Surly Troll review-getting lost in Montana and Canada

Surly Troll Review-Getting Lost in Montana and Canada                        

South Fork Road between Polebridge, MT
and Eureka, MT

I recently completed a 22 day, 1250+ mile, self contained bike packing tour from Missoula, MT up into Canada much of which was on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. Primarily the roads were gravel, forest service roads, minimal maintenance,  single track, and pavement. This is my Troll review from that trip.

When buying a bike I look for these things: Durability, minimal maintenance, utilitarian options, and looks. The Troll met all requirements-and then some.

For specs go to Surly website: http://surlybikes.com/bikes/troll

Overall: the Troll handled well over the myriad of terrain it was put on.

Safe ride: whether climbing on loose gravel for 15 miles or bone jarring descents, I felt completely safe with the Troll’s abilities. One reason was Jones Bars: They gave me wonderful control on the down hills, and a great feel on the climbs the wide bars helped open my chest so plenty of oxygen could get into my lungs. They took me awhile to get use but once comfortable I adapted-I won’t go back.

 

mud somewhere on the GDMBR in Canada next to Weary Creek

The Micro Shifters: Simple minimal maintenance. Options to make them friction so no adjustments needed-I liked that a lot!

Gearing: The 27 gears gave me enough options for any terrain, there were some hike/bike sections on the GDMBR and some of the other trails I rolled over, but for the most part I was able to stay on the Troll.

Seat-WTB: I really like standard seat that comes with the Troll, plenty of cushion and most riders I came across, like myself, wore regular clothes and no padded bike shorts.  

Steel Frame: Heavy-yes. But as they say, “Steel is real.” Tough and absorbs road shock well. Tough tough tough!

Brakes: I love the disc breaks. With all the downhill sections I would have worn out pads, but the disc brakes perform excellent. I did have to replace the rear caliper but that was only because I did not adjust them properly in the first place. Your local mechanic should teach you how to adjust them as needed. 

Bowman Lake, Glacier, NP

Wheels and tires: I used my own custom wheels but my tires were the Surly Extraterrestrial 2.5s. They proved to be a great choice for the rough roads- I just lowered the tire pressure and rolled comfortably. When on pavement for long stretches I would pump up the tires and glide smoothly. I was able to ride with other cyclists who were on slicks. The rear tread wore down quickly-2000 miles, but that was expected considering the differences in terrain. Openly: I beat the crap out of tires and had ZERO flats-will use them again.

 I love my Troll and feel like I could take it anywhere: pavement, single track, gravel, it can adapt to most terrain. Truly it is a bicycle you can take to the ends of the Earth and –get lost!

The only thing I don’t like, yes there is always that, is the horizontal dropouts for the rear wheels. Surly says they did it this way for other options-single speed, Rolf Hubs, and other cool things I most likely wont use. I prefer vertical dropouts. But then again-options.

 

road going to the Sun in Glacier, NP

Other considerations and thoughts: I used a Surly Rack. I like the entire eyelet options for water bottle cages and anything cages. The fact there is the option to ditch the disc brakes and go with old school brakes is appealing especially if traveling in a 3^rd world country. 26in wheels VS 29ers-well that is just personal preference, although again in a 3^rd world country 26in wheels are said to be easier to obtain.  If you want one bike that can do everything well that is extremely durable, cost effective, and will have little, if any, maintenance issues the stock Troll is an excellent option.  I met many people on the road with Trolls who were happy with their choice. Surly has other excellent choices as well for your cycling needs but the Troll met mine.

One last thing, I did not realize how much this bike meant to me at the end of the trip, until I got off the train and Amtrak told me they could not find my bike. Now I am a simple man, I don’t do the whole material possession thing, but when I was told that my heart sunk as though I just lost my best friend-we had just spent the last 22 days, 1250+ miles exploring multiple national parks and forest over terrain that would scare a Grizzly, but we did it and survived. Over the next few days I came to realize how connected I became to the Troll on the trip. This confidence it gave me on the tour was amazing, sure it

back home safe and sound

was partly me, but not worrying about the durability of my bike, well, that was priceless for a bikepacker like myself. I got it back three days later, but without explanation. I like to think it wanted to have its own adventure.

Commuting tips from Arkel

This shared from the Arkel Website, these folks make some excellent panniers!

Commuting tips

Going to work by bike? Welcome to the growing group! Some are doing it by obligation, for health, because of money, political reasons, because it feels good or to save the earth. The following are but tidbits of ideas on commuting. My idea is to help fellow commuters to share our combined experiences. Just here at Arkel do 85% of our staff commute to work on a bike, with dedicated indoor parking!! If you don’t do it already, by all means try it—for whatever reason you want Louise, our Quality Control specialist . . . and author of these commuting tips

