Surly Preamble: Everything You Need, Nothing You Don’t

It’s always a good day when there’s a new Surly in town. The Preamble is the latest addition to their lineup, bringing the Surly steez without breaking the bank, and we’ve finally got our hands on one! Functional, fun and made for daily riding, it’s right up our street here at Brixton Cycles. Designed to be the ultimate crossover commuter, this simple-but-effective machine borrows features from its big brother ‘Bridge Club’ – it’s the perfect gateway into the world of Surly’s steel steeds. (Be warned: once you go Surly, you don’t go back!)

Let’s take a closer look at the Preamble and find out what all the fuss is about:

Surly Steel

At its core, the Preamble features a 100% Surly Chromoly steel frame and fork, ensuring strength, reliability, and most importantly ride quality that will leave you grinning from ear to ear. The double-butted main triangle provides extra strength where it's needed most, while maintaining a lightweight, snappy feel. Whether it’s on the tarmac or the trails, by keeping it real with steel the Preamble is a joy to ride on any surface – but who’s really surprised? After all, ride quality is Surly’s middle name!

Versatility & Adaptability

The Preamble is what we’d describe as a chameleon bike: adaptable to almost any setup, it’s a real do-it-all bike – the tinkerer’s dream! It plays well with both 1x and 2x drivetrains, allowing you to choose the setup that suits you best. Drop bar or flat bar? The Preamble is just as fun to ride with both. It’s also equipped with mounts for racks, mudguards, and two bottle cages. So, whether you're planning a weekend camping trip or commuting to work with all your essentials in tow, the Preamble has got your back.

Clearance for Any Adventure

Despite its title of ‘city commuter’ the Preamble is no slouch when it comes to the rough stuff thanks to its impressive tire clearance. If you're rocking the XS or Small frame size, you can opt for 650b x 41mm tires with or without mudguards, allowing you to conquer those rugged trails or glide through the city streets. If you're riding a Medium to XL frame size, you'll have room for 700c x 41mm tires with or without mudguards, making for a comfy and efficient ride no matter where you go.

Our Spec

Reliability and practicality is the theme of this setup. When it comes to the drivetrain, our Surly Preamble is equipped with MicroShift’s 8-speed gearing. Nigh-on indestructible, it might not be anything fancy, but it more than does the job! With wide availability of parts, simple setup and smooth shifting, this 8-speed setup will serve you well regardless of the ride.

Opting for a 1x setup simplifies shifting by eliminating the front mech. This means fewer gears to worry about, reduces the risk of dropped chains with improved chain retention and minimises maintenance. Despite fewer gears, range isn’t sacrificed. With a 40t chainring up front and a chunky 12-42t cassette, there are more than enough cogs to get you up the steepest climbs while still retaining speed on the flats.

When it comes to stopping power, the Preamble comes with Avid BB5 mechanical disc brakes – known for their consistent performance and reliability, steep descents are no hassle for the Preamble, even when loaded with luggage. Plus, opting for mechanical brakes makes maintenance oh-so-simple!

Built to withstand whatever you can throw at them without sacrificing ride quality, the bombproof wheelset features 32 spokes laced to ever-reliable Novatech hubs. Wheels are all well and good, but you won’t get far without tyres! The Preamble comes with 35mm Kenda Kwik Tendril tyres as standard, ideal for multi-surface riding so that you can start adventuring from the get-go. Whether you're commuting to work, exploring gravel paths, or embarking on multi-day adventures, you can’t go wrong with this setup.

Head in-store to check out the Surly Preamble in all its glory – it’s a sight to behold! If you can’t make it down, take a closer look at it on our website here.