Filled with hope for all the possibilities
When starting a new hobby, your heart fills with excitement as you imagine all the fun things that are about to begin, doesn't it?
That was the sentiment held by the owner who came to visit us. Wanting to explore his own way of enjoying cycling by riding on all kinds of roads—both on and off-road—we helped him choose the SURLY Midnight Special.
With its versatility for mounting racks and fenders, the depth of being able to choose between 700c and 650b wheel sizes, and the ruggedness of the frame thanks to the 44mm head tube and thru-axles, it was the perfect fit for his requests.
| Head Set | CHRIS KING Inset 7 Two Tone Black Gold |
| Handle Bar | WHISKY PART CO. No.7 DropHandlebar |
| Saddle | SELLE ITALIA Flite1990 |
| Tire | SIMWORKS by PANARACER The Homge 700x43c |
| Rim | VELOCITY Aileron |
| Spoke | SIMWORKS by HOSHI Peregrine |
| Hub | GROWN |
| Pedal | SIMWORKS by MKS Bubbly Black |
| Component | MICROSHIFT Advent |
Go anywhere without forgetting your sense of adventure
Because he wanted to start by riding around town and on light gravel, we chose SIMWORKS The Homage 700 x 43c for the tires.
Among the many widths available, this 43c size and tread pattern offer the perfect balance: it lets you clear curbs and gravel paths with ease, while still allowing for brisk rides on pavement when running at higher pressures. It will surely take him on all his camping trips and to all the destinations he's dreaming of visiting.
For the rims to support those tires, we chose the VELOCITY Aileron.
Their lightweight design and ideal rim height cover tire sizes from 25c to 47c, and if you mount slick tires like Volummy, it instantly transforms into a touring bike ready to zip across the pavement.
For pedals, we selected the SIMWORKS by MKS Bubbly Black.
With such a large platform, you don't even have to worry about missing your footing, allowing you to fully focus on the ride.
Components are MICROSHIFT Advent 9s
While a "9-speed 11-42T" isn't meant for pure speed, the gear range that can handle any incline or road condition will surely get him through wherever he decides to ride next.
Now, time to turn those dreams into reality!
Actually, I bumped into the owner of this bike in town the other day. When I asked him about it, he was full of ideas about how to enjoy it, like "I want to load it up and go camping" and "I want to see more scenery." We even talked about going for a ride, so once we coordinate our schedules, I’m planning to head out with him to ride on a road he’s never traveled before!
We are showcasing a photo archive of bikes built at Circles.
Use it to spark some inspiration for your own custom bike.
