Notably, the second set of forward-facing 3-bolt mounts that are included on the Surly Ogre and Krampus forks are not present on the BC, likely meant to distinguish the blurry lines between some of the bikes in Surly’s range. It also has front and rear rack mounts as you might expect from a Surly. One set of 3-bolt mounts on the top of the down tube (for sizes S-XL), another set underneath, and two more sets on the fork legs.

Thankfully, the Bridge Club comes equipped with plenty of little mounting points to attach just about any gear that your little heart desires. At that point, the bike was completely stock other than swapping the tires, throwing on a Brooks Cambium, and changing the bars for some backswept Sycip JJJ bars. My Tumbleweed was still in limbo in Nepal, so I didn’t hesitate to load up the BC and go.

Sometimes bike manufacturers tend to over-gear stock bikes, in my opinion, but the stock chainring (32t on the latest models) and cassette (11-51t) offer a range that will work for the vast majority of people looking for this type of bike.Īfter a handful of months with the Bridge Club riding around town, I finally had a chance to head to Turkey and get out touring again. Considering the price at the time I purchased the bike ($1200 USD… with the latest models “upgraded” to $1450), the build kit was totally adequate for just about any around-the-town excursion I could get into. The SRAM SX Eagle system that came stock (which has been swapped for a 1X Shimano Deore setup on the latest models) doesn’t have the same robust materials as its pricier siblings (more on that later), but it shifts confidently the vast majority of the time. The latest model of Bridge Club comes sporting a more rugged 2.4” WTB Trail Boss tire, though I imagine that tire might feel a bit aggressive for the type of riding this bike excels at most. I’ve praised the Mezcals before on here, but it bears repeating that I’m a big fan of these tires. Smooth-rolling on sections of pavement, but supple and grippy enough for any chunky road I threw at it, without being fragile. I found these tires to be the perfect match with this bike. The stock 2.4” WTB Riddler tires felt good out of the box, if a bit hefty in weight, but once I converted it to tubeless and threw on some 27.5×2.6” Vittoria Mezcals, it really started to sing on the local dirt roads and trails. The double-butted 4130 chromoly frame is compliant where it needs to be without feeling like a boat anchor. It never felt too sluggish to enjoy smooth roads or overwhelmed on the rough stuff. The handling is quite playful and spry when compared to the dedicated expedition bikes I’m used to riding, which focus more on fully-loaded stability, and that made my daily spins around town all the more enjoyable. It was surprisingly fun to ride straight out-of-the-box. The Bridge Club excels as a fun around-the-town commuter and grocery-getter that can also get a little rowdy on some trails along the way. It was never meant to be my full-time touring rig, but it just happened that way. What I didn’t realize at the time was that I’d end up spending more than two years riding and touring on the BC in Michigan, Turkey, Peru, and Colombia. When looking at all of the options, the Surly Bridge Club seemed to tick more of those boxes than any other, and it turned out that I could get my grubby mitts on a size XL, so I went for it. After all, I didn’t know if I’d be back to my trusty T’weed in a matter of months. But most importantly, I wanted something that wouldn’t obliterate my bank account. A SRAM 1x setup would be a nice bonus since I had some spare parts lying around.

I was leaning toward a steel frame and wanted it to fit a healthy-sized 27.5” tire along with having all of the necessary accoutrements to mount up racks and bags just in case the need would arise. I was looking for something versatile enough that would be fun for day rides on dirt roads, multi-use paths, and some singe-track. So, when the one complete bike I had in my possession (a Tumbleweed Prospector) got stranded in Nepal for an indefinite amount of time in March of 2020, I hit up Sean over at The Cub House to see what kind of bike I could get my hands on at the very beginning of the pandemic bike boom. I don’t get new bikes very often these days.

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