Hi, Daisaku here!
Lately I'm feeling the warmth of the sun more than the cool of early spring (or is it already heat…? The mosquitoes are out early this year 🦟), and with everything in the city and the mountains turning lush and green, it really feels like early summer.
The gentle warmth of early spring is nice too, but this short stretch of early summer before the rainy season gets me excited to go out and play, so personally I love it sooo much.
So, for anyone who wants to have fun as we head into this active season, and for anyone who's been daydreaming about getting a bike for a long time, here's a bike I highly recommend.
The SURLY Preamble Is Easy to Get Into and Easy to Ride
The bike I'm recommending this time is the SURLY Preamble.
We have bikes and frames from all kinds of brands and models on display in the shop, including SURLY, BASSI, WILDE and SKLAR. So why am I recommending the Preamble this time?
Simply put, it comes down to two things: it's easy to get into and it's easy to ride.
I wrote an article about the Preamble before, so please check that out for its features. In short, it mixes SURLY's philosophy with the practical reality of cost, which makes it a perfect first bike. (I'm sure that's why the SURLY crew gave it the name Preamble, meaning "prologue" or "introduction.")
Compared with its predecessor, the Cross Check, and the Straggler, the disc-brake version of the Cross Check, the Preamble has a longer wheelbase and better straight-line stability.
It stays stable whether you're leisurely exploring the city or heading off-road onto gravel.
The rear end also accepts both 141mm and 135mm quick release, so you might even be able to reuse the quick-release disc wheels from a bike you used to ride.
Get Riding a Preamble in Your Own Style
SURLY also sells frames on their own, so you can build one from the start around how you ride and the style you have in mind.
For City Riding
The situation where most of us use a bike the most is, without a doubt, commuting and getting around town.
Looks matter, of course, but here you'll want to focus on practical things like durability and handling rather than speed or distance.
For the handlebar, which matters a lot for how the bike feels, we recommend something like a flat bar or a promenade bar that lets you put power down firmly while still riding relaxed.
For the tires and drivetrain, you'll also want tough models with durability in mind.
For Gravel Rides or Long Tours, Go With Drop Bars
"Drop bars" might sound a little intimidating, but the great thing about them is that you can switch between several hand positions!
On long rides, changing where you grip helps reduce numbness in your hands and lets you ride in a more comfortable posture.
On gravel rides, holding the drops (the lower part of the bar) lets you brake with less effort, and the lower center of gravity adds stability.
And of course, you can use it just as it is for city riding and commuting. If you commute during the week but also want to head out on weekend rides, this is the style we recommend.
Let's Be Picky About Looks, Too
And above all, when choosing a bike, looks are what everyone cares about.
Besides the frame color, the overall impression changes depending on whether you go with silver or black as the base color for the parts, and you start caring about the overall balance and even the shapes of small parts.
Overall balance in particular is a key point that has a big effect on a bike's character. This time I'll introduce a few things, including that.
(I'd love to go into detail, but once I get started I'd never stop… If you're curious, feel free to ask us in the shop!)
Frame Size and Proportions
The Preamble comes in five sizes, XS / S / M / L / XL, and the look changes significantly between S and M.
Sizes up to S use 650B tires, and sizes from M up use 700c.
The S size has a strong gravel-bike or mountain-bike feel, while from M up the top tube gets closer to horizontal, giving it a clean look like a road bike.
This only applies to people around 170cm tall, but at that height I think a lot of people find themselves torn between S and M.
If you can't decide between the two sizes, it's fine to choose based on looks.
We have an S-size complete bike in the shop, so you can get a feel for the size and character by actually straddling it.
Tire Width
As mentioned in the frame size section above, the Preamble uses 650B tires up to size S and 700c tires from size M.
As for tire width, with 650B you can fit up to 47mm in the front and 41mm in the rear.
It's not official, but depending on the combination and the model, 47mm tires can fit both front and rear.
(Some won't fit, so please talk to us when building one up!)
Especially on the XS and S sizes, fitting tires as wide as they'll go along with a bar with a bit of backsweep should make for a bike you can ride leisurely in a relaxed, cruiser-like position!
We Have a Full Range of Sizes and Colors Waiting for You!
In the shop we have every size in the stock colors, plus frames repainted by Kyutai Paint.
On top of how it's built, you can also choose the color, so let your imagination run and come visit the shop.
Let's build your ideal bike together, starting from your vision and the way you ride!
You can also consult with us at Circles Tokyo!
If you live in or around the Kanto area, feel free to send a DM to the Tokyo store's Instagram.