After 15 years of working in a bike shop, there are certain things you just know you’ll regret not buying.

This was one of them.

I don’t even have immediate plans to build it up, but I knew I’d regret passing on it, so I bought one anyway.

I’m 181 cm tall, with a saddle height 74–75 cm, and I went with a size 56.

I firstly sell this limited frame to a customer who planned to swap from FUJI to this SURLY Steamroller.

One of the great things about switching between single-speed or fixed-gear bikes is that, in most cases, you can transfer almost all of your existing parts straight over to the new frame.

There are some pretty practical benefits to making the switch, too.

 

For example:

More tire clearance: You can run wider tires, giving you a more stable and comfortable ride.
Easier rack installation: Adding a rear rack becomes a much more straightforward option.
These are some of the functional improvements that became possible with the Steamroller, compared to what his previous FUJI setup could offer.

 

One thing Surly really values when designing its frames is utility.

The idea is to make a frame that can be adapted and built up in all kinds of different ways, even as a single bike.

The philosophy is something like:

“Life is long. Your circumstances will change, so we want to build a frame that can adapt along with you, giving you new ways to enjoy it as your life evolves.”

How great is that?

 

But beyond all the practical features, there’s one more thing I really want to talk about.

Its timeless good looks.

A little embarrassing, but here’s a photo of me from 2009.

I was a university student back then, and honestly, I didn’t really understand the value of bikes or how much they were supposed to cost. Everything just seemed ridiculously expensive.

So I ended up buying a FUJI TRACK. But the bike I really wanted was a Steamroller.

 

After I started riding on my own, one of my younger friends got into cycling after seeing me ride.When he decided to buy a bike, I recommended the Steamroller to him.

 

And honestly, I was pretty jealous.

I remember thinking, “How come this younger guy gets to ride a cooler bike than me?!”, haha.

 

As far as I can remember, the Steamroller has been around since at least 2009. That’s over 16 years, and somehow, it still looks just as good today.

Some bikes simply never go out of style.