Building a Touring Bike - Final Overview! (Surly Troll)

[@tylerpastorok384]

Timestamps, Enjoy! 1:49 - "Identity" of the bike 2:25 - Frame 3:04 - Wheels & Brakes 4:40 - Drivetrain 5:21 - Connection Points (Bars, pedals, saddle) 8:34 - Add-ons 10:25 - Bags & Accessories 11:50 - Wrap-up

[@edwardweiszbeck1649]

Like your handlebar set up 👍

[@stephenhall7493]

How do you only have so few subscribers??? This is quality content!

[@tylerpastorok384]

Stephen Hall haha thanks! 😁 I think it might be because I’m not consistent at this point lol. Lots of life transitions since I made this series. Still in the midst of a very busy schedule but I hope to reboot the channel and explore lots of other topics in the future!

[@stephenhall7493]

@@tylerpastorok384 I totally get it. Hope to see more of you at a time that lines up with your goals! Cheers!

[@zero2dad644]

Just come across this video in my recommended videos and loved it as someone who is setting up a bike for bikepacking and touring. Love the handlebar setup as I was considering using bar ends further in on my bars too.

[@recyclespinning9839]

Love the way you modified the trekking bars . It looks very aero position which you may need at times touring . Thumbs up. I might try ..

[@mistermatsuda]

That handlebar setup you have is brilliant!

[@recyclespinning9839]

I bought the trekking bars and added the aero bars ends as the aero position. Haven't had a chance to ride yet, can't wait to see how they work. Thanks for tip

[@peterwinkler8382]

I'm an old Kona Ironman "finisher" and long time bike tourist. I just want to say I love your handlebar setup. You have the comfort of touring bars and the aerodynamics of aero bars. You should patent them, haha. Happy riding, and have a safe 2021!

[@TheMotonp2010]

Nice work, man. I like that it suits your needs and mixes new, used, and improvised parts.

[@cassidyarrington4572]

Excited about watching yalls tour!!!!

[@tylerpastorok384]

Yayy welcome! Most video content will come out after we’re done but lots off updates happening on Facebook and instagram!

[@tylerpastorok384]

Hey folks! I love all the engagement this video has gotten over the past few years and I'm glad it's been enjoyed by so many. We did go on our tour and made it all the way to Arizona before the uncertainty and shutdowns of the covid19 pandemic stopped us. This build worked wonderfully! I didn't really (and still haven't) had major issues with it, aside from swapping the seat out a couple weeks in. Though we recorded a ton of footage throughout our tour, I never managed to dig into editing and don't have plans to continue this sort of content or keep up with comments and questions. Life moved on quickly and I'm on to other endeavors now. Maybe some day I'll reboot the channel with a different theme, but that's all for now! Best wishes

[@chrisbevan1896]

Really lovely video series! I’m in the process of building a LHT and I have no bike building experience. Your videos have been incredible for me! Thank you and cheers to you.

[@tylerpastorok384]

Thanks for you feedback! Great to hear it was helpful for you

[@Mattthewanderer]

The bars are practical and allow you to tuck into a headwind more comfortably when you are already pushing hard. That is worth the weight.

[@alanhaddy7499]

The bar setup looks great, especially brakes on the wider part for control and the hood type position being available.

[@bikesandbeyond618]

thanks for sharing. I've been looking at getting a Surly Ogre or ECR (hard to find), but now seeing your Troll, I have more research and thinking to do.

[@randygeyer7673]

😮 I not only have a rear kickstand I also have one mounted to the front low rider rack! Kickstands rock!

[@stevewalther2293]

Awsome bike...always thought of the butterfly bars but I went with flat riser bars so I can use mirrors.

[@radulacatusu4154]

Handle bars are very important! Many people don't realize until they ride couple hours a day. Nice setup!

[@martinmalloy5997]

Love the bars, I use them myself and I'm stealing the brake position idea 😀

[@brettlopresti]

Nice video and love the details about fitting various components. Love the handlebar setup.

[@Cucumiso]

handle bars looks pretty neat! and the option providing the resting postion for arms - i tottaly buy it - if you rides are hours and hours long - you need it badly - that is for sure;)

[@christiankilleen7626]

That handlebar set up is brilliant. I think I'll have to try that myself.

