My Surly Big Dummy

Showing some of the capabilities of my Surly Big Dummy. I do commute on this bicycle and use it as a daily rider because it's just that nice.
Bike equipment as shown in the video-
Moustache handlebars (currently using Trekking style handlebars)
REI cork bar tape
Tektro Eclipse brake levers
Ravx riser stem
Brooks B73 saddle
Unbranded seatpost with passenger handlebar setup
Breezer double rail adapter
Airzound horn
Surly 8 pack rack
Surly dummy bags
Sun Rhyno lite xl rims laced to a Shimano alfine 8 rear, Alfine dynamo hub front (both centerlock)
Shimano Ice tech centerlock rotors (203 front, 180 rear)
Tektro Aquila brakes
SR Apex crankset (32 tooth chainring)
22 tooth Shimano cog

[@tombraun4277]

I love the cargo demonstrations. Well done!

[@shaneruddock-pedallingtheg8114]

Please show another video in depth riding the bike. How do they climb loaded? I wanted to buy one and fit a rohloff but bought a disc trucker for a round the world cycle. Im heavily comsidering changing the bike frame.what does it weigh unloaded? I need to carry a saxophone on the tour. Lots of kit most likely a 50kg plus load

[@patrickknight6542]

This is really great! Got one and have done some of the things you are doing, including taking my Surly DiscTrucker to the bike shop. You did it smarter and I cant wait to try it. I just stuck mine in the bag and strapped the front wheel down. Using the XtraCycle extension like you did is the way to go! Thanks for sharing!

[@paeden5431]

That bike is an absolute unit!

[@sgdummy]

I built my BD back in about 2008. Yours is the only other build I've seen using the double stem/handlebar setup like mine. Nice build

[@andrewmartinelli4673]

You made a very informative video. Thank you

[@biercenator]

Have one on order here in Japan. Prep for going from two cars to zero. Thanks for this video, looking forward to the ride.

[@brokenchopstickz]

I'm really liking that bike. I don't own vehicles anymore, so this looks alternative to loading my bike trailer or panniers. Also I can bring my wife and dog along lol

[@statenwe5359]

Rocky Mountain Nakoda I do commute on this bike. It's definitely a capable daily rider. Around $1600 as I did all the assembly (except the wheels). Good deal on the frame and rack/bags.

[@vryabinin4788]

Really cool

[@dog-so1vj]

Amazing bike. Great video. Thanks for sharing.

[@mherke]

I like how much utility you get from that bike. I have commuted for the past 10 years on a Long Haul Trucker and panniers and I can see getting much more use from the Big Dummy. Mine is equipped with a SON dynamo, dynamo lights, steel fenders, trekking bars and brooks saddle. Thanks for your video!

[@statenwe5359]

Thanks! I haven't had the chance to ride a Long Haul Trucker to compare. Not yet at least. Everyone I've met who has one though, is usually thoroughly satisfied with it!

[@muzicianzero3328]

Who needs to carry 2 more bikes while riding a bike? Ha ha ha! Great video!

[@herethere2518]

Correction: replace "lateral" with "longitudinal" in my previous post :) And that was before I added fenders, which would shrink that clearance more. With a 26" rear wheel, the chainline dictates the tire width (i.e., lateral!), which lands around 2.3mm max for me unless you don't mind the chain rubbing the side of the tire in the lower gears. (Square taper BB was widest Shimano offered and I run an 80's Ritchey Logic crank w/ Wolftooth on middle ring)

[@wanderingbox7971]

lucky to have great cycle paths

[@statenwe5359]

Thankful for it. They weren't always here!

[@herethere2518]

I love my Big Dummy! My other bike is a Haibike with a Bosch CX mid-drive (ebike) that has been an utter nightmare for over a year, so the simplicity of a fully analog bike really appeals to me from a dependability and maintenance perspective. Having the saddle midway between the two wheels creates a pleasant and predictable ride. I have an albatross cockpit with a randonneur-style rack/bag up front and a 1x11 (34/11-42) drivetrain that does well. Purchased as a frame and compiled as a parts bike, it rocks an 80's mullet (27.5/26) since that's what I had. I was hoping to fit a 27.5 out back also but tire size shrinks below 2" due to lateral clearance. I found large rotors cause the forks to shudder up front, so I put the 203mm rotor out back and have been very happy (long wheelbase=rear brake does more from engineering perspective). I went all the way down to 160mm up front to stop the Troll from doing the flex boing. I spend almost 70% of my time riding offroad on technical single track thanks to NEMBA treating my town well. Despite many strange looks I have a blast and find the bike as capable as a mountain goat; the long rear end climbs endlessly and the bike may not wheelie but it sure drifts! Hoping to expand into canine bike touring through the fall and already have my studded tires to contend with icy Maine winters (NEMBA even grooms two of the local trail networks all winter!!).

[@CargoBikeCowboy]

Just bought a 2019 Big Dummy and I love it! Very purpose built bicycle. Like your video.

[@roberthadley5957]

Stokemonkey and rohloff here you’ve got a good start thou.

