The (New) 2013 Surly Troll

[simon.r]

I have word from some guys over in the off-road forum that On_one's material of choice (DN6 4130) is good stuff. I was unfamiliar with it. Any thoughts?

I can't comment on the 456, but I've owned a number of DN6 steel frames from On One over the years and had no problems whatsoever. I've never toured on them, but they've had some fairly serious off-road abuse. The original Inbreds made from DN6 must be 10 or 15 years old now and I've not come acros ANY stories of them failing.

IIRC the 'DN6' name came about because Brant was looking for a tubing name and that was the first part of the postcode (zip code) where On-One were based at the time

 

[Bodhbh]

Bodhbh-
Glad to see the On-One name tossed in to the conversation, because I just discovered them (48 hours ago), and I'm now pulling hard towards their 456 EVO steel frame for the long trek I'm doing in 2014. (My original choice was the Surly Troll.) Yes, the price is great, but the EVO's geo (especially the longish chainstays, lowered BB, and slack head angle) is the real attraction. If I stay on course, I'll be riding the EVO over 5,000 miles, mostly on-road, while toting about 50 pounds of gear. My website gives the whats, wheres, and whys. www.tohokuforward.org. I have word from some guys over in the off-road forum that On_one's material of choice (DN6 4130) is good stuff. I was unfamiliar with it. Any thoughts? I may end up putting a Surly Troll fork on the EVO, but not sure yet. I'll post pics as the bike comes together. I'm aware of the poor paint job of the On-One, but NAP (Not A Problem). I'll frame-save it inside before the build, and I can always get it sandblasted and powder coated later.

Now Simon.R mentions it, DN6 is a Doncaster postcode.

I'm not really one to talk with knowledge about geometry etc....but I have a 456 which I've set up for touring, with extra bottle and rack mounts brazed on and a powdercoat and it's bombproof, but it is very twichy with a high centre of gravity (compared to my mates Thorn Sherpa). It is too much MTB and not enough tourer. I think the geometry on the EVO is different to the older 456s although so I wouldn't rule it out.

If I had the cash, I'd like a Troll or something a bit more relaxed to put all the bits on and turn the 456 into what it was supposd to be doing - crashing about!

Are On-Ones a cheap option over there? I just assumed they'd be more expensive in the US, but I guess they all come from the far East anyhow.

 

[Zenroad]

Now Simon.R mentions it, DN6 is a Doncaster postcode.

I'm not really one to talk with knowledge about geometry etc....but I have a 456 which I've set up for touring, with extra bottle and rack mounts brazed on and a powdercoat and it's bombproof, but it is very twichy with a high centre of gravity (compared to my mates Thorn Sherpa). It is too much MTB and not enough tourer. I think the geometry on the EVO is different to the older 456s although so I wouldn't rule it out.

If I had the cash, I'd like a Troll or something a bit more relaxed to put all the bits on and turn the 456 into what it was supposd to be doing - crashing about!

Are On-Ones a cheap option over there? I just assumed they'd be more expensive in the US, but I guess they all come from the far East anyhow.

Yes, a bit cheaper than the Troll, but maybe not enough to make a big difference. Both are rock bottom for a good steel frame. What really got my attention on the EVO was the longer chainstays (than the Troll) and the lowered BB. I'll be going with the largest frame available, so I'm hoping it's a bit stretched out as well. Yes, the EVO is tweaked a bit.

 

[Yellow7]

Nice to see Surly have used rear drop-outs that accommodate a Rohloff hub without needing to fit the [ugly] torque arm adaptor required on standard frames, that was the main reason I chose a custom frame. It also has full options with brakes; centre-pull, V or disc.

I don’t like the seat-post clamp, looks like an after-thought? Does it have braze-ons for a down tube under-side bottle holder?

 

[SomethingLikeThat]

Sorry, not ugly, Fugly. The Surly Fugly

This is not exactly a beautiful Italian bike or something but to me a supermarket bike is the true fugly bike. I bet all loaded up really looks the business.

 

[Zenroad]

Nice to see Surly have used rear drop-outs that accommodate a Rohloff hub without needing to fit the [ugly] torque arm adaptor required on standard frames, that was the main reason I chose a custom frame. It also has full options with brakes; centre-pull, V or disc.

I don’t like the seat-post clamp, looks like an after-thought? Does it have braze-ons for a down tube under-side bottle holder?

It does now. New for 2013. Three bottle mounts! Nice. And two more bottle mounts on the fork blades!

 

[Yellow7]

This is not exactly a beautiful Italian bike or something but to me a supermarket bike is the true fugly bike. I bet all loaded up really looks the business.

With a touring bike Fugliness is an improvement, minimising any ‘wow’ factor & unwanted attention...my frame was (is) Tango Orange, I may as well have put a flashing beacon on it!! For the African tour I covered it with black Gaffa tape to give it that truly crappy look, although I was still offered money for it!

 

[MacB]

By happy coincidence I just received my first pic of my new frame about to wing its way to me:-

 

[Zenroad]

With a touring bike Fugliness is an improvement, minimising any ‘wow’ factor & unwanted attention...my frame was (is) Tango Orange, I may as well have put a flashing beacon on it!! For the African tour I covered it with black Gaffa tape to give it that truly crappy look, although I was still offered money for it!

Yes, Yellow7, absolutely. I tend to do the same with my cars! No one in their right mind would steel my car.

 

[Zenroad]

By happy coincidence I just received my first pic of my new frame about to wing its way to me:-

Beautiful!

 

[Crankarm]

Nice to see Surly have used rear drop-outs that accommodate a Rohloff hub without needing to fit the [ugly] torque arm adaptor required on standard frames, that was the main reason I chose a custom frame. It also has full options with brakes; centre-pull, V or disc.

I don’t like the seat-post clamp, looks like an after-thought? Does it have braze-ons for a down tube under-side bottle holder?

Have you fitted a Rohloff to your Troll? If so which model number Rohloff 14 speed hub is the one to use in the Troll frame? I ask as the Rohloff hub finder on their website is not being helpful, but then it could be me being dense. I would like a 36 hole hub in either silver or black.
Many thanks,
C.

 

[Cycleops]

I never expected to see people getting so lyrical about such an ugly bike! Ah well 'Chacun a son gout' as the French say.