[@elizabethwilson7892]

Love the handlebars!

[@indiananupam5715]

Great video mate.your handlebar is CRAZY..love that.👌

[@brokenchopstickz]

That cockpit set up looks comfy. Let me know how that troll frame handles, like frame twisting or wobbling when loaded at high speeds. Looking forward to your upcoming journey. Safe trails

[@tylerpastorok384]

Laboratory Earth thanks! We’re just getting started here in Florida so it might be a while before we see some actual hills but I’ll post back here when I find out!

[@Buck2901]

I absolutely love your handlebar setup, maybe even a better alternative to a drop bar, without having to replace shifters and drivetrain.

[@rcj4046]

Awesome build! My wife & I both have 2019 Trolls that we set up remarkably similar to yours... We went with the Surly Moloko bars (but gave *serious* consideration to the Butterfly bars); kickstand & adapter plates just like you have; cockpit instruments & lights up on a perch (exactly like yours); fenders (we went with SKS Blumels 75 U Long that we ordered from Germany to accommodate the Surly 2.5" Extraterrestrial tires); mix of frame bags & panniers; and finally... dork disk (You didn't mention this, but I went out of my way to put one on each bike as cheap insurance against a lot of hassle. Note: you can't buy one that'll fit right out of the package. I modified them and attached 'em with three zip ties. I can tell you how I did it if you like).

[@tylerpastorok384]

Yea I considered the Moloko bars as well. I’d bet it’s a more comfortable setup, but I didn’t like that it would limit my choices for handlebar bags. I may try the Velo Orange ‘Crazy Bars’ eventually. I don’t usually bother with a dork disc but you’re definitely right, it’s a smart choice. On my old bike I had my chain shift past the low gear once while I was leading a group and that definitely cost us a good 15-20 minutes

[@buckettraveler8398]

I rode a Ogre from Yellowstone to Panama and wanted to continue to Colombia but I just couldn't find 700c tires. Had I went with a Troll I wouldn't have had that problem, 26" tires are everywhere. I loved my Ogre though, really great bike. I'm going to get a Troll stock and the only thing I'll change is I'll go with a Rohloff hub providing I have saved up enough by the end of the summer. Besides tires gears were a headache. A Rohloff with a chain is still a ton less cleaning to do.

[@tylerpastorok384]

Yea I never realized just how dirty drivetrains get when you ride all day everyday. I’m always grateful when a town has a community bike shop that lets you use tools so I can dig in and get it all clean. Only lasts a couple days though... I met a lady a couple weeks ago with a LHT and a Rohloff that I got to hop on for a sec and it seemed great. Big investment but seems like the durability would pay off

[@buckettraveler8398]

@@tylerpastorok384 Not just pay off but a lot less time on a tour cleaning gears and chains. Also the chain can be a bit more beefy and doesn't need to be as long. I spent a lot of time cleaning gears on my tour after I had a few go bad. I'll see how much I have saved up before I leave, I might not go with it, but I think it is worth the investment. Out of every kind of bike maintenance cleaning the drivetrain is the worst.

[@prime8nate]

Yeah, I was watching a video of a guy who rode from Canada to Patagonia and he had all sorts of problems finding tubes and tires for his standard 700c touring bike in places like Ecuador and Peru so you were probably wise to cut the trip short. Still sounds like an amazing trip though, I'm jealous.

[@johnprice5457]

I would rock that handlebar setup dogg

[@cedrinho7]

Hello, great assembly surly, what is the make and model of the butterfly handlebar please? And your gear shifters? Well done?!!

[@christopherwhichard7881]

Its only ridiculous if you are uncomfortable. Great job!

[@the_nondrive_side]

those bars are badass. I'm a TT bar in a Sparrow sweep riser style usually.. might try this

[@fnubrawijaya6334]

Very nice handle bar set up....

[@mw8653]

Love your bike build I did a similar set up with my bars, I used Humpert Ergotec bars which have the useful ability by loosening the bolt on each side to fold inwards for compact storage of bike if needed.

[@andrewford80]

Love this bike. Thanks for taking the time to run through the setup for us.

