires, a steel CroMoly frame, drop bars, disc brakes, fork and frame braze-ons for front and rear racks and fenders and six bottle cage bosses (yes, six). This Fargo will be riding across Alaska in just a few weeks on one lucky rider’s summertime adventure.

Salsa Fargo
Salsa Fargo
Mega Pics on Google

Photography ©2009 Jason King Photography Princeton, NJ

Meet Halter’s youngest competitive racer, Forest, and his brand spanking new cyclocross bike. Forest has been riding mountain bikes competitively since he was 8 and now at 14 plans to enter his first cross season later this year.

The Giant TCX 2 that Forest rides sports Giant’s all-new superlight ALUXX SL aluminum frame with top-routed cables making it easy to tackle all obstacles no matter the conditions. The stable, compact frame geometry and extra mud clearance will let this baby go where road bikes just can’t cut it.

The TCX 2 also features:
— Shimano Sora 9-speed shifting, Tiagra rear derailleur, ‘cross specific 46/36 gearing
— Crank Brothers Egg Beater pedals, OverDrive fork for precision steering
— Formula hubs/stainless spokes/Alex rim, wheelset with Kenda Small Block Eight tires

But wait…. There’s more. Cross season starts in the fall so until it’s time to hit the mud, Forest will be hitting the road on a set of Vredestein Fortezza SEs. And that’s the magic of the cross frame, change the tires, change the terrain. It’s really like getting two bikes in one.

More info on Giant’s TCX 2 is available on the Giant website: Giant TCX 2

Get Your Spring On!

We’re loving Fi’zi:k’s *NEW* Microtex Dual:Tape here at the shop. Very positive hand-traction and long-lasting comfort wrapped into a durable and washable package. Fresh tape is an inexpensive way to give you bike and your hands a little love.

Fi’zi:k’s Microtex Dual:Tape

• Foam padded for vibration dampening
• Double-stitched air-cushion
• Conforms and adapts to riders hands
• Duo-colored, soft-touch microtex for positive contact grip
• Ultra-durable and washable

Fi’zi:k’s Dual: Tape

In January Jason an Chris spent two days in Philly at the Park Tool Bike Summit.   They spent some serious time learning some important new skills from:

• SRAM
• Rock Shox
• Hayes
• Shimano
• Park Tool
• Fox

Here is a writeup from

Mountain Bike Magazine.

Here is Tom’s Surly Cross check.  This bike is equally at home on the race course or kitted out with fenders as a commuter bike.  The Surly is hard to beat for the money.  Tom proves just how versitle this bike can be. This steel frame will never be a super light, but that is not the point.

http://www.surlybikes.com/crosscheck.html

It is also worth noting that Surly has come up with a colapsable version called the “Travelers Check”:

http://www.surlybikes.com/travelerscheck.html

Here are some pics of the 1st Salsa FARGO to come though the doors. Bob built this up to his careful specs and I can’t say enough how impressed we are with the build.   Salsa’s  “ride and smile” certainly  applies here.

Great build Bob! Ride safe where ever your Fargo may take you!