What to wear What to wear depends on where you live, of course. The Canadian climate is not the same as the California climate, but some basic rules can be carried over. Work clothes are pretty much off, except maybe for some very short commutes. Two things make that unpractical: sweat and wrinkling. Most of us will sweat somewhat, which is not really appealing when wearing a shirt, but even if you don’t the pedaling motion will wrinkle well-pressed pants in no-time, like behind the knees and at the crotch. Instead wear light, comfortable clothes or breathable cycling wear to maximize your experience. Maybe you have a place at work to hang or store your cycling clothes. Maybe you don’t. If you don’t then keep some room in your panniers for them. If you sweat a lot and have to store your riding clothes in your panniers, maybe it would be wise to carry a spare pair of shorts. Spandex are great because they're light and you can wash them in a sink, and they dry in no time. The classic spin on work clothes is to prepare a complete set of matchable outfits for the week ahead and drive the lot to the workplace once a week and bring back the old ones for washing. If you’re like many of us here at Arkel who don’t even own a car, it’s not realistic. Commuting can still be accomplished without great pains, as we all at Arkel are good examples of that. For instance, our California guy, Daniel, has his shirts cleaned and “boxed” so there is enough space inside the individual plastic bag they are folded in, to also fit a pair of folded pants, underwear, t-shirt, socks, tie and a belt. For him the T-42's fit everything perfect and give him enough room for a laptop (laptop pannier) , business files, books and his lunch! Everything is so tight that nothing moves during the ride for a wrinkle free look. He even uses the plastic bag to put his bike clothes in. Paul, our General Manager, commutes with our Briefcase. He uses one compartment solely for clothes. By compressing the webbing he effectively stabilizes everything for fresh garnments at work.  Safety first First and foremost. always wear a helmet. It's cheap brain insurance and it's only a question of time before you will use it, ask anyone! Wear bright colors. They are not only more visible during the night, they are more eye-catching during the day too. You can’t be too visible. When riding at night not only should you have all the equipment required by law, but also make sure to adhere to the “see and be seen” mentality. Use active lights front and rear. Make sure your panniers have reflective stripes, wear reflective leg bands and don’t shy away from a reflective vest. It looks dorky, but not more than a suit in a coffin. Your loved ones will thank you. Obey traffic laws. We can’t stress this one enough. One day it will save you life. And if it don’t save yours, it may save others by demonstrating the proper example and not antagonizing motorists. Stop at all red lights and stop signs, even when there's no traffic. It's a good habit to get into. Obey traffic laws: Keep off the sidewalks. Obey traffic laws: Stay off narrow, one way streets. Obey traffic laws: Act like a car which never has the right of way. Be predictable. Hand signals were invented for cars. When cars had no directional lights hand signals became mandatory. Use them to indicate your moves to motorists. They’ll love you for it, because neither of you will be guessing what the other is doing. Look through the back windows of parked cars to spot drivers about to exit without warning. If passing such a car with unclear intent, extend a hand forward as you come about the door in case the door opens on your side. Providing you are forceful enough you may stop the driver from opening the door in front of your kneecaps...at least long enough for you to pass. Don’t shout to motorists, unless absolutely necessary. Life is too short to waste your precious time and energy, and often will do nothing but distract you thus making an accident even more likely. Learn crash manoeuvers, think of possible last minute escape routes and how to ditch, and if all else fails, apply your first aid knowledge for whomever is involved. Practice over grass in your backyard or in the park. It’s a good skill to know anyways. Sometimes in life you must learn to let go.  Day-to-day necessities Commuting and seatbags don’t go well together unless you can park your bike inside your workspace. Leave nothing on your bike that can be removed or stolen. Try to use panniers and stuff everything inside. There’s no denying that a backpack or a courier bag is quicker to use than a set of panniers, but consider the following. Panniers are not hard on your back, heavy on your shoulders, hot when you sweat, make you lose your balance during quick manoeuvers or risk snapping a vertebra in case of a fall. Similarly, consider that a backpack will not protect your derailleur on a side impact, will not cushion your bike on a brick wall and does not look good inside of corporate buildings. Our vote: panniers, any day. Are your surprised? Be sure to have some money in case of an emergency. A calling card is a minimum and enough money for at least a snack and drink is preferable. Stack basic tools inside an old sock that you can then use as a glove for roadside repairs. Basics are a spare tube, a pump or 2 CO2 cartridges (if it fits with your philosophy), tire levers, and anything else you feel comfortable with. Anyways at that point you’ll be late for work! And it will be on the most important day, so always give yourself extra time and use the "spare" minutes to enjoy the flowers along the route. Carry I.D. where they can be found. Better to be safe than sorry! While you’re at it, put basic identification inside the seat tube of your bike. Something like "This bike belongs to Jane Smith, 34 Main Street, 555-5656" in case it gets stolen. You never know, you could get a phone call from a bike shop later!!!  Bike rigging! We’re talking commuting! Stay low-key and stay away from loud colors. If you lock your bike outside, think of masking most areas of the frame. Make the bike unappealing. Fenders are a must, unless you live in Tucson. Minimal weight, maximum payoff. Hey, bonus advantage: most people think it looks . . . errr . . . un-sexy (well we kind of like them ourselves, but that’s just us), thus less appeal for the would be thief. Tire liners, Thorn-proof tubes, Kevlar tires, Slime, whatever makes your tire less prone to flats is a blessing to your boss. Anything else is up to you. Racing bike, mountain bike, hybrid, fixed gear, one speed, city bike. Whatever suits you, as long as you enjoy it and it's road worthy. And the small details . . . If a shower is available to you, by all means indulge yourself. Don’t forget the towel, and a regular hygiene kit that you can stash in a drawer. Soap, shampoo, deodorant are the basics, plus a toothbrush and toothpaste. A hand dryer machine in the restroom also makes a good blow dryer. If a shower is not available to you, leave a package of "disposable wet napkins" at your work place. They’re practical and will degunk all but the most intimate parts of your body, leaving a fresh scent too! Intricate hairstyles will sometimes discourage riders from wearing a helmet or riding a bike altogether. Small tip: most mousses or hair gels will be reactivated with a little water, easying the task to rebuild a presentable, loveable look.