[@bigwheelsturning]

I wanted a Troll for the horizontal axle holders, and the 26" wheel set, but they don't make it anymore. Have to go the the larger Orge.

[@jacobkeller29]

For the purposes of what you intend to use the bike for you’ve got the best handlebar set up I believe

[@xinos1100]

My handlebar setup is mostly the same, except for the brake levers position :-) Great bike, congrats!

[@junipash]

greathandy! : ) thanks for the video lots of great info.. looking at a troll myself

[@BeSatori]

Great idea on the bars. I'm about to start building a Surly Ogre and wanting to put the Velo Orange Crazy bars on it, but they are out of stock. I already own an new set of Safari bars I never ended up using, and have some old bar ends for the bull horns. I might try this out on my mt bike tomorrow just to see how they'll do on the Ogre. Thanks for the idea and possibly saving me some cash.

[@Mraquanetchris]

Did a tour last year from Sitka to San Francisco on a Troll with the Jones H-Bar. The most comfortable bars I have ever ridden.

[@edwardweiszbeck1649]

A very thought out bike. You're instinctively keen on knowing ergonomics and what will work

[@ilias4156]

Niiiice. love the bars . and Im buying a kickstand.

[@bblair2627]

Love the handlebars

[@jameskitchell1277]

Like the bar set up

[@crculver2068]

Barends often require a certain torque for safety. That torque exceeds the maximum permitted torque on butterfly/trekking bars. Have you been concerned about that? Also, due to Schwalbe no longer making most of their touring tires in the 26" size, when you do upgrade to disc brakes you might want to change to 650B rims. Surly never officially endorsed 650B wheel size for the Troll frame, but they fit just fine and this really future-proofs the Troll frame.

[@FordTransitvan]

Great idea, I think I already have the parts to convert my butterfly bars

[@cochiez]

Love it. And glad I’m not the only one still riding around on a 26er with 3x. Hey where did you get the piece to connect your kickstand to the frame?

[@tylerpastorok384]

cochiez hey sorry I missed the second part of your comment when I first saw it. Check out the description there is a link to a video from the guy who designed it, and he has links for where to buy everything

[@pikonrad]

Great built, thanks

[@noproblem2big337]

22 front 34 back cogs, 1 to 0.65 great for steep gradients...that handle bar is probably not the lightest but looks comfy for a long ride.

[@sidoutdoors1551]

I am planning to have my own Surly Troll!

[@samuelmjlfjell]

I have a click stand stick to hold the weight of the bike from the top of the frame.

[@deancutlery]

Awesome build, great video. SUBBED!

[@conanfa18]

Great Review!

[@ourclarioncall]

Bars look very comfy. Aesthetically I’m not a fan but hey some days comfort will win 🙂

[@xray7908]

I always use long bar ends inboard on my flat bar bikes like you've done here and similar to the forward prongs on the Surley Moloko. I agree that lots of people cringe when they see this. You know... screw 'em, it's your bike.

[@erenkonu847]

Hi Tyler thanks for video. Also i have finished the building troll 3 days ago. But i cannot fix the rear wheel with standart quick relaise as well as i want. I first time using horizontal dropout and i dont know i must buy surly tuggnut or not. Do you use "surly tuggnut" if not how do you fix rear wheel with qr on gravel and offroads? Ps: i use hyraulic disc brakes. The caliper limits one side of rear wheel but the other side there is no limitation. And the gr axle may turns.

[@tylerpastorok384]

eren konu hey Eren thanks for watching. I have my rear wheel all the way forward in the dropouts so I don’t need the tuggnut. But if your wheel can’t sit there then it seems you would need a tuggnut or something similar. Hope that helps, let me know if there’s anything else I might be able to answer. Good luck!

[@erenkonu847]

@@tylerpastorok384 Hi Tyler I solved the problem and the problem was about the rear disc brake adaptor. I used wrong(reversed). For now I am using troll with my old 700c wheels and fenders it look nearly original. 700x40 with sks bluemels fender. Will you show us new videos?