[@justinbarney8198]

A few months ago I bought the Surly Big FAT Dummy ...it carries more weight than the Surly Big Dummy and it has the fatter tires. I will say the downside is when I go to turn, the fat tires have the tendency to want to pull the handlebars into the turn, but overtime it becomes manageable. The immediate upside is being able to carry more weight. I do believe the capacity is 400 lbs., but if the rider is 220 lbs., then the hauling-weight then becomes 180 lbs. Any FYI! ...if you're thinking of mounting a trailer? --I went on Amazon and bought what is called the Ventura zinc-coated trailer hitch. Once you see it, you'll understand ;) But with the rear plate, it's roughly 18 mm, and kinda heavy. So I went to Lowes where I bought some diamond plate, mounted it in place of the original plate, and then mounted the trailer hitch to the diamond plate. If/when you get the Ventura Hitch, don't get the seat-mounted version, get the $12-$13 version(Amazon) AND to mount it flush, you're going to need a grinder/cutting tool to alter the one bracket. Don't understand? --you will once you go to mount it ;)

[@Edward-tc3zk]

dang at 3:02 your bicycle sounds just like a motor vehicle

[@naldovaz9157]

Saving now for my next bike

[@watts391]

Bikes on bikes 👍🏻

[@proyectoJAROCHO]

Imperialism in all his glory

[@Timberbeartrail]

I do however think you did a really good job of this video

[@bush-radler7326]

amazing...

[@NCrdwlf]

Nice set up.

[@statenwe5359]

Greg W Thanks!

[@Scruffybirdd]

Impressive

[@binaryvenus5432]

wow super duper cool 👍

[@roberthadley5957]

Nice bike I’ve got one I’d love to show off mine. I’ve got ten grand in mine. It slices and dices and catches fish just kidding it rocks with the stokemonkey and rohloff hub 👍👍

[@statenwe5359]

Oh man a Rohloff! One of the best drive-trains for a dummy. Been looking into switching to a Nuvinci hub (currently using an Alfine 8, nearly two years strong)

[@m1sh99]

Thanks for sharing.

[@tomfitton9090]

My dude, what is your opinion on this - looking for a cargo bike to haul 2 kids around (plus some other errands like doing the food shopping). We are moving to a fairly hilly area, would you go with something like this, or would you go for the ebike option considering the cargo weight? I.e. how well is it geared for taking on hills with heavy onboard weight?

[@statenwe5359]

I haven't regularly carried passengers. I'd imagine having an electric option in a hilly area, would be easier on the body in the long run. Hilly is relative though, my peers feel that my area is "hilly". Electric bikes tend to need more maintenance in the drivetrain. They also save time but if you're not in any kind of rush, you can pedal any bike just fine with the correct gearing. Going with no motor i'd say get the lowest gearing you can within reason (34 tooth chainring max, 36 tooth low cassette or lower is possible). Have fun with your new acquisition, whichever you decide!

[@tomfitton9090]

@@statenwe5359 Awesome, thanks for the help. As you say hard to gauge without knowing the gradient or the weight of the kids even... I know I can manage just fine on my road bikes on steep stuff (with no kids), but I have no ideas how I will fair even with big gearing on some of our hills, plus 2 kids on the thing. I guess testing one out is the sensible option.

[@samurai123able]

классное видео спасибо

[@Timberbeartrail]

Where is this video recorded? I'm in the process of buying a big dummy... Not buying a big dummy I'm buying a big easy

[@JoseArmandoTambini]

Se ve genial

[@Timberbeartrail]

Where did you get that support underneath your bags what's that called a wide loader??

[@abrahamalanjoy1010]

I'm from India. Bro can we go in speed in big dummy

[@nicolasghislain2332]

Nice bike but need a bafang bbs02 mid Drive motor !

[@tjcarter524]

How do rate the bike on daily commuter and cargo bike

[@statenwe5359]

I've been riding this bike almost daily for a little over two years. To work, errands, and recreation. It's been updated/graded since this video though!

[@clacclackerson3678]

Have you tried taking two non-folding bikes?

[@statenwe5359]

Clac Clackerson No but I am working on a way to carry bicycles using the Xtracycle sidecar.

[@clacclackerson3678]

Good stuff!

[@brokenchopstickz]

How much did that cost you?

[@aflick102]

if you have check out the price yet I just bought one it cost me just over 2 grand

[@johnnyg2983]

After all the bells and whistles 6 grand🤣

[@tencyterry9190]

Howmuch rate?

[@kcnelson4994]

I own the surly big fat dummy, and I do enjoy the capabilities as a cargo hauler very much. The biggest flaw and lack of completion of the design?? The absolute pathetic excuse of a kickstand! This piece of crap kickstand is absolutely useless when trying to load any cargo whatsoever, and I’ve heard the comments of “lean the bike against some thing“ and that is an absolutely absurd thing to do when trying to load any cargo, especially when there’s nothing around to lean against! I would really like to know what other cargo bike owners do other than spending over $400 for the “rolling jackass“ system… It is absolutely aggravating to spend this kind of money on a bike and surly has a cheap five dollar kickstand on it… Useless!

[@roberthadley5957]

You can’t bring your wife if she weighs more than you