For those of you looking to start riding a bike, I’m sure you each have your own unique image of what that should be.
Maybe you want a bike that’s lightweight, fast, durable, or equipped with fenders and a rack. Perhaps it’s a specific color you love, or something that fits your body perfectly. We all seek different things.
If you’re going to ride a bike, it would be great if it could do this and that, right? But in reality, it’s rarely possible to fulfill every single wish.
The bike I’m introducing today belongs to the category of road bikes, but it’s a bit different from what you might generally imagine. So, if you’re strictly seeking lightness and speed, this might not be for you. However, for those with a certain rebellious spirit—who choose to enjoy their daily life and leisure time on a bicycle in a country dominated by car culture—I hope this story resonates with you.
Within the Surly lineup, the Cross-Check is a model that many people utilize to fit their own lifestyles thanks to its incredible versatility. But are you aware of the road model known as the Pacer, which often ends up hidden in its shadow?
It may not take tires as wide as the Cross-Check, but it is the perfect bicycle for comfortable long-distance riding, daily commutes to work or school, and even light touring with some luggage. Unlike a typical road racer, its steel frame is equipped with eyelets for fenders, and it boasts clearance to swallow 32mm tires, which is rare for a road frame. You could even mount fenders and set it up with flat bars for a rugged daily bike.
Or, while you wouldn't want to load it up with as much gear as a full-blown touring bike, it’s a bike that lets you commute or head to school with a bag strapped to a rear rack in complete comfort and without a worry. And though it won’t slice through the wind like a road racer, it’s a bike that lets you venture a little further on the weekend to see scenery you don’t usually encounter. That is the Pacer.
It’s certainly not a light bike, but even if you happen to knock it over, you can ride on with just a small scratch, and with proper care, it’s a machine you can use for five or ten years. If the paint fades, you can just repaint it. It comes in a size range that covers everyone from those around 155cm tall to those over 200cm, with tubing thicknesses adjusted appropriately for each size—a model that truly demonstrates customer-friendliness even within a mass-produced framework.
We’ve taken that Pacer and built it up with our own Circles interpretation.
【Surly】Pacer
Circles Complete (Size: 46cm) ¥235,000 (excl. tax)
We agree with Surly’s philosophy of Fatties Fit Fine. But in reality, if you’re riding on nicely paved city streets, you don’t necessarily need tires that wide, and on the weekends, you might want to put on some casual jerseys and head over the mountain pass. The Pacer provides just the right amount of tire clearance for those kinds of riders.
We had it repainted in a vibrant blue using the new powder coating service from Kyutai Paint.
We’ve pampered it with Grand Bois 30c tires to ensure a comfortable and nimble ride on any road. For the curious, you could also mount GravelKings and head out onto unpaved trails.
Stem: SimWorks By Nitto / Anna Lee Stem
Handlebar: SimWorks By Nitto / Misirlou
Seatpost: SimWorks By Nitto / Beatnik
The cockpit area is assembled with reliable components from SimWorks By Nitto. Just like the frame, the parts you choose should be things you want to use for a long time without the frustration of them breaking.
In the future, you can attach fenders for fun rides even on rainy days, or if you feel like a leisurely pace, you can swap to flat bars and mount a front basket for a more relaxed ride. It’s not as light or as fast as a cutting-edge racer. But you should enjoy it at your own pace. I believe that being able to grow alongside its rider for a long time is the true hallmark of this Pacer.