[@tylerpastorok384]

eren konu Hey thanks for the update! Glad you figured it out, and it’s good to know that the troll will take a 700c wheel and still have room for fenders. As for new videos, absolutely! I’ve been a bit busy since we finished the trip so I’m just getting a chance to sit down and start editing videos from our tour. We recorded quite a bit, so I expect it will take me most of the summer to finish all of them. I want to edit the whole series before I start releasing it. I probably won’t upload much in the meantime, but if you turn on notifications for my channel then you’ll know when that starts. Thanks for your interest and support!

[@nevertoopoortotour.3033]

Alot of great information thanks

[@junkim7244]

No more video clips for a tour of across America from Florida to San Diego?

[@tylerpastorok384]

It’s coming slowly but surely! I’ve been going through lots of life transitions since we finished our tour but I’m still chipping away at the editing. Once I finish all of it I will start releasing it as a weekly series. Glad you’re interested!

[@stevemullin1195]

Where did you get your butterfly bars and the extension bars? I have a surly bridge club that I am setting up for touring. I currently have a Jones H 2.5 handlebar that replaced the stock salsa bend. But i need a more aero position when riding on long stretches of road or into headwinds. Plus i have carpal tunnel issues so need lots of places to move my hands to stop the numbness.

[@cyrus0520]

Awsome bike! Can you share who built the wheels off of ebay?

[@fendermon]

Nice build; thanks for taking us along. I would get badly stumped at finding the correct wheels and hubs. Why did you choose 26 inch? Your girl is fun too btw :)

[@lenniemeinke5444]

What bar ends did you go with? I am looking to do the same thing with my butterfly bars and really like the look of your setup.

[@tylerpastorok384]

Lennie Meinke origin8 compe lite. The setup worked out fairly well. It’s a great upgrade if you already have the butterfly bars. It wasn’t perfect for me, but having so many hand positions helped compensate for that. I think I’ll eventually switch over to one of the more swept out style bars.

[@BikeTall]

Cool overview of your setup. I am currently building my touring rig. I am curious, what are your thoughts on a dynamo hub to charge your iphone while on tour? I currently use a foldable solar panel on the back, plus a 26000ah ext battery that works good for me. But was wondering about long stretches without sun out in the middle of nowhere. ✌🏼

[@tylerpastorok384]

Bike Tall I’m running a similar solar panel and battery setup. If it weren’t for the fact that I was looking for such particular wheels, and that I don’t have the resources/time to build them right now, I definitely would’ve gone for something with a dynamo hub in the front. I don’t have much experience with them, but it looks like there are some good options for usb charging. Seems like having both charging options would be a great setup. Good luck with your build!

[@hudnut7988]

great quality videos , inspired me to want to purchase one but they have been discontinued and i cant find any troll frames of a medium size (UK) . any recommendations for similar types of 26" frames for touring that look as fun to build as the troll ?

[@sunildingankar8657]

I am in the process of selecting a bike. So there is Troll and another is Bridge Club. Troll has horizonal drop out and Bridge Club has vertical drop out. How much difference does that make. Troll frame is available in a local bike store. It's an old frame, so I can save some cost. What are your thoughts? shall I go for a new bridge club frame or Old troll frame (it is in good conditiion) would serve the purpose

[@mysurlytrucker7510]

Good idea the handlebars .

[@thierrykokel5012]

Great ! What is the weight of your Troll please ?

[@Hootyhoo-jq9vq]

Can you tell me how you chose your frame size, please? And are you happy with the choice. Thank you. I have wanted a Troll for sometime, but am 5 10 and at the end of medium size and close to large size considering my build.

[@charliedevine6869]

Those butterfly bars are super flexy.

[@cassidyarrington4572]

The troll omg nice!

[@TheStroppyOne]

Did ST in 2016 - sadly, grounded from 'every four years' 2020 tour by COVID. Buuuttt.....did you get to take the troll on anything long distance? If so, did that straight fork cause you any hand numbness? thx.

[@mysurlytrucker7510]

Hi what hight are you could you show us and tell us the stand over hight good build.

[@tylerpastorok384]

I’m 5’6” and there is plenty of stand over for me on the small frame. I’m taking a break from uploading while I edit the videos from our trip, but I will try to show the stand over in the future

[@mysurlytrucker7510]

@@tylerpastorok384 hi thanks for that .

[@_FullSpeedAhead_]

I want those bars!!

[@SeaCowsBeatLobsters]

The rearmost section of shift housing that goes to the R der looks a little short

[@nickwf70]

If surly still made the pea green troll I would buy one a size up from my last one. I just find my troll is hard work because the bottom bracket isn't in the right position.

[@tylerpastorok384]

Nick F yea I do like the color, although sometimes I wish I just went with black. It sticks out on a bike rack which I worry makes it more attractive to steal

[@fendermon]

Bars are cool. You can just grab them anywhere.

[@manoftheroad55]

Handlebars your invitation to comment ..clever lateral thinking that solves a problem cheaply infinite variations are possible May I suggest a front mudguard rubber mudflap This stops dirt and water being thrown onto chain and the chainrings increasing their life by 4 times

[@АлексейКотцов-е2н]

Прикольный драндулет) Выглядит практично)

[@dontipton4570]

How was the trip?

[@davidcannamela]

Do you have any footage of the trip?

[@philiprayner1772]

would cruser bike handle bars be good for a touring bike ?

[@1LeggedAdventures]

Would you be willing to share your route across Texas? I am planning a transition texas tour on my handcycle in sprin 2022. Thanks

[@mustaphaelasri8173]

Thank youuuu. I wish I could build my bike as well.

[@jose_Sand]

Hi, thinking if you have tested that position of brakes on handelbar and how confortable is, looks huge like a gravel handlerbar. Hugs from Spain

[@tylerpastorok384]

I love the brakes in that spot! Very stable on rough terrain. I do wish I was a little bit more upright sometimes but overall I like how it’s set up

[@jose_Sand]

@@tylerpastorok384 great, surely i will set up in that way. Good trip, i subscribed to your channel to follow your experience. 5 years ago i cycled 1 year. Spain to China. Was huge. Rutasostenible.blogspot.com Huggg

[@isabellafearn5763]

Pretty good

[@ourclarioncall]

Any problems with rust so far ?

[@charliedevine6869]

I tried a butterfly bar. It was WAY too flexy.

[@Dogsdoodas]

Has anyone used 27.5 inch wheels on the Troll?

[@tylerpastorok384]

Someone else mentioned fitting 700c on theirs, so I don’t see why you couldn’t

[@naldovaz9157]

Bike is custom for you.. l have a Surly ECR and it's my every day bike... I always liked the Trek Bars.. perfect for touring

[@williejamehufff3125]

Howd the tour go?

[@sarvesh_k]

Hi kane williamson... when did you leave cricket....

[@scrappyhustler7467]

I think comfort is key on a touring rig!

[@mr.gigitix]

👍👍👍

[@pedronalesso1464]

I don´t like weight of the front so I preffer a fat bike framebag, 2cm further from each side of the frame rather then a front rack and the botles near the stem. 9 speed is the way to go. Gear ratio is for nerds so yeah let´s talk: a 2x 36-22 with 11-36 cassette works great. Don't freak out about shifters and breaks go with what you got, I like rapid fire and mechanical disk, if they break just unbent the rotor or tighten the H and L screws and make a single speed rear or front derailleur. Nice with the "aero" bars, would put them a little bit together for further *ahemn* super duper performance

[@shaneruddock2035]

Plastic levers snap but avids are cheap as promax

[@jacobkeller29]

I have to have kick stand! Save the pedal bearings

[@StarEssences]

The Bike Touring community definitely needs more bike touring frame developers (preferably Chromoly Steel frames) AND, pannier bags, as one set being able to carry around 75liters of cargo as a pair. The innovations of varied carrying cargo with varied colors too, pannier bags to be less expensive than Ortlieb and Jandd business! (thinking about and for the lower income brackets of people who are interested in doing bike touring) A Touring Bike Community in Great Britain alone has over 100,000 members. This would be a worthwhile investment...just sayin...

[@charliedevine6869]

I tried a butterfly handlebar once. I thought it was way too flexy.

[@Joshua-jj4xn]

Dude..you've said it multiple times now..we get it

[@sitendurocks]

did you knit that cap with your hair??

[@tylerpastorok384]

Lol would be pretty badass if I